An Observation...

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The Critic

The Critic

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It is agreed upon by both experts and service manuals that engine oil filters should be tightened approximately 3/4 turn once the gasket contacts the base and preferably by hand.

On the last few oil changes I did, I either tightened the oil filter until it was snug using a cap type oil filter socket and a ratchet, or I tightened the filter at least 1 full turn after the gasket contacted the base.

The result? No problems with removal as long as I crushed the can slightly with a pliers type filter wrench. While I am not saying it is necessary to tighten the filter this tight, at the same time, I have not seen any harm by doing so. So, at least from my personal experience, I am saying that there is no need to worry about overtightening a spin-on oil filter.

Thoughts?
 
You should not have any worries as long as you don't tight the oil filter up like your The Hulk, Superman, or something of that nature lol !
grin2.gif
 
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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: The Critic
It is agreed upon by both experts and service manuals that engine oil filters should be tightened approximately 3/4 turn once the gasket contacts the base and preferably by hand.

Hmm, not the ones I've seen. They typically just provide you with a torque figure.


Weird, IIRC my Nissan service manual says to tighten it 2/3 turn once the gasket contacts the base. All of the aftermarket filters I have installed say something similar.
 
I had a car towed in where the customer couldn't get the filter off. It was a 2.0L Jetta. My co-worker used an air hammer on the base plate. This was of course after shredding the oil filter down to just the base plate being screwed on.

I go alittle past snug, never had an issue.
 
The worst seems to be the first filter change on a new vehicle. Not sure if the OEMs lube the gasket or just over tighten. Have yet to have a filter on a new vehicle not be a battle to remove. The absolute worst was the original filter on our 07 Jeep Liberty. Had to use a combination of emery cloth and super glue to finally get the thing to budge. Thought for sure the band wrench was going to puncture the can.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim_Beverlin
The worst seems to be the first filter change on a new vehicle. Not sure if the OEMs lube the gasket or just over tighten. Have yet to have a filter on a new vehicle not be a battle to remove. The absolute worst was the original filter on our 07 Jeep Liberty. Had to use a combination of emery cloth and super glue to finally get the thing to budge. Thought for sure the band wrench was going to puncture the can.

On my mom's 2010 Altima, the correct sized oil filter cap would not move the factory filter-- the cap would just slip. However, with the assistance of a pliers type filter wrench, the filter came right off after I crushed it very slightly to obtain a good grip.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim_Beverlin
The worst seems to be the first filter change on a new vehicle. Not sure if the OEMs lube the gasket or just over tighten. Have yet to have a filter on a new vehicle not be a battle to remove. The absolute worst was the original filter on our 07 Jeep Liberty. Had to use a combination of emery cloth and super glue to finally get the thing to budge. Thought for sure the band wrench was going to puncture the can.


I seriously doubt that they lube them. Where is GMBoy when you need him?
grin2.gif


Cnsidering most f Iffy Lubes don't (a safe guess) and a lot of doityourselfrers don't, i doubt that they would take the time on an assembly line.
 
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: Jim_Beverlin
The worst seems to be the first filter change on a new vehicle. Not sure if the OEMs lube the gasket or just over tighten. Have yet to have a filter on a new vehicle not be a battle to remove. The absolute worst was the original filter on our 07 Jeep Liberty. Had to use a combination of emery cloth and super glue to finally get the thing to budge. Thought for sure the band wrench was going to puncture the can.


I seriously doubt that they lube them. Where is GMBoy when you need him?
grin2.gif


Cnsidering most f Iffy Lubes don't (a safe guess) and a lot of doityourselfrers don't, i doubt that they would take the time on an assembly line.

At Walmart we have a tray with a piece of oil soaked foam. Get the filter and set it on the foam until its ready to use.
Yeah, the factory filters are probably the worst. I always just do 3/4 turn and never have a problem. If I happen to see one of mine again I can usually remove it by hand unless its in a retarded position.
 
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If you remove the old filter and install the new one right away, whatever film of oil left on the surface should be sufficient.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
If you remove the old filter and install the new one right away, whatever film of oil left on the surface should be sufficient.

Thats what I do at home.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: The Critic
If you remove the old filter and install the new one right away, whatever film of oil left on the surface should be sufficient.

Thats what I do at home.


I usually clean it with a shop towel, but I always lube the gasket with oil and the threads with oil mainly to remove any shavings from the threading process.
 
I always clean the mating surface with a rag. This is not so much to clean it as it is to make sure I didn't leave the gasket on it. I use white grease on the gasket then tighten it enough so it won't fall off and loose enough so it can be taken off by the next person who changes it. When you've changed a gazillion filters you can do this by feel.
 
Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
I always clean the mating surface with a rag. This is not so much to clean it as it is to make sure I didn't leave the gasket on it. I use white grease on the gasket then tighten it enough so it won't fall off and loose enough so it can be taken off by the next person who changes it. When you've changed a gazillion filters you can do this by feel.


Why white grease and not oil?
 
There is actually no advantage to using white grease over oil except for me its more convenient. I really only use it because in my early years I worked with a mechanic who did it. I was really fond of him and he later died. So every time I do that I tip my hat and say, "Here's to you Jerry".
 
We used to use the same stuff in the same way 35 years ago. It was convenient since the Lubriplate can was right there with a little brush in it. You didn't have to dip your finger in oil and coat the gasket (most common method) ..and no one wore gloves back then ..
 
The oil filter that was on my engine from the manufactory was so incredibly tight, had to use one of those claw wrenches. Every oil change afterward I could always remove it with my hand.
 
I always tightened my oil filters by hand and removed them by hand, this method came in really handy (no pun intended) in my 95 Accord, the filter location is so bad that almost all filter wrenches are useless on that car. I found out the hard way when I was trying to do the first OC after I bought the Accord from a guy that always had the car serviced by quick lube places. After fiddling with some strap and plier type wrenches, that my FIL had acquired over the years, I ended up putting a big screw driver through the filter and removing it that way, man what a PITA.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
On the last few oil changes I did, I either tightened the oil filter until it was snug using a cap type oil filter socket and a ratchet, or I tightened the filter at least 1 full turn after the gasket contacted the base.

The result? No problems with removal as long as I crushed the can slightly with a pliers type filter wrench.


If you have to crush the can with filter pliers to remove it, it's too tight.

Back when I had cars with spin-on oil filters I'd clean the block surface with a shop towel, prefill the filter and lube the gasket, then spin it on by hand until it was snug. The filters always came off by hand (with the requisite smidgen of grapplin' & cussin'), never leaked or left gaskets on the block. And never required anything more than a small strap wrench to get them loose - and usually not even that.

IMO if using a cup-type filter wrench, mark the filter so you can observe the 3/4 turn and use a torque wrench to determine the torque necessary to snug it to that point. And use that setting from now on to tighten filters.

You shouldn't have to crush the can to remove it. Destroying the filter for removal may not sound like a big deal, but what if the filter you planned to use had dorked up threads or was an incorrectly boxed one? I'd rather be able to reuse it in a pinch.
 
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