Stuck oil filter - im lost

[delirious]

Ok, well my buddy isn't home yet so I stopped at my grandfathers house and grabbed his channel locks. All were too big to fit in that space.

Forgot I had oil filter pliers so I used them - got a death grip and still couldn't budge the thing! I had a quick idea - get the pliers on the filter then use my grandfathers channel locks to really tighten them. Got them bad boys LOCKED on that filter AAAAAAAAANNNNND still could not get that filter turned.

I might have to try that chisel trick, I just don't want to damage the mounting the surface where the oil filter goes too.

Thanks for all the help so far - I've read about the "King Kong" at the manufacturing plant tightening these down but it appears SuperMan has been hired there as well

 

[jeepman3071]

That's kind of a stupid location for an oil filter in my opinion. Usually on small engines they are mounted horizontally on the block and you can get a much better grip. That one has that bracket blocking half of it.

 

[delirious]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
That's kind of a stupid location for an oil filter in my opinion. Usually on small engines they are mounted horizontally on the block and you can get a much better grip. That one has that bracket blocking half of it.


I don't think it's too dumb of a location if they actually didn't tighten this thing down and/or lube the gasket.

 

[deanm11]

I would follow the advice about the razor blade loosening the grip of the gasket on the base, whatever method you continue with.

 

[yvon_la]

get a rubber strap oil filter remover. and next time apply coconut oil on the gasket or petroleum variant! the idea is to get a seal while be it removable.it could be hydreaulic oil , automatic transmision oil , dont put engine oil on it

 

[delirious]

Sorry, didn't mean to say channel locks to tighten the oil filter pliers. Don't know why I thought of that haha. They were vice grips (sorry if that was confusing lol). Im willing to bet the channel locks will get this sucker off. I'll have to wait and see.

Again, thank you all. This has been such a headache

 

[SHOZ]

Strap wrench won't work if it is that tight. I will just snap the rubber strap.

 

[IndyIan]

I've used the cold chisel on the base before, just be careful, or grind a little slot with a dremel for a screw driver to catch.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Originally Posted By: Chris142
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-63250-Range-Filter-Wrench/dp/B0002SR4PY


Walmart sales one like that, and it is Fram branded. I bought it for about $6.00. They do work really good. For what ever reason, I can never find the Fram branded wrench on their website, but it is in my local stores.


+2 the gripper ones get them all off. Use a 3/8 to 1/2 increaser and put a breaker bar on it or even an impact wrench

 

[bronco79]

Just asking a stupid question? Are you turning it the right way , because you are looking at it from the top?

 

[delirious]

I am not looking at it from the top. I am looking at it from the side. Even if I was looking at it from the top, counter-clockwise should still be the same direction. Turning it left.

I guess to clear things up, if you look at the picture say I am starting at the middle of the can. I turn it where if you were to put a white dot on the center, the quarter turns should be as followed:

1/4 turn = -> 90*
+1/4 turn = 180* (opposite side)
+1/4 turn = +1/4 turn = 360*

Sorry if that is horribly worded but I am pretty sure that is "lefty-loosey" unless I am just backwards today.

 

[Oro_O]

1st, get a gallon bucket with some dish soap and hot water and brush the area. It's filthy enough I wouldn't want that much dried dirt around an open lube system.

Then get the big 'ole screw driver as widman said, drive it through the center and turn it. I have NEVER had that fail. Quick, effective, no special tool to buy.

Then you have your wash bucket already on hand to clean up the spilled oil.

 

[Donald]

Over the years I have bought or inherited various oil filter wrenches. There is no best one. Its case by case. In some cases you only have good access to the end and can use a cap wrench or a adjustable jaw wrench that grips the end, other cases no access to the end and need to use a strap wrench.

In my SnowCat the filter was upside down and most of it was below the frame with poor access. I used a cold chisel to turn the base and got it off.

The best I have found if a strap wrench will not do it is a adjustable jaw cap wrench. If you have good access to the end.

I have also broken the spot weld on a HF cap wrench (from a set).

 

[delirious]

Originally Posted By: Or
1st, get a gallon bucket with some dish soap and hot water and brush the area. It's filthy enough I wouldn't want that much dried dirt around an open lube system.

Then get the big 'ole screw driver as widman said, drive it through the center and turn it. I have NEVER had that fail. Quick, effective, no special tool to buy.

Then you have your wash bucket already on hand to clean up the spilled oil.

I think that is ultimately what is going to happen, unfortunately. But thanks to all for the great help, couldn't believe how many tools and tricks there were just to get a can off.

Really p'd off at Kohler for this but it seems pretty universal (Briggs and Straton) and even major car manufacturers -_-'

 

[exranger06]

Use of one of these. I have never encountered a filter that one of these wrenches couldn't remove. The harder you yank on the ratchet, the tighter the wrench grips. The first time I used one was also removing the factory filter on a mower too. If you still don't have enough leverage, put a cheater pipe on the ratchet. If that doesn't work, nothing will.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Not very helpful now, but this thread is one reason I like to use filters on my boat which have a cap wrench that fits tightly. Then you can get a long armed socket wrench on there and it would be off in a few seconds. The ratchet allows you to squeeze a big wrench in a small space and still be able to get some torque on it. The old-fashioned cap wrench works great if it is snug.

 

[dave123]

Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
Originally Posted By: Or
1st, get a gallon bucket with some dish soap and hot water and brush the area. It's filthy enough I wouldn't want that much dried dirt around an open lube system.

Then get the big 'ole screw driver as widman said, drive it through the center and turn it. I have NEVER had that fail. Quick, effective, no special tool to buy.

Then you have your wash bucket already on hand to clean up the spilled oil.

I think that is ultimately what is going to happen, unfortunately. But thanks to all for the great help, couldn't believe how many tools and tricks there were just to get a can off.

Really p'd off at Kohler for this but it seems pretty universal (Briggs and Straton) and even major car manufacturers -_-'
No doubt in my mind u felt it crushing on the first attempt and kept going the right thing to have have done is stop immediately when you felt any bit of crushing and stop and do it the right way blame yourself not Kohler for your own mistake.

 

[delirious]

Originally Posted By: dave123
Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
Originally Posted By: Or
1st, get a gallon bucket with some dish soap and hot water and brush the area. It's filthy enough I wouldn't want that much dried dirt around an open lube system.

Then get the big 'ole screw driver as widman said, drive it through the center and turn it. I have NEVER had that fail. Quick, effective, no special tool to buy.

Then you have your wash bucket already on hand to clean up the spilled oil.

I think that is ultimately what is going to happen, unfortunately. But thanks to all for the great help, couldn't believe how many tools and tricks there were just to get a can off.

Really p'd off at Kohler for this but it seems pretty universal (Briggs and Straton) and even major car manufacturers -_-'
No doubt in my mind u felt it crushing on the first attempt and kept going the right thing to have have done is stop immediately when you felt any bit of crushing and stop and do it the right way blame yourself not Kohler for your own mistake.


Or maybe we dont have to tighten filters down so much that it cant be taken off with a standard oil filter pliers or strap on wrench? Ive had not one oil filter that has ever fussed when taking them off - obviously when an oil filter is on so tight that NORMAL oil filter tools cannot get off and has been also reported by others - means that it is the installer at fault. Since this is the stock filter I will not solely blame myself as any other vehicle I have changed oil in has never given me trouble, not once.

 

[dave123]

Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
Originally Posted By: dave123
Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
Originally Posted By: Or
1st, get a gallon bucket with some dish soap and hot water and brush the area. It's filthy enough I wouldn't want that much dried dirt around an open lube system.

Then get the big 'ole screw driver as widman said, drive it through the center and turn it. I have NEVER had that fail. Quick, effective, no special tool to buy.

Then you have your wash bucket already on hand to clean up the spilled oil.

I think that is ultimately what is going to happen, unfortunately. But thanks to all for the great help, couldn't believe how many tools and tricks there were just to get a can off.

Really p'd off at Kohler for this but it seems pretty universal (Briggs and Straton) and even major car manufacturers -_-'
No doubt in my mind u felt it crushing on the first attempt and kept going the right thing to have have done is stop immediately when you felt any bit of crushing and stop and do it the right way blame yourself not Kohler for your own mistake.


Or maybe we dont have to tighten filters down so much that it cant be taken off with a standard oil filter pliers or strap on wrench? Ive had not one oil filter that has ever fussed when taking them off - obviously when an oil filter is on so tight that NORMAL oil filter tools cannot get off and has been also reported by others - means that it is the installer at fault. Since this is the stock filter I will not solely blame myself as any other vehicle I have changed oil in has never given me trouble, not once.

Many factory oem filters are tightened down to insane torque not just a Kohler thing first time I guess you learned know what you're doing or let a pro do it.

 

[edhackett]

Originally Posted By: JeepWJ19
I am not looking at it from the top. I am looking at it from the side. Even if I was looking at it from the top, counter-clockwise should still be the same direction. Turning it left.

I guess to clear things up, if you look at the picture say I am starting at the middle of the can. I turn it where if you were to put a white dot on the center, the quarter turns should be as followed:

1/4 turn = -> 90*
+1/4 turn = 180* (opposite side)
+1/4 turn = +1/4 turn = 360*

Sorry if that is horribly worded but I am pretty sure that is "lefty-loosey" unless I am just backwards today.


OK, I'm with Bronco79 in not being convinced that you are not turning it the wrong way.

You say counter-clockwise. You need to be turning it clockwise as viewed from the top.

If ->90* means the dot would move to the right side of the can as viewed straight on, that is wrong. You need the dot to move to the left side as viewed straight on. With the wrench handle facing straight back toward you, you need to move it to your left.

The picture of the dents shows the can dented on the right, as if something is pushing into the can on the right, indicating the wrong direction. I would expect the can to collapse toward the left if being turned the right direction to remove the filter.

If that's what you are doing, "never mind". If you are turning it the wrong way, we all get to laugh because we've all done it at least once.

Ed