Today my brother wanted his oil changed in his car. So I told him that I'll do it. Was I in for a day. For starters for me to remove the oil pan plug, I had to use a rubber mallet on my socket wrench to even get it loose so i can remove it. The second and more irritating was trying to remove the oil filter(Which was an STP oil filter, dont know what number). That was so tight that is oil filter collapsed when I was using my oil filter wrench trying to turn it loose. My question is, Why do people over tighten there stuff with tools? I only hand tighten my oil filters to the point their snug, but not too tight. What would have been an easy 20-30 minutes to do an oil change, took 1 1/2 hours. Ever have this happen to you
Oil change headaches
- Thread starter DirtRacer53
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This happened to be a few weeks ago with a neighbor's car. The filter was wrenched on so tightly that even with a cup-type filter wrench (the kind that goes over the end, not on the sides) it completely crushed and twisted. It took almost 45 minutes to get that thing off.
The reason it happened is that some pimpled faced kid probably did that oil change and he had no concept about not over tightening oil filters and drain plug bolts.
I've had to jam a screw driver into the oil filter in order to get it loose before. Over tightened bolts will lead to damaged threads on the oil pan and can lead to leaks from the drain hole.
That's why I do all of my own oil changes. I switched to a fumoto drain valve as well.
Did your brother at least get some beer or pizza or something that you like?
Regards, JC.
I've had to jam a screw driver into the oil filter in order to get it loose before. Over tightened bolts will lead to damaged threads on the oil pan and can lead to leaks from the drain hole.
That's why I do all of my own oil changes. I switched to a fumoto drain valve as well.
Did your brother at least get some beer or pizza or something that you like?
Regards, JC.
When I was changing my daughters oil a few years ago, I could not get the drain plug off so I tried an impact wrench and broke the socket.
I assume either the person was not trained well or they don't want a leak and never replace the washer.
I assume either the person was not trained well or they don't want a leak and never replace the washer.
To discourage DIY'ers and encourage them to take it back to the shop.
Should've watched my father-in-law, who isn't a slouch, shaking as he forced the filter on as tight as humanly possible.
I actually said "take it easy there gorilla, you only need it 2/3 turns tight" to which, of course, I was told was "too loose"...
Edit: If you want something that stings to watch...
Watch a guy strip a bolt on his cartridge filter oil change, a guy who uses the wrong socket since it "fits better". He proceeds to use a chisel to pound it off, and actually suggests he'll use a chisel to force it /back/ on afterwards. Not hurting inside enough? He comments they strip easy and shows the first cap he's ruined the same way, all the while lamenting "I think I tighten them too much."
Look close enough and you can read what this guy can't. The cap itself says to finger tighten then give another 2/3 turn I believe.
I actually said "take it easy there gorilla, you only need it 2/3 turns tight" to which, of course, I was told was "too loose"...
Edit: If you want something that stings to watch...
Watch a guy strip a bolt on his cartridge filter oil change, a guy who uses the wrong socket since it "fits better". He proceeds to use a chisel to pound it off, and actually suggests he'll use a chisel to force it /back/ on afterwards. Not hurting inside enough? He comments they strip easy and shows the first cap he's ruined the same way, all the while lamenting "I think I tighten them too much."
Look close enough and you can read what this guy can't. The cap itself says to finger tighten then give another 2/3 turn I believe.
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I've used a screwdriver punched through the filter to try to twist it off. Only to tear the can and filter material from the base plate.
I then used a rubber mallet and the screwdriver to chisel the base plate counter clockwise so that it became loose enough to back off.
This is nowhere near as bad as the fool someone hired that torqued a drain plug so tight that it spun freely in place. They had to go get a pry bar to back it out enough while someone else hit it with a airgun.
All the while the customer is watching. (I was manning the office that day.)
Thank god we had over-sized self taping drain plugs on hand.
I then used a rubber mallet and the screwdriver to chisel the base plate counter clockwise so that it became loose enough to back off.
This is nowhere near as bad as the fool someone hired that torqued a drain plug so tight that it spun freely in place. They had to go get a pry bar to back it out enough while someone else hit it with a airgun.
All the while the customer is watching. (I was manning the office that day.)
Thank god we had over-sized self taping drain plugs on hand.
i encountered this the first time i tried to change the neon's oil. It had previously been changed by local VIOC, and after cranking on it for an hour & not being able to get the drain plug to budge, i gave up and went to the vioc, leaving my oil prominently sitting on the seat, (was gonna return it, store right behind VIOC)they asked me about it, said i was gonna change it myself, but i couldn't get the drain plug out that y'all cranked down. they didn't put it nearly as tight that time.
that was the last time they touched my car, done all the changes myself since then, and i even looked up the plug's torque spec,(20ft/lbs) and -gasp- use a torque wrench! (I ended up changing the drain plug a couple changes later, the shoulders were pretty well rounded off.)
course on my second DIY change i over cranked the OCOD i had on there, and had to drive a screw driver clear through to get enough leverage to twist it off...
(there is actually a torque spec for that too - 8ft\lbs)
not had a problem since. (I don't use the torque wrench on the filter, just don't gorilla it on.)
that was the last time they touched my car, done all the changes myself since then, and i even looked up the plug's torque spec,(20ft/lbs) and -gasp- use a torque wrench! (I ended up changing the drain plug a couple changes later, the shoulders were pretty well rounded off.)
course on my second DIY change i over cranked the OCOD i had on there, and had to drive a screw driver clear through to get enough leverage to twist it off...
(there is actually a torque spec for that too - 8ft\lbs)
not had a problem since. (I don't use the torque wrench on the filter, just don't gorilla it on.)
Another horror story was the filter didn't tighten enough and it got loose on the highway, luckily the driver stopped the car as soon as low oil light on.
Overtightening the oil filter is the worst of the two, since the filter itself almost always has text on it that states "3/4 to 1 turn after the gasket makes contact". Simple, done. Common sense should also be used for the drain plug, but I could see how overtightening that might happen. But for the oil filter, there is no excuse.
Removing FF from the '11, had to pound prybar through filter case. Alternative was to remove belly pan - 14 bolts/screws that I saw before I gave up. I'm 6'3" 245# and ex-tower builder, I believe I have enough hand strength to get off most tight OF's. It was like it was welded on. No problems since then - of course it was I doing the OC's...did a Fumoto as well.
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My only real headache so far was back in my younger days when I changed my oil. After the change I was driving down the road and noticed a puddle of oil where I had stopped for a red light. Wheeled into a quick change and found out when I removed the old filter the gasket had stayed on the block. Since then I always check and make sure the gasket is on the old filter.
Filters can stick, even when properly seated. And some new ones [for the first change] are horrid!
3/4 to 1 turn past contact with an oiled seal is what I do.
3/4 to 1 turn past contact with an oiled seal is what I do.
Once I was doing the first oil change on my used car I bought, had the car up on ramps, drained the oil and all was well..
Went to go remove the filter and it was on there, Im far from a weak guy and I couldnt move it, called some friends and we ended up jacking it up off the ramps to take the wheel off for better access. We had 5 big, strong guys with both hands couldnt get this thing to move.
We smashed a screw driver through it and that only twisted and tore the shell up, we went to Walmart and bought every filter wrench they had and nothing worked, some of them broke.
Eventually one of my friends that works at Advance said he had something, so the next day he brought it over...
This thing got it off in minutes, so easy.
Went to go remove the filter and it was on there, Im far from a weak guy and I couldnt move it, called some friends and we ended up jacking it up off the ramps to take the wheel off for better access. We had 5 big, strong guys with both hands couldnt get this thing to move.
We smashed a screw driver through it and that only twisted and tore the shell up, we went to Walmart and bought every filter wrench they had and nothing worked, some of them broke.
Eventually one of my friends that works at Advance said he had something, so the next day he brought it over...
This thing got it off in minutes, so easy.
That is one mangled filter....Ive done quite a few OC's and some are more of a pain than others...lots of drain plugs that I have to use a mallet to pount loose and some very inconvient filter locations.....I always tell people that it could take 10 minutes or 40 depending on who did it before me...on vehicles I do often I can easily finish in 10-15 minutes
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Filters can stick, even when properly seated. And some new ones [for the first change] are horrid!
3/4 to 1 turn past contact with an oiled seal is what I do.
That happened on my last oil change, even though I oiled the filter gasket and hand tightened the filter. The filter was much harder to remove than usual. I still managed to remove it with my hands, but I was almost ready to go out and buy a filter wrench. I don't have one for this car because I never needed it, but I guess I should get one just for those rare occasions.
Filters can stick, even when properly seated. And some new ones [for the first change] are horrid!
3/4 to 1 turn past contact with an oiled seal is what I do.
That happened on my last oil change, even though I oiled the filter gasket and hand tightened the filter. The filter was much harder to remove than usual. I still managed to remove it with my hands, but I was almost ready to go out and buy a filter wrench. I don't have one for this car because I never needed it, but I guess I should get one just for those rare occasions.
I've had similar problems on factory-fill. I once spent a long time getting the OE Ford filter off a 3.0 Mariner. I drove to AAP to buy strap wrench, and that didn't help. It too, crushed, and start leaking, so I HAD to get it off in my driveway. I finally got it off with the claw-type tool that tightens around the filter as you tighten. Those are the times you wish every filter was like K&N. Of course you'd be hosed if the "nut" ever broke off a K&N also.
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Filters can stick, even when properly seated. And some new ones [for the first change] are horrid!
3/4 to 1 turn past contact with an oiled seal is what I do.
That happened on my last oil change, even though I oiled the filter gasket and hand tightened the filter. The filter was much harder to remove than usual. I still managed to remove it with my hands, but I was almost ready to go out and buy a filter wrench. I don't have one for this car because I never needed it, but I guess I should get one just for those rare occasions.
I've had that happen too. I hand snug a filter and 7,500 miles later I need to wrench it off. I even use Fram TGs with the textured top and about 10-15% of the time a can't loosen them by hand.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Filters can stick, even when properly seated. And some new ones [for the first change] are horrid!
3/4 to 1 turn past contact with an oiled seal is what I do.
That happened on my last oil change, even though I oiled the filter gasket and hand tightened the filter. The filter was much harder to remove than usual. I still managed to remove it with my hands, but I was almost ready to go out and buy a filter wrench. I don't have one for this car because I never needed it, but I guess I should get one just for those rare occasions.
I've had that happen too. I hand snug a filter and 7,500 miles later I need to wrench it off. I even use Fram TGs with the textured top and about 10-15% of the time a can't loosen them by hand.
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