Improper installation of oil filter issue

[ericgcollyer]

Last night, my friend asked me to help him change his oil. He has a small chevy prizm and I willingly agreed to it. Most of the oil change went fine (which almost never happens the first time I change oil on someones car) until I went to remove the oil filter. It was the fram orange can type filter. The person who did the oil last did not lubricate the gasket when they changed the oil 8,000 miles ago. Normally, this is not too much of an issue. In this case, it was. First, I tried to move it by hand. Didn't work. Then, I grabbed an oil wrench. This also didnt work. I guess the smallest wrench at AutoZone was too large (they also didnt have a variable size one). The wrench just slid around the outside. So then I grabbed a belt like oil filter remover. (akin to this: http://www.apextrading.co.uk/media/catalog/product/s/t/strap_filter_wrench_1_1_1.jpg). As I tried to loosen it, the can just bent! AT this point, I was pretty frustrated so I grabbed a screwdriver and hammered it through the filter to try to get more leverage. No dice. The can just bent and deformed more. So finally, I grabbed my hammer bent the can into a shape my large set of pliers could grab. Grabbed it and locked the pliers, and used a hammer to finally loosen it so that I could untwist it. I FINALLY got it off and finished the change. The end result? The following can. PHEW!

 

[Pete C.]

Why is this an "Orange Can issues"? Seems it's a previous installer issue.

 

[dave1251]

This sounds more like previous maintainer error of being overzealous with a oil filter.

 

[Coprolite]

At least it didn't fall off.

 

[KCJeep]

Overtighten + 8k = ^ THIS ^

Glad your friend had someone around who knew how to get it off though. A lot of people wouldn't know those tricks.

 

[Trav]

Nothing to do with Fram.

 

[fdcg27]

Overly tightened oil filter issues.
As others have noted, this has nothing to do with the brand of oil filter installed.
Still, a PITA.

 

[NHGUY]

Next time,put the strap around the base crimp,metal wont collapse there.

 

[mongo161]

IMO....This is what you need for all oil changes and it's self adjusting for every filter....The Chain Pipe Wrench.

\http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=chain%20pipe%20wrench&page=1&rh=n%3A228013%2Ck%3Achain%20pipe%20wrench

I've never had a problem removing "stubborn" caked on and "way too tight" oil filters with this baby. I've had mine for over 30 years and it's a Sears brand.....made in the USA.

 

[spasm3]

i lube my oil filter gaskets with old oil, more carbon. never seems to stick.

 

[Cold_Canuk]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Overly tightened oil filter issues.
As others have noted, this has nothing to do with the brand of oil filter installed.
Still, a PITA.


Fram is still [censored], I'd never let anything Fram makes touch my vehicles.

 

[ericgcollyer]

I should clarify. This won't happen on a regular basis with Fram filters. But I think the issue is when I tried to use a wrench in the can bent, to me that shows poor workmanship or cheap materials or both. So that's what I meant when I said orange can dish use. Obviously if you don't overtighten and lube the gasket this will work most of the time. Just remember to lube your gasket, this is a pain in the you know what.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted By: Cold_Canuk
Fram is still [censored], I'd never let anything Fram makes touch my vehicles.


UH OH!

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Some members here would just slap some JB Weld on it and use it again for another OCI.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: ericgcollyer
I should clarify. This won't happen on a regular basis with Fram filters. But I think the issue is when I tried to use a wrench in the can bent, to me that shows poor workmanship or cheap materials or both. So that's what I meant when I said orange can dish use. Obviously if you don't overtighten and lube the gasket this will work most of the time. Just remember to lube your gasket, this is a pain in the you know what.


That filter was on so tight that probably any filter would have crushed in the same way under the same situation.

 

[oneraggedhole]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: ericgcollyer
I should clarify. This won't happen on a regular basis with Fram filters. But I think the issue is when I tried to use a wrench in the can bent, to me that shows poor workmanship or cheap materials or both. So that's what I meant when I said orange can dish use. Obviously if you don't overtighten and lube the gasket this will work most of the time. Just remember to lube your gasket, this is a pain in the you know what.


That filter was on so tight that probably any filter would have crushed in the same way under the same situation.


I agree. I've personally never had an oil filter get stuck to this extent. Although, I've helped with a few that seemed to have been welded on.

If a good, firm grip and a little muscle won't do it, a large pair of channel locks always does the trick.

To use this as an attack on Fram is pathetic, IMO, as any oil filter exposed to this amount of abuse would suffer the same fate.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Cold_Canuk
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Overly tightened oil filter issues.
As others have noted, this has nothing to do with the brand of oil filter installed.
Still, a PITA.


Fram is still [censored], I'd never let anything Fram makes touch my vehicles.


Glad there is no bias in your unfactual rant...

I'll change the subject to keep it factual.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: ericgcollyer
I should clarify. This won't happen on a regular basis with Fram filters. But I think the issue is when I tried to use a wrench in the can bent, to me that shows poor workmanship or cheap materials or both. So that's what I meant when I said orange can dish use. Obviously if you don't overtighten and lube the gasket this will work most of the time. Just remember to lube your gasket, this is a pain in the you know what.


Fram orange can may be overpriced but its not a bad filter.
The can is decent and the media isn't bad, the complaints about cardboard end caps are baseless, it doesn't mean much.
How many engines have been running with these filters for decades? Overpriced is about it.

 

[callbay]

The chain pipe wrench has worked for me also.

Once or twice I have used a large regular pipe wrench when there is enough access to the filter.

The hardest filters I have ever come across to remove are the ones the factory put on.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: callbay
The chain pipe wrench has worked for me also.

Once or twice I have used a large regular pipe wrench when there is enough access to the filter.

The hardest filters I have ever come across to remove are the ones the factory put on.


So using the new "thought process" does that mean that they are the worst filters out there?