It can be a demoralizing experience. You have drained the oil and the oil filter is hanging on like a leach. It won’t come off.
The best way to fix this is not to have it happen in the first place. You can remember to put oil on the gasket and hand tighten the spin on filter just enough to seal it. It might be best to use silicoln grease instead of oil on the gasket, but now that doesn’t matter because the dam thing is stuck.
One method is to drive a large screw driver through the side of the filter and lever it around. This will work, but it leaves a huge mess and often totally destroys the filter leaving only the base attached. Then you stick the screw driver in the small holes around the threaded center hole and with a hammer drive off the base of the filter.
Meanwhile your arms, clothes, the ground are covered with old motor oil.
Here are a few things to try before you resort to the screw driver method.
Remember that the filter is not stuck on the threads. It is stuck on the compressed gasket between the filter and the block. If you can break that bond the filter will spin free easily. So take a single edge razor blade and work it between the gasket and the block and slide it all the way around the gasket. You might need to use a thin screw driver instead, but be careful. You don’t want to scar up the machined surface that the oil filter gasket presses against.
There are also many fine tools for wrenching off a spin on oil filter. One tried and true tool is the band wrench. Some are made with a wide metal band that tightens against the filter’s canister as force is applied. You might have to put some sandpaper in between the band and the filter can to get enough friction. When using band wrenches be sure to have them as close to the base of the filter as you can because there is less risk of crushing the canister there. Another kind of band wrench uses something other than metal, sometimes a sythetic fabric or rubber-like material. These may give you a better grip than the metal band wrenches, but often they are awkward in tight spaces.
Another very effective tool looks like a big pliers with a round jaw. This give a great grip and should also be used at the base of the filter. Its drawback is that there may not be clearance in some engines.
My favorite is the K&N oil filter that has a “nut” on the base of the filter for a 25mm (or 1 inch) wrench. It is a high quality filter that is easy to remove.
When you install a spin on oil filter be sure to lubricate the gasket surface and don’t over tighten. It doesn’t take much to seal the gasket and the pressures are not so great that they will blow the seal (although in cold weather with a high pressure oil pump I’ve seen it happen).
There is always the screw driver method.
——————————————————
If you read down the long list of comments that people have added over time - look for the one where Tom had a tough time with the screw on filter that was stuck on the engine of his 3000 GT. Here are photos of the mess and the tool he used to get himself out of the mess.
September 12, 2006 at 6:49 pm |
I’ve used the screwdriver method several times.
October 14, 2009 at 10:40 pm |
Thank You all very much!
This forum has helped me fix my nightmare. On my Sentra and since I’ve been doing oil changes (approx 3 years) this was the first stuck oil filter. I have bought a filter grip that goes on the end of the filter and onto which you could use a ratchet but due to the awkward position it is located, every time I would try, it would slip. I then read this forum an a bunch of you mentioned tape and sand paper, having neither I used the Blue Mechanic Paper towel, I hammered the oil grip onto filter with the paper in between and then i was able to use the ratchet, that did the trick. 2 Days, for something that normally takes me 15 minutes. thanks for the ideas.
February 18, 2007 at 8:24 pm |
I used the srewdriver method and it did not work. The filter ring stayed on, but I crushed the filter. I could not get the rest of the filter off and I ended up breaking the whole thing off of the motor. So, what do you suggest for this problem?
February 18, 2007 at 8:57 pm |
Tim -
I gather that you finally did get it off. If you did not then hopefully there is enough room to use a hammer and screw driver or drift and – using the drain back holes – drive the threaded flange off.
In the future you can try coating the gasket with synthetic grease also known as spark plug boot release. The part that really gets stuck is not the threads so much as the flat rubber gasket. Try the K&N oil filter as it has a nice nut on the bottom that REALLY makes it easy to remove the filter. If you cannot find a K&N, and the filter is stuck again, try to get a single edge razor blade between the gasket and the engine block. that should break the seal.
Also be careful how tight you get the filter when you put on a new one. Snug should be fine. You can start up the engine and check to be sure it is not leaking, but often it is easy to over tighten the spin on filter.
Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
Jim
March 4, 2007 at 11:15 pm |
Had this happen to me this weekend on a 2006 Accord that has never had the filter changed.
Used wonder bar to chisel away the oil filter near the base. Crude, but it cuts very efficiently.
I tried using a screwdriver on the small holes around the base. But it just kept slipping off and deforming the hole.
Instead, a cheap ~24″ bar clamp worked very well. (Sanded off the rivets so that the moveable clamp came off. The remaining arm was a great handhold while hammering the filter off. It took some heavy bloes to get it off.)
Before this i tried a chain wrench, the red handed pliers shown above, and sticking a screwdriver through it. No luck with any of these.
March 18, 2007 at 3:37 pm |
I just finished my first oil change on my recent purchase of a F-250, 7.3 PowerStroke. I first tried to use a chain wrench near the base but this only punctured a hole in the filter without budging it a bit. I purchased a nylon strap type tool from Advance Auto Parts. This is nothing more than a wide nylon strap attached to a square tube that accepts a half-inch ratchet. I used this in conjunction with a 24″ pipe as a breaker bar. This finally broke the filter free. Only drawback is you have to hold the tube before you ratchet back for another stroke. A happy ending to a very frustrating job.
March 26, 2007 at 8:24 am |
And when all else fails — use an air hammer. I tried the wrench, a special tool, the screw drive, and then the air hammer. What is left of the oil filter is now a collector’s item.
March 26, 2007 at 8:34 pm |
Then there’s always the dealership’s $29.95 oil-change special… let someone else fight with the darn thing in the first place.
March 27, 2007 at 7:41 am |
Screwdriver has always worked for me. The only time I didn’t use that when it was stuck, is on the first oil change of my Goat. I really didn’t want to drive a screwdriver through my aluminum oil pan, so I went and got a band-type filter wrench. But I always lubricate the gasket and hand-tighten, stupid factory filters must be tightened to a few hundred ft-lbs or something.
April 7, 2007 at 1:27 pm |
Stephen: I had two expert mechanics working with me from my motorcycle club. The estimated cost if it had been taken to a motorcycle shop was about $150 for the time the mechanic would have taken. Besides, the look on my wife’s face at the state of the garage was almost priceless. I had to talk her out of call the Environmental Protection Agency.
October 29, 2007 at 9:02 pm |
Great post! I’ll probably blog something similar later. Should I Use Synthetic Motor Oil
November 11, 2007 at 3:18 pm |
i have never had any trouble until this weekend. i have a 2000 dodge ram 1500. i have tried the screw driver and the razor blade but nothing seems to work.
November 11, 2007 at 4:03 pm |
Well Brandon, if you have had to resort to the screw driver then you may just have to resort to the messy method. That being that the screw driver will rip apart the case so that you can then drive off the bottom part of the oil filter using the drain back holes.
December 18, 2007 at 4:53 pm |
The filter was stuck tight on my new car. I finally succeeded by doing all of the following:
1. Jack it up to get a better grip.
2. Clean the filter with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.
3. Put double-stick carpet tape around the filter.
4. Take a band-style oil filter wrench.
5. Wrap some strips of shelf-lining around some of the wrench’s band. (The shelf lining is the sort that is some sort of mesh dipped in a colored foam plastic.)
6. Use the band wrench to remove the filter.
(I’d tried most all of these steps individually without success. Adding the double-stick tape did the trick for me.)
December 18, 2007 at 6:02 pm |
Nice job. That was quite a solution!
Jim
February 4, 2008 at 8:27 am |
I’ve been changing my oil on my Jeep for years and yesterday was the first time I got a stuck filter. I was using the big pliers type removal tool which eventually destroyed the filter. I then removed the chewed up filter body with some cutters and was left with just the base. I then used needle nose pliers as a spanner wrench (the filter base has a bunch of holes in a circle) I put the tips of the jaws in opposing holes spanning the center and then put a big screwdriver between the jaws for leverage. That did the trick. If this happens again I think I’ll try the razor blade idea first.
February 13, 2008 at 12:40 am |
Yesterday was the second time in my life changing an oil filter that was STUCK, both times on a vehicle I’d purchased, so someone else changed it previous. I searched for something new but resorted to the screw driver & chisel method. Because of the position of the filter base I could not get it off with a chisel. My new solution:
After letting this sit for a day, I was directly under the filter looking up, measuring where I needed to position some pins in a spanner socket type of tool I was going to fabricate, when I noticed that the standpipe the filter screws onto had an allen inside it. This was on a 4.3 vortec, but I’m sure there are other engines that use this also. I unscrewed it, tapped the filter base, unscrewed the standpipe from the base, and; screwed it back into the block.
I hope this helps someone else
February 13, 2008 at 7:47 am |
Nice job Arlos. This is a great tip if you’ve had to break the filter apart.
February 13, 2008 at 9:11 am |
I could only razor about a third of the rubber gasket because of the stupid layout of the 2008 Sable. The oil filter comes straight downwards at the bottom of the engine, and is surrounded by parts. Gluing coarse sandpaper inside my strap wrench was helpful, but not enough. Driving an awl diagonally upwards into the bottommost part of the side wall of the filter let me use the awl handle to rotate it about a quarter turn. It was still tight, but at that point, the strap wrench could just rotate the filter one turn more. Then, blessedly, I could finally unscrew it by hand-over six hours after I first tried!
Thank you for the tips that ultimately ended my ordeal.
February 23, 2008 at 2:46 pm |
I had a filter that was stuck on my 87 Electra Glide… I used the screw driver method. It will tear the filter but was slowly moving it. Eventually you have to stab a new hole and keep working it! Finally I got it off.
February 23, 2008 at 8:20 pm |
Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for the razor blade method–I think that combination of stripping away some of the rubber and a stronger friend was what finally ended a good 2 hours of struggling with it and the available knickknacks in these spartan living quarters …
I have a 2002 Tacoma with the 3.4L V6 (5VZ-FE). The oil filter is not at all easy to get to. It’s installed drain hole side up behind the alternator and then there’s about 2mm of clearance between it and some other part of the engine. The available space and leverage makes it much easier to screw on than off.
I tried using a rubber strap wrench a couple changes ago and found that my biggest issue was fitting the handle in there. Similarly, the heads of a couple oil wrenches I’ve seen at Checker seem a bit too big. The razor blade method certainly works but in the future I was curious if maybe one of you could recommend a specific something to get the filter off in exceptionally claustrophobic situations?
February 23, 2008 at 10:06 pm |
Sean -
I still highly recommend the K&N filters with their unique “bolt head” on the end of the filter. A 1″ (25mm) wrench and its off.
Jim
February 25, 2008 at 8:32 pm |
J.C. Whitney has a filter wrench, that is adjustable to any filter. It comes in two types of sizes. Cost is around $12.00. You can use a socket wrench on it and it has gotten me out of several filter problems!
March 1, 2008 at 7:57 pm |
You may also want to try tapping the filter using a long piece of wood and a hammer. This helped me out with my truck which has zero clearance to use any of the above mentioned tools or techniques.
March 9, 2008 at 1:03 pm |
Ok, I am going to try the razer blade trick. I have been changing oil an filters in my vehicles for 50 years and have never had one as stuck as this one on my 800 cc m/c. I have tried every wrench that I could find in the parts store. The last one was a strap wrench that I had to add tape to the inside to get to get tight enough to not slip. I then hooked up a ratchet tie down strap to the end of the filter wrench and started ratcheting. I stopped when I thought the front wheel of the the m/c was going to come off the ground. I am going to try the ratchet again and leave it tight while I use the razer blade knife. If it still doesn’t move I will try whacking it with something while I still have the pressure on it. If that doesnt work I might try epoxy glueing on one of the filter end wrenchs to the filter and taking the front wheel off and using a impact wrench. Any other ideas?
March 29, 2008 at 10:05 pm |
[...] the aftermath of the screwdriver method. The screwdriver [...]
April 26, 2008 at 2:21 pm |
Here is one idea: superglue
That’s right, use it liberally on your socket type oil filter wrench (the solid metal/plastic piece that fits on the end of the filter), wait a few minutes and whammo!!!
That piece is on solid. You should not need an air wrench, hammering, razors or other potentialy dangerous ideas. Watch your hand when it frees however, the metal around the filter is always a bashing hazard.
Metal filter sockets are best cause I’m sure the weak link here is the part where the socket wrench goes in.
Thank you and good luck
May 10, 2008 at 8:56 pm |
I gave up on the big screwdriver a few hours ago. I was leaning on it (so to speak) so hard that I thought it might break. I also have a big coolant hose right next the filter. The idea of punching more holes in the filter, in addition to possibly ending up with rough edged metal gave me the creeps.
The solution: Big metal C-clamp.
I found one that fit in the space available – all you need is enough room to turn the filter a little bit. I barely had room for 1/8 of a turn. I just kept tightening the C-clamp until there was no way that it was going to come loose.
The beauty of it:
1. the metal on the clamp effectively bites into the filter. It’s not going to slip.
2. a big clamp will go onto the filter and still have a good length of threads left over – ‘outside’ of the clamp.
There’s your leverage.
May 29, 2008 at 9:23 pm |
I just tried the big C clamp method and it worked for me after hammer and razor blade did nothing. I had to go about 1/30 of a turn at a time for half a turn but it worked out. I’m glad I didnt go straight from the screw driver method to tearing it apart. I’m never going by Jiffy Lube again, the one time I go for the convenience…
June 10, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
I’m going to do my first oil change on my motorhome. Ford V10 6.8L engine. I’m a bit worried about getting the filter off with a metal band wrench.
What’s the worst that might happen if I can’t get it off and leave it on? Besides slightly contaminating the new old with a little old oil?
June 10, 2008 at 5:53 pm |
Ken -
It depends upon how many miles are on the current filter. Typically a motor home engine has to deal with a lot of heat and stress. This may or may not mean more contamination. That depends upon the type of oil used (synthetic?) and how much time it spends sitting. Non-synthetic oil tends to get acidic when it is left sitting in the engine often due to condensation of water in the block itself.
The best thing is to get it off and put a new one on, but you know that all ready. See if you can take it off and put a replacement on – it wil have to be done sometime.
Jim
June 18, 2008 at 2:58 pm |
Exactly like my oil filter, I AM STUCK.
I have read over your bit on how to deal with a stuck oil filter and everyone’s comments and I think it’s safe to say that I am stuck. I don’t know where to go from here. Please help, I am very frustrated.
June 18, 2008 at 3:38 pm |
Ok, allow me to let you in on what I’ve done so far.
First, I tried every kind of filter wrench from the strap to the chain to the cup. I then tried a pair of channel locks. After none of that worked, I tried the razor blade method. Nothing. I then tried the screwdriver method. Nothing.
Now that I had a big hole through the filter and oil everywhere, I decided to just cut the whole bottom half of the can off. I had the bottom of the can cut off and I found a threaded piece in the center surrounded by 6 little holes. Because of the angle I had, I used a mirror and a flashlight to look up in the center threaded piece for a 3/8 opening or a spot for an allen wrench. There was nothing in there. So then I took a screw driver and a hammer to one of the 6 holes to try and unscrew it that way. Nothing.
I am very stuck and very frustrated because time is running short and I have to go back to work on Friday. This was supposed to be a very routine oil change! Please help!!!
June 18, 2008 at 5:35 pm |
Adam -
I think you are close. You should be able to use the holes that are in the mounting surface of what’s left of the oil filter just as you described. Be sure you are turning it in the left or counter clockwise direction.
Jim
June 20, 2008 at 8:12 pm |
Thanks for your help. I had the filter stuck on a Suzuki 400 Eiger ATV. Note much room to get your hand in there and turn the filter wrench. So I took a little bit of everyones advise and it worked. First I tried the razor, couldn’t get my hand in there to cut. Next I sprayed Wd-40 penitrating oil on the outside of the gasket. You guys kept saying to put oil or grease on the gasket when you install the new one, so I thought if I can get a little in there maybe it will come loose. I then took a piece of wood and hammer and tapped the filter around trying to creat space for the penitrating oil to get in. Next I took paint thinner and put it on a rag and wipped off the excess wd-40 on the outside the filter. I then wrapped sandpaper around the filter, put the strap wrench back on, gave it a good hard push and it came loose. Thanks everyone. I’ve been working on it for 2.5 hrs. Took a break to get some ideas and it worked. Thanks again!!
Note, the filter actually said when putting on the filter, once the filter gasket is seated, turn the filter tight 2 more turns using a filter wrench. This was my friends 4-wheeler that I borrowed last weekend. No wonder I couldn’t get the filter off. I will only hand tighten this time.
June 22, 2008 at 2:24 pm |
I just had to do the screwdriver method on my 98 Nissan Altima and I’ve got to tell you – use a philips screwdriver. Put a small hole, let the filter drain. No mess
.
And surprisingly, the new filter actually doesn’t leak when hand-tightened. I figured it would. So I’m going to do that from now on.
Thanks guys!
June 22, 2008 at 8:37 pm |
Nice going Keith!
July 30, 2008 at 9:47 pm |
Okay I have a huge problem. It was supposed to be a simple oil change and turned into a disaster. I tried unscrewing the filter by hand for a while, using a rag , sandpaper n that didn’t work. I tried 3 different kinds of filter wrenches, none worked. Then I sprayed wd40 which did nothing, then tried the razor and then resorted to the screwdriver. This just made my problem 10 times worse. It just ripped a huge whole thru the filter, so I had to tear the rest of the filter from the top part. There’s only about a inch left of the filter that is still screwed on. I’ve tried to chizzle away but there’s really not enough room to hammer. I have no idea what to do, I see the holes that were mentioned before, on the inside of the filter, but don’t know what to do, is there any hope? I have to get to work the rest of next week and I am driving back to PA from NC next Friday… HELP PLEASE
July 31, 2008 at 6:21 am |
I understand your frustration, but do your best to relax and examine your situation. Get a pair of Vice-Grip pliers and clamp on to what’s left of the filter housing as close to the base as possible. Use it for leverage and try to spin the base off. Remember to go counter-clockwise (to the left). You may be able to stick some needle nose pliers in the holes that are in the screw on base and then put another wrench on the handles to spin off the base.
Good luck and let us know what solves this for you.
July 31, 2008 at 6:24 am |
Folks -
DON’T EVER USE A FILTER WRENCH TO INSTALL A NEW SCREW-ON OIL FILTER!
Always hand tighten and it doesn’t take much to tighten. A half turn after the gasket has contacted the surface is a LOT.
Jim
August 28, 2008 at 7:10 pm |
Visegrip actually makes a tool which is perfect for removing oil filters. It’s very similar to the red-handled picture shown above (which by the way, work well), but of course locks like a Visegrip. Once you’ve got a good grasp on it (possibly crushing it a little), you can always put a pipe on the end. Trust me, it will come off.
I personally am very hesitant to use a screw driver. If the oil filter is stuck on, and intact, the vehicle is still operational, if stuck on with a hole through it, your vehicle isn’t moving under its own power until fixed.
August 28, 2008 at 9:06 pm |
I could not agree more Dan. Thanks again for your comments.
Jim
September 30, 2008 at 5:06 am |
Help! I have a stuck oil filter that has been completely ruined. I am down to the base with the eight drain holes and I still can’t get it to budge. Can I remove the bolt from the engine block with a hex or allen wrench type tool? If so, could this cause a problem with it coming off in future oil changes? Any ideas on what to use in the drain holes in the base (already tried screwdriver and hammer with no luck)? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
September 30, 2008 at 5:59 am |
Matt -
Not sure what car and engine we are talking about here, but you have to take your time with this. Remember – you don’t have to turn the filter base a quarter turn in order to loosen it, just moving it a quarter of an inch will be progress. Depending upon your access try to drive the base around by the holes again. Use something shorter to hold against the holes – it will give you a better angle to drive at.If you are under the car it is easy to lose your orientation and drive it in the wrong direction. Make sure you are going counter clockwise with the base. On some engines the hollow center bolt can be removed with an allen wrench, but not all. Remove it as a last resort since you will likely damage it if you have to use Vice-Grips to turn it.
September 30, 2008 at 9:33 am |
Time for some desperate measures. Is the filter mounted directly to the engine block or on some type of mounting flange? If it’s a flange can you remove the flange? Then work on it on a bench? Or just replace the flange and put on a new filter.
If you decide to remove the hollow bolt, check to see how it’s held on. Is it just screwed into the block or mounting flange or retained with an allen screw?. The screw-in ones are usually pretty tight, but I’ve had two cars, a VW and an Exploder, on which they would often come off with the filter. Go figure.
If it’s the screwed on type, you might be able to get a couple of nuts to go on the hollow bolt. Put one on a few turns, then the other. The second one would stop against the first one. Then use two wrenches to tighten them against each other, then use a wrench on the first nut (the innermost one) to turn it against the second (outer) one, which wouldn’t move. This approach doesn’t always work, but you may get lucky. The amount of clearance you have will partly determine if this approach is possible.
Next level of aggression is a monkey wrench, which will more effective for removing the bolt than vice grips. A monkey wrench grips tighter the more pressure you put on it and is longer so has more leverage than ViseGrips. But it will totally bugger the threads on the bolt and will deform the bolt.
Next (and MUCH more desperately) is a cold chisel on the remaining lip of the filter. This is last because you don’t want to gouge the edge of the mounting surface for the filter when the chisel slips (note I said when, not if.) Hit this from underneath the filter at an angle. Consider a heavier hammer. I use a brass-headed one that weighs about 2 pounds and delivers a nice solid blow to anything that refuses to move. BEFORE you do this, look to see whether the filter mounts directly to the engine block or to a steel or aluminum flange that bolts to the engine. The impact can damage the mounting flange, so as I noted above, if the filter mounts to some other removable part it may be better just to replace that part and be done with this.
And like Jim says, be sure you are turning counter-clockwise. Good luck.
October 7, 2008 at 3:44 pm |
Had a tough time getting my new Subaru’s filter the first time. Ended up using a small length of bicycle chain looped around the filter and held tight with vice grips. ( I measured the amount of loop on the new filter and then sliped it over the stuck one and twisted the vice grip with another wrench. It worked. Hope this helps.
October 8, 2008 at 7:55 am |
I find it astounding that an item on a car which has to be changed on a regular basis would be so poorly designed that one would have to take vice grips and a bicycle chain to it in order to take it off. Forget better milage, more leg room or a sexy, sleek exterior, somebody is going to make millions coming up with a better system than this!
October 9, 2008 at 8:12 am |
Nah, it’s no biggie. Oil filters are very seldom stuck on, in my experience. But then I change all my own oil, and I always lube the gasket and don’t over tighten the filter.
This is like wheels getting stuck to the hub due to corrosion, which is not uncommon in northern states. A little prevention is all it takes to avoid the issue.
December 30, 2008 at 12:39 am |
Just a quick question. When I finished changing my oil, I cleaning up when I noticed that the old filter was gasket-less. Apparently, the gasket was still on when I put the new filter on. (Since I have to do this mostly by feel, I didn’t notice it.) Do you have a suggestion on how to get the old gasket off without damaging where it sits?
December 30, 2008 at 6:13 am |
Jon -
It should not be a big deal to get the old gasket off the oil filter flange. You should thank your lucky stars that you noticed that the old one didn’t come off with the filter. Too many times this has happened to people and when they installed the new filter they ended up with stacked gaskets. When they started up their car and tried to drive the gaskets blew out and oil pumped everywhere.
It should not take much to remove the old gasket, just a little help from a small screw driver should do it. The flange is not usually made of metal that is so soft that it will be damaged. The new gasket will conform to any small variations in the surface of the flange.
Instead of coating the new oil filter gasket with oil I’ve had very good luck using a light coating of dialectric grease, the kind you would coat spark plug boots with.
Thanks for the question.
Jim
December 30, 2008 at 11:31 am |
Jim,
Thanks for the quick reply to my question! Two quick follow-ups — I noticed that the gasket was stuck prior to starting the car. As long as I don’t start it, what are my chances that that the filter I just put is still void of any oil.
Also, I assume that I shouldn’t try and reuse the new filter that I just put on, and spring for another new one…correct?
Thanks again!
December 30, 2008 at 7:34 pm |
Jon -
Since you haven’t started the engine, just unscrew the filter, remove the old gasket, make sure the gasket on the new filter is OK, and reinstall. Re-using the new filter should not be a problem.
If your filter is mounted facing with the hole up, or close to it, you can fill the new filter with oil prior to installing it. That allows you to prime the system instead of having a filter’s worth of air being pumped around the first time you start.
Hope that helps.
Jim
January 6, 2009 at 5:36 am |
Problem: Shredded oil filter that won’t budge.
I ended up removing what was left of the shredded metal with pliers. I then put a screw driver in one of the six holes and tried hammering on it, but still it wouldn’t budge. The razor blade sounded like a good idea but my filter is at too awkward of an angle.
Finally the solution: I used a drill to make a hole where the gasket is and finally relived the pressure on the seal. Then I used the screw driver and the hammer method again and it finally started turning.
January 10, 2009 at 10:14 pm |
had to deal with a few stuck oil filters from jiffy lube and dealerships yesterday. it was a mess and tedious – i am wondering if you know of any tools to remove an oil filter mess free?
January 11, 2009 at 8:50 am |
Yvette -
Well Harbor Freight (www.harborfrieght.com) has a set of fluted cups that will fit the bottom of many oil filters and then all it takes is a 3/8 drive socket wrench to remove them.
For particularly stubborn ones I have found the oil filter pliers (in the photo above) to work very well. The only restriction is how and where the oil filter is mounted. If you can choose the filter in the first place I would recommend the K&N oil filters as they come with a 1″ hex on the bottom that makes it very easy to remove.
Hope that helps.
Jim
February 9, 2009 at 2:21 am |
Well today i was doing a routine oil change on my wife’s jeep Cherokee 2001, for the first time i had a filter stuck on me, apparently she took it to walmart when i was out of town to get an oil change, first the sockets oil socket had “glued sealant on it” which took me a wapping 30 mins to remove, then my favorite, the oil filter, it did not budge, for almost 4 hours of wrestling it would not move, broke 3 tools, and finally resorted to the screwdriver method, guess what?! that method didn’t work either, so now i am stuck with only the filter shell, and the base around it, with it being empty any ideas on what i should do next?
if you need me to take picture ill be more than happy to.. i am wonder if i use pliers and remove the scraps and then use needle pliers to grab the base and move it? but i am not sure… HELP!
thank you for any kind of help.
February 9, 2009 at 4:24 am |
Louis you have my sympathy. I sounds like someonw really tightened the oil filterhard when they put it on. The thing has compressed against the gasket and the pressure won’t allow it to unscrew. If there is any room for you to get something between the gasket and the filter that will allow you to pull out some of the gasket material that will help a lot. In any case you now need to use the holes in what is left of the base to drive what is left off. Some times a hammer and a screw driver can be used to turn the filter base enough. It only has to move about 1/4 a turn to be free, but the angle you have to work from could make that a long 1/4 turn. Your idea of needle nose pliers is a good one. The trick will be to get enough grip on the pliers. I bet that filter is really on there. That is why I would try to find a way to remove the gasket from under the base if you can. Otherwise carefully use a hammer and a drift or screw driver to get that to move and unscrew. Just be certain you are going counter clockwise. It is easy to get that mixed if you are working upside down.
Also read some comments of people above – you are not alone.
Jim
February 9, 2009 at 8:42 pm |
Jim,
Thank you for the info, today i did move it a little bit maybe 1/4 of an inch still not budging, but its better than nothing, ill keep on trying with the screw driver and hammer method, it looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully i will have good new tomorrow.
Thank you for the fast response, ill keep everyone posted:)
February 11, 2009 at 2:28 am |
Thanx Jim for the handy tips…the screw driver trick loosened the filter right up. It was funny though because my boyfriend was out in the garage trying to get the filter loose for at least an hour. Then I told him to try the screw driver and hammer method and it came right undone. He was slow to admit he should have let me help sooner. Lol! Thank you.
February 11, 2009 at 11:05 pm |
I faced this today…thanks for all the tips. What I ended up doing was removing an extra underpanel so I could get a better angle and more leverage on a simple strap wrench that I was using. After some persuasion, I finally got it off.
FWIW, I’ve tried the screwdriver approach before and absolutely mangled a filter. When they don’t want to come off, they really don’t want to come off and the only way I’ve managed is to get something around the filter at its base that I can really lean on. Otherwise you just shred the cannister.
February 12, 2009 at 10:37 pm |
YAY! after 16 hours plus i finally destroyed that filter… all pure man power!! i actually ended up grabbing the base of the filter and bending it and breaking it in half,
guess none of the methods worked till mine..
THANK YOU ALL!!!
February 13, 2009 at 6:45 am |
Louis -
Fantastic news. We are all delighted at your achievement. Now, have you given any thought to preventing this in the future?
I now put spark plug boot release grease on my oil filter gaskets and am careful not to over tighten.
Best of luck in the future.
Jim
February 13, 2009 at 7:09 pm |
yes in the future i wont be lazy and actually do my wife’s oil change on time, but i will try to do the spark park grease as well, thanks
February 21, 2009 at 6:10 pm |
HELP!!!! My husband has been trying for 6 hours to get the oil filter off of my 06 Dodge Ram 1500. He’s tried all the methods above to try and get the little bit of filter that is attached to the screw and it won’t budge… any suggestions will help. He tried the screwdriver, which left a million pieces shreaded on the ground, then the razor nothing is working.
February 21, 2009 at 7:59 pm |
I spent the last 5 hours trying to remove the oil filter from my Aprilia Atlantic 500…guess what? the filter won (for today anyway!). I am left with the base of the filter – the rest doesnt exist anymore….my problem is that due to the stupid layout of the engine block, I cannot use a razor. I will try a needle nosed plier at the holes around the centre of the filter base…everything has to be a mission with this scooter…
February 21, 2009 at 10:06 pm |
Alex –
You should be able to grab what is left of the filter with a large Channel Lock type of pliers. All of those engines have the filter at about a 40 degree angle toward the front of the block and there should be plenty of the filter base to grab on to.
Otherwise you may have to try to grab on to the hollow threaded piece that the filter screws on to. You have to be careful because it will likely be ruined if you damage the threads.
Good luck,
Jim
February 22, 2009 at 10:59 am |
here I am again, the oil filter (or what is left of it) is still winning this…Jim I need your HELP!!!
This is a scooter oil filter, facing the ground and surrounded by the engine block so I cannot get to the gasket and try the razor trick. In the whole process I am now left with the base of the filter.
I tried the needle pliers and used a large screwdriver for leverage. Result? bent screwdrive. I then used a hammer instead of the screwdriver. Result? broke needle pliers…I also tried hammering the holes (anti-clockwise) with a screwdriver, but again no success….after a total of 8 hours, I honestly dont know what to do anymore…it has not moved a single bit..looks like they hired King Kong to put the filter on!
Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Sol
February 22, 2009 at 11:58 am |
Soloman -
I am probably close to being as frustrated as you are at this point. I have been racking my brain to think of something that will allow you some type of success. As a last resort I would use a butane torch to burn away the gasket under what is left of the filter base. BUT BE VERY CAREFUL!!!! Have a fire extinguisher by your side when you do this and DON”T get the flame ANTWHERE near fuel lines or oil lines.
Remember, this is a last resort approach. If you see ANY possibility of starting a fire or melting the body work DON’T use this method and instead take the scooter to a local mechanic.
Let us know…
Jim
April 10, 2009 at 3:37 pm |
OMG
What a good thread – excellent.
I started off with the screwdriver method. I have very little room for leverage. i have put approx 3 holes in it and made maybe 1.5turns. the last hole i put in the filter was so deep that i actually got no turn. I can barely get a hold on the filter, i’m not that far from it being loose so that i can turn with my hand but a lack of manouvrability had hindered me so far.
Any idea’s?
Thanks Jim
April 10, 2009 at 7:28 pm |
Alex -
Sounds like you are almost there. Just take a break and relax a bit then give it another try. It shouldn’t give any more problem as you are very close to having loosened it.
Jim
April 17, 2009 at 10:43 pm |
Just got done doing an oil change on my new Dodge Ram 2009 — Couldnt get the Oil filter off to save mylife.. But after about an hour I decided to use a and awl and puncture the filter it would turn about a 1/4 turn. Made several Awl punctures and eventually was able to get the filter off.
Just my thoughts and hopefully it will help someone else.
Cheers.
April 19, 2009 at 5:02 pm |
I have a 1995 Aerostar, and I’m trying to change the oil. From what I understand, the oil hasn’t been changed in many years. I got the oil out of the oil pan, but my filter is completely stuck. I tried using a screw driver and I just got oil all over my hands and face. I tried putting WD40 around the top of the filter, and it still didn’t work. I can’t really drive it to a mechanic now, since the filter is busted, and I can’t unscrew this damn thing. It’ so stuck on there that the car moves when I try to turn it!! I have an oil filter tool, but it just gets in the way and makes it all worse. I don’t have a lot of tools, and I’m not too familiar with fixing cars, as I’m only 16. My dad is too afraid to get under the car and help me, so I’m completely screwed. Does anyone have any suggestions?
April 19, 2009 at 7:55 pm |
Matt -
I hope you have it up on jack stands. No fooling.
This is going to be a test of your stamina and patience. In other words this will not be easy and will take time, BUT it can be done.
The base of the oil filter has small holes in it that you can use a screw driver and a hammer to spin it off with. You may have to remove more of the metal casing to get to them.
It will take a while to get the base to turn off the big hollow screw. Just make certain you are spinning it in the right direction, counter clockwise.
If there is any way you can get a single edge razor blade under the gasket to free it from the engine it sometimes helps, too.
Good luck,
Jim
June 29, 2009 at 6:26 am |
tried the chain wrench .no good kept slipping off. then tried the new halfords pliers type tool. no good. reverted to the good old screw driver , a bit messy but it worked
July 18, 2009 at 12:17 am |
Thanks for this post, I’ve been studying it for days. I have a stuck filter that is down to the rim (gasket on and still screwed on). I have tried all the methods here and am prepared to use a drill or Dremel to cut the rim between the flowback holes to separate the threaded section from the gasket section. I figure this will allow me to determine whether the gasket is sealed or it is threaded too tight.
Is this a dangerous thing to do? I understand there will be sparks from either procedure but feel that it would be safe. The vehicle is a diesel.
Thanks, D
July 18, 2009 at 3:18 pm |
D -
The dangerous part is all the metal shavings that you will create that might get into the engine. Try to get a single edge razor blade under the gasket to break the seal, if you can. otherwise find one of those large oil filter pliers (like in photo above) and get the thing to turn.
Always make sure you are going in the right direction since you may be at an odd angle when trying to undo this filter.
Let us know…
Jim
August 28, 2009 at 9:26 am |
Wow, I am glad to see that this has happen to so many other people. After years of changing my own oil I took it to a shop, now wanting to changing it myself again it seems that have tightened it too much. I have tried everything except cutting it off. Is this my only solution. The filter is quite mangled and I see no other way to get it off. I have been able to turn it several times with a wrench, but it doesn’t seem to be coming off at all. Any suggestions?
August 30, 2009 at 10:10 am |
For the first time in over 30 years of changing my own oil, I experienced an oil filter breakdown. My doctor expects a full recovery, provided I stay in bed, on my tranquilizers, and away from cars.
Thanks for all the great suggestions posted here. They saved me from having to kill my truck.
91 Chevy 1500 5.7/4WD- the filter felt like it had been welded on. After trying different oil wrenches, vice grips, channel locks, sandpaper, carpet tape, super glue, razor blades with W-D 40, and, of course- the beloved screwdriver, Beer was also involved. I finaly got it off. Beer was also involved.
August 30, 2009 at 10:26 am |
I forgot to mention that after eight hours of being cramped under it, I put the front end up on jack stands. The extra room really helped.
I also drilled a hole for a 1/4″ x 4 1/2″ bolt with 1″ washers on on each side. This minimized crushing the canister, and gave solid points for gripping.
October 4, 2009 at 1:32 pm |
*Modified swivel oil filter wrench*…After waiting 3000 miles out the dealership to perform oil change on my wife’s 08′ Dodge Caliber I was unable to take it off by hand, so I decided to buy oil filter swivel wrench@ Autozone. Well it started to crush the filter, here’s how I got creative: Cut several strips of Duct Tape rougly 6″ long each, and wraped 3 strips each on 3 sides of clamp & about 2 strips in between each. This really helped give it a tight, grip, firm all around the AC Adelco filter (clamped it on bottom ridges of filter)…finally came off, but not easily still needed to pull hard on lever but with no messiness as I really didn’t want to cut or drive screwdriver into it. I checked online for ideas when I was getting no where, and did not find this method posted, so hopefully this will find someone to be helpfull.
October 4, 2009 at 9:13 pm |
The large c-clamp did the trick for me.
October 11, 2009 at 11:57 am |
Thank You ‘Jim’s Garage’!! I had the car jacked up, oil drained, and couldn’t get that dang filter off. The band wrench I had didn’t close tight enough around the filter and closing the gap with a shop towel didn’t work. Space was limited so I really couldn’t (nor did I want to) do the screwdriver trick. I had never heard about the razor blade trick before. Thank You for that little tid bit, it worked like a charm.
October 13, 2009 at 11:36 pm |
Thanks Jim’s Garage.
2001 Tacoma, oil filter just would not budge. Wasted 2 hours trying to get it removed from a very tight spot.
I used the razor method & finally got the filter removed. Tacoma owners should approach from the right front side wheel well instead of approaching from below. This site saved me some neck soreness & dizzyness. Total time for removal was 15 minutes slowly working razor around filter base.
Thanks again
October 21, 2009 at 4:46 pm |
I have a 98 Saturn SC2 and my husband was changing the oil on it, and he got to the oil filter part and it is not budging. He riped it apart to nothing but the very base of the filter. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING possiable the hammer and screw driver the razor blade we have tried everything mentioned on this thread it just will not move or anything! Is there anything else we can possiably try? I have a friend coming into town in a couple days and without my car we are stuck here… Please Help
October 25, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
Well I’ve got the filter removed…or at least most of it! The important part is still attached though. After fighting with this thing for at least 2 hours, I had to take a break or I was going to start throwing tools. Tomorrow, I will try the needle nose pliers in the holes idea. Wish me luck…
October 27, 2009 at 7:40 pm |
Nothing mentioned here worked. We ended up making a tool from a one inch, 1/2″ drive socket…we welded some studs on to the top of it that fit into the holes in the base of the oil filter, and still couldn’t get enough leverage on it….used a 2 foot long piece of pipe to finally get it loose. Unbelievable. I cannot figure out how somebody could put a filter on so tight without knowing that they did so.
November 2, 2009 at 1:26 am |
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November 7, 2009 at 6:57 pm |
I am beyond stuck. I have been at this for around 5 hours, and have 2 trips to the hardware store under my belt. I have tried the metal band wrench (to no avail) the wrench that snaps into the socket wrench, and I have poked a hole through the filter with a screwdriver, and i have also take a razor blade around approximately 80% of the edge (i cant get into the other portion because my hand is too big). I am nearing the point where im just going to cut the bottom portion of the filter off, but I have one problem. Due to the location of my oil filter, and the ease to which I can get to the engine drain plug, i did not put the car up on ramps. If i cut the bottom of the filter off, I most likely will not be able to see the top. I have gotten a large 14″ pipe wrench as well, and that has not worked either.
Any suggestions?
November 7, 2009 at 8:00 pm |
Jeff -
This sounds like a nightmare. What engine and vehicle is this on?
You might be able to get a hacksaw blade under the bottom of the filter and cut away the gasket that way. Just be careful and work it around slowly. The idea is not to saw through the middle, just remove the black rubber gasket.
Let us know how this turns out and anything you learn.
Jim
November 8, 2009 at 10:56 pm |
i am beyond frustrated with this problem i have a 92 Mitsubishi gt and after trying everything to get me oil filter off i have it down to the base only i have used chisels punches screwdrivers everything i can think of ,I’m afraid i have probably damaged something under the filter metal base cut with chisel in several places but i still cant get it off . i was going to try to buy a special tool tomorrow but not sure if that will even work i hammered on the base with that chisel for an hour and it didn’t budge at all please help
November 9, 2009 at 6:58 am |
Probably the hardest thing to do at this point is to NOT let your frustrations get the best of the situation. With what you have described it might be your best alternative to have the car towed to a professional. There is no point in doing it yourself if your only alternative is to damage the filter mount.
November 9, 2009 at 10:51 pm |
well i have good news i got it off without damaging the mount and withoput torches and other dangerous items . the only bad part is with all the hammering chiseling ets i did ewnd up with a gash on my nose from the filter wrench flying off and sa gash in my cheek from the chisel i was using . i drive for UPS and onn my route theres a valvoline instant oil change the manager pretty nice guy i showed him pics of what i was dealing with and even though he said i probably damaged the mount with my chisel he let me borrow a tool that worked perfectly it is a spring loaded tool that grabs ahold of the ring at the top of where filtwer used to be and you put a 3/8 drive ratchet in it and when you pull the ratchet it tightend against the ring and after a few pretty strong pulls it loosened up a tiny bit and i about screamed hooray . i was getting worried i would have to do something drastic and this car is not your avarage car its 1 92 3000gt custom built with single turbo thanksa for all the suggestions from everyone and esspecuially you jim for this great venue for us stuck mechanics lol i wish you could post piocs on here because this tool was vwer helpful and i have pics of it tom
November 10, 2009 at 6:25 am |
Fantastic Tom!