Stuck oil filter? Use a pipe wrench...

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May 8, 2017
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Atlantic Canada
What a nightmare this was. I figured i would make a post about my issues with this to possbibly help others that face this same issue...

First of all, i bought a car a couple of months ago because i needed another car. I figured after the snow stopped i would do an oil change. Easy, right? Nope. A nightmare.
Oil drain bolt was stripped so i had to buy a bolt extractor kit and use a 10" pipe wrench to get it off (took a couple days to get to that point). Then i put a band wrench around the filter and it kept slipping/slightly crushing so i waited for a better day to try again.

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I tried a smaller band wrench (crushed it), 3 jaw wrench (ultimately ripped it open), rubber strap wrench, hammer/flathead screwdriver, hammer/chisel, screwdriver through it (tore it apart). All that was left was the metal plate. I sprayed it with liquid wrench.

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I tried to make a tool made out of a bracket with screws in 2 holes to fit the holes on the plate... a screw snapped off in it. I tapped at it for a while with a hammer and screwdriver + chisel in the holes. Didn't budge. I tried to use a razor blade to cut the gasket but couldn't get to it.

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Ending up getting the remains off with a 24" pipe wrench that my neighbor had. It was a Fram Extra Guard, BTW.
 
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As my previous note to the Walmart oil change guy, this is one of the reasons why I do all of my oil changes myself. This issue happened because the oil plug had been probably inserted & tighten with air tool or with 18" wrench [Way over tighten.]. The oil filter had been inserted & tightened not only over tight, but did not have the threads & gasket prelubed ( Causing the filter to seize onto the engine.).
P.S. If you ask why do it yourself,this is one of the reasons.
 
RNMKia: What car did you buy ?

I wonder if the thread on the filter matched the nipple on the car.
An unoiled gasket won't make a filter seize like that.
 
Kudos to you for hanging with it. Looks and sounds like a real pita. There was another guy that posted about a filter on inboard boat motor that was very similar. He either made his own or got a bogart aviation filter removal tool. It uses the inlet filter holes to remove the filter. Think he made his own version, similar to your effort at a bracket with screws in the inlet hole.

Think you're due a cool one now.
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Oh, don't forget to lube the sealing gasket of the new filter and tighten no more than 2/3-3/4 turn after gasket contact.
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Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Jeez... Apparently Bruce Banner owned that car before you, and did the oil/filter change while angry.

And, of course, as it turns out, you don't like what he did when he was angry.
lol that made my day.
 
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One time I had that happen that bad. When I got to the point of just the end of the filter stuck on I used an air hammer to knock it loose. I promptly called the shop who had a service sticker in the windshield and called someone an [censored] and hung up lol.
 
I have had problems getting filters off over the years, but thankfully nothing like that.
 
Originally Posted By: dave123
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Jeez... Apparently Bruce Banner owned that car before you, and did the oil/filter change while angry.

And, of course, as it turns out, you don't like what he did when he was angry.
lol that made my day.


X2...hilarious!!
 
Originally Posted By: RNMKia
I tried a smaller band wrench (crushed it), 3 jaw wrench (ultimately ripped it open), rubber strap wrench, hammer/flathead screwdriver, hammer/chisel, screwdriver through it (tore it apart). All that was left was the metal plate.


This would have removed your filter in seconds. All of those other methods suck compared to this.

Lisle 63600 oil filter wrench
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I don't think it was Bruce Banner-Hulk at all. Was a lower life form, the lot monkey. But probably his larger brother King Kong
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
RNMKia: What car did you buy ?

I wonder if the thread on the filter matched the nipple on the car.
An unoiled gasket won't make a filter seize like that.

Bingo. But it was probably because the gasket surface wasn't lubed. This is why Asian used a round seal on their oil filter .if someone forget to lube it , it's still removable
 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Jeez... Apparently Bruce Banner owned that car before you, and did the oil/filter change while angry.

And, of course, as it turns out, you don't like what he did when he was angry.


 
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