Stuck oil Filter

[huntingwiley]

I was out changing my oil this evening. My old oil filter will not come off. I have tried an oil wrench as close to the top of the filter as I can get it. It just collapsed the thing. So then I drove a screw driver trough it. No luck there. I am turning it to the left. Does any one have any ideas?

Oh I also tried taking a razor and going around the seal to break it.

[brett22i]

My first thought was the screwdriver trick, but you already tried that. I used to work at a large marina and the fuel separators were a terd to remove. Try gently tightening it then turning the correct way to loosen, that worked sometimes. We also had different types of filter wrenches and would add extensions for extra leverage.

[chpthril]

What kind of filter wrench are you using? The plier type are pretty good as they will allow you to get a good bite on the base of the filter where there is some stoutness.

[Fast1911]

Solution:

Channellock 480 "BIG AZZ" Pliers



A must have for anybody that uses tools, they open to 5 1/2" and work great on water softener filters too

[Timmy!]

Try spraying some pb blaster around the area where it seals and let it sit for a few minutes and then try again.

[mtnsmith]

I second the channel locks. I have a nissan titan and there was a running joke that nissan had a gorilla in the factory putting on the initial oil filters. I used filter pliers to no avail, and had to break out the monster channel locks to get the filter off, worked like a champ. penetrating oil like pb blaster soaking for a couple days definitely can't hurt.

[River Runner]

What kind of filter wrench?? The one Chp is talking about or a band type???

This concern usually happens when you install the filter w/o applying a thin layer of oil on the seal. The seal will end up trying to bond itself to the filter housing. Or King Kong himself tightened the filter.

Channel locks or filter plyers will destroy the filter if its on there really tight like you are describing. Screwdriver isnt going to help much either at this point. If it gets crushed when using a band type wrench at least it crushes semi-uniformly and most of the time will come off.

If it doesnt,(2nd worst case senario) the oil filter adapter(if there is one), should be removed from the block and worked on a bench. If not removeable then your in a serious pickle(worst case), which requires lots of beer, patience, cussing, and a doobie to celebrate "your walk on the moon" when you get it off.
my

[NICKYPOO]

Had this happen on my buddy's jet boat. By the time we failed with the screwdriver there wasn't much left except the top of the filter and about an inch of jagged metal. A grease monkey at a service station managed to knock it off with an air chisel.

[huntingwiley]

Thanks everyone. I was able to get it off with the filter wrench that Chpthril recommended.

[evil0ne]

I use this kind:

[dogbert]

I use this kind:

Sweet, what is that?

[TeamAllen]

I use them as well. There are different sizes. You need to get the right size for your filter. They work very well. That is the only bummer is I have to have a different one for each vehicle.

You can get them at Pep Boys or I'm sure almost any auto parts store.