Anybody else have trouble getting the oil filter off. Geez that thing is put on there tight from the factory. I could'nt budge it with my bare hands. Got a belt around it no luck either. So I just left the thing on there and put 7 new quarts in it. Will buy a oil filter wrench the next time around.

 

This doesn't help you much, but I usually have the dealer do the first change for this very reason. Alot of dealers do the first one for free anyways. Whatever/whoever puts those on at the factory does it way too tight.

 

Its not worth $20 to let the dealer screw up an oil change. Yes my first change was suppose to take 15 minutes, but it turned into an hour. I tried the band oil filter wrench with no success, next I tried sticking a screwdriver in the side of it, then I had to run to Walmart and buy a different type of filter wrench which finally took the tight @ss thing off! I guess from here on out it will be normal, other than the bad placement of the filter.

 

The filter is located in a way that hand tightening and losening isn't an option. You simply can't get any leverage on it.

With the right filter wrench, getting the factory filter off is a snap.

BTW, the little factory catch pan/deflector thing under the filter does a nice job of letting the oil drip through the little hole in the skid plate. It also diverts oil out the front part. Amazingly, nothing gets on the chasis. I thought it was nice that Ford stepped up to the plate and addressed the way the oil would've dripped all over everything without the defector.

 

I changed the oil at 5000 miles and had the same problem getting the filter off. I had a friend with a strap filter wrench from the top and me turning by hand from the bottom and finally got it loose. It should be a snap from now on. I really like the oil deflector too!

 

I got an 3/8 ratchet drive oil wrench from Sears to take care of that on my 2002 4.6L, works great:



That will take out any filter no matter how tight it is. Just don't use it to tighten the new filter.

 

If that was your first oil cahnge, you need to get that old filter off. The first oil change is your most important one beause of all the metal particles from the machining of the motor. Do your truck a favor and get it off and changed right away and don't wait till the next oil change. Changing the filter is more important that changing the actual oil.

 

You guys need to read your manual! The 04 F-150 has a unique oil filter. You no longer use a wrench to remove the filter. There is a switch just about the filer that you turn to the left. You then turn the filter "one click" to the left, then turn the swith back to the right and remove the filter. Reverse the directions to install the new filter.

 

JUST KIDDING!!!!!! (LOL)

 

It's also not worth fighting an overtightened filter for no good reason. Especially if it ends up getting destroyed by trying to remove it. When you do stuff like run a screw driver through it, you better be really sure that its going to come off. Otherwise, your filter has a whole in it, rendering your truck immobile.

 

Berol

I've heard too many people talk about having a simple oil change get screwed up by an 18 year old oil changer who's back there bull#@$%ing with his buddy and puts 10w40 normal oil in. I was going to get the filter off one way or another. The screw driver trick has always worked in the past. I would'nt do it if I did not have another vehicle to drive.

 

Fair enough. I guess it depends on how well you know your dealer.

My point was just that you said you were upset when a 20 minute oil change took an hour. By the time you fight a filter for 10 minutes, put a screw driver through it and try for another 15 minutes, run to wal mart to get a wrench, come back and try again you've wasted your hour plus it turns into a huge hassle.

 

I just did mine today. First I tried one of those 3 prong wrench's as posted above, tried from underneath and from the top neither worked. So i found one that fits over the indentions in the top (btw it is the 30 flute wrench not the 15 flute one that I tried first.) Tried it from the top started turning until the wrench slipped, I almost fell off the truck (since I was on the radiator support) started grabbing for anything, and grabbed the inner lip of the fender and cut my finger up pretty bad. So I bandaged that up and got back under and finally got it off with a breaker bar and end socket. So yeah the first filter kicked my ***.


---- First oil change

 

thanks n578md for the heads up on that great sears oil filter wrench, picked one up today, cant wait till my first oil change. i'm at 1285 miles, love my truck, 04 screw lariat bright red all options. thanks again garman

 

I guess the swear words and tools will be flying around my garage when I do my first oil change.