Stuck oil filter ... Camry 2AZ-FE

[Mechanician]

Something that you need to try is to put all the torque you can on it, and wait.
You are trying to move rubber, often it will only move very slowly.
Normal fasteners are "broken" loose, filters can slowly slide loose.

 

[Nessism1]

Another vote for these.

Worst case, tear the can open, and get a grip on the inside stem. If that rips, I've removed filters before by using a chisel on the periphery, spinning the filter CCW.

 

[barkingspider]

Any status on this? I agree the OP is turning it the correct way to loosen it

 

[antik]

I purchased this as suggested by a few here. Will keep you all updated!

 

[Kurtatron]

View attachment 267647

I purchased this as suggested by a few here. Will keep you all updated!

I just used that one on a filter that had been stuck to a car for 3 years. The strap itself crushed the metal can. It did come out, but I was terrified something would explode!

 

[Sedin26]

It was mentioned earlier that the threads could be damaged. It’s possible but I’ve had a few times over the years where I’ve got turned around and ended up tightening instead of loosening. Once I was tightening with the screwdriver trick and once with a strap wrench and I’ve not caused any damage.

Jamming a huge screwdriver through the filter has worked for me on a number of occasions but the filter was out in the open and not in a tight spot like OP. Also, I’ve used very large, thick screwdrivers, as normal sized ones tend to just rip the can.

 

[GON]

Looking at the picture, it appears more likely than not the OP was using the bottom of the filter as a work area to try and break free the filter. When a filter is stuck, going to the top/ base of the filter is where the removal tool should be placed.

As other have posted, use oil filter pliers, at the very top of the filter. I am confident this will get the filter to submit and loosen.

 

[mikeduf]

My two cents, that looks like a familiar nightmare that I've had from taking my car to the dealership where they have over tightened it and not use any lube to put the new filter on.

I used all of the above wrenches in a situation like that and all of them did nothing but either slip or chew it up even more. Counterclockwise to loosen left and clockwise to tighten right.

I eventually had to use some good high quality channel locks and got a grip in there and then slowly nudged it loose.
You don't want to destroy it and lose your grip ability on the housing.


The screwdriver through the canister does not work! These little Tin Can housings will just bend and deform even more.

Or if you had your car recently to the dealer and they caused this you can always go back to them and point the finger ! Good luck

 

[spasm3]

Strap wrench or filter pliers high up on the can. Never had the screwdriver method work. If you tear the can off, then you will have to chisel the filter base in the direction to loosen it.

 

[BrendanC]

I don't know what everyone else sees but i see it being turned to the left, which is correct for loosening.
@antik - spray some lubricant on the mating surface, wait a while, wipe the filter clean, then try a filter wrench (see below). Or one like @D60 shows above.

View attachment 267514

these right here. if you properly size and adjust these they will remove anything. only thing that works better is a set of knipex cobra’s if the filter is too crushed.

 

[D1dad]

I bought one of those based off of the reviews. Getting the filter released after it’s been removed is a major pain. I just stick to channel locks, in the event I can’t get it off by hand. I don’t let the arm wrestling champions at the quick lube touch my cars so never an issue that I’d need that lisle tool.

 

[AZjeff]

Something that you need to try is to put all the torque you can on it, and wait.
You are trying to move rubber, often it will only move very slowly.
Normal fasteners are "broken" loose, filters can slowly slide loose.

100% Just did this yesterday. Put pressure on just to the point of something slipping and wait. I noticed a tiny tiny bit of movement before the crap endcap wrench slipped so got to that movement point again and waited. It very slowly started to move and once it moves a bit you've got it.

Might clean the filter before using the new strap wrench on it.

 

[Marcozi]

As above looks like it was tightened up more rather than loosend

Take a look at the bottom 25% of the filter. The "ribs" are headed to the left.

 

[Marcozi]

Can you remove the filter mount from the engine. Years ago my dad changed the oil in his car but forgot to oil the rubber gasket. Luckily, we could remove the oil filter nount. Stuck it in a vise and finally removed the filter.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

We all make mistakes, yours is obvious.

Get to it and unscrew it correctly.

Now that I looked closely at the dome end, I think the O.P. was proceeding correctly. That filter appears to have been on there for a while. I have had luck with chisel and hammer at the base end can crimp in this situation. A bit of KOH solution around the gasket seam may help.

 

[antik]

Successfully got it off with with nylon strap removal tool!

I believe the filter would have been over-tightened with a filter tool and wrench. My understanding is these filters only need to be tightened by hand?

Thanks all for the help and suggestions!

 

[demarpaint]

^^^^ If this Lisle wrench won't remove it, you'll need to use dynamite!
View attachment 267529

That disappointed me on a friend's car. I had the room and ended up using a chain wrench like this:

 

[Sayjac]

View attachment 267839

Successfully got it off with with nylon strap removal tool!

I believe the filter would have been over-tightened with a filter tool and wrench. My understanding is these filters only need to be tightened by hand?

Thanks all for the help and suggestions!

Thanks for coming back with follow up. Glad it didn't require more than the strap tool, looks like it got close though. "Ideally" all oil filters should be hand tightened, but most also recommend ~3/4 turn after gasket contact. That, and important to lube the sealing gasket with a thin layer of oil. Looking at this one, difficult to imagine any of that done here.

 

[Slick3914]

It’s toast

 

[PontiacHO]

Our Fleet garage had 4 lube-oil Techs. One would tighten filters with an oil filter wrench. When the vehicle came back for another PM service, the other 3 Techs would make him come to their service bay and remove those overtightened filters. That corrected his thoughts on how to properly tighten an oil filter…..