Stuck Oil filter removal
 

Morning guys!

Problem! Stuck oil filter! My main question is can we damage the engine block in our efforts to unscrew this thing? Can we damage the port or anything? Or should we just crank it off with all our strength? We HAD an oil leak that led us down the path of over tightening our oil filter (rookie mistake). Now we can't get the effing thing off. My son has been working on it (I'm out of town--getting back today). We've already taken the step of puncturing it and putting a rod thru it to get extra torque. With two of us I'm thinking it'll give, but I don't want to damage anything in the process. Any insight? We have a 351W, 1970ish by the way.

Thanks! Tyler

Tyler... you're good to go. Crank it off. It's only a rubber gasket and can't hurt anything as long as you only rotate counter clockwise and nothing else.

Mark

Thanks Mark!! T

If you havent destroyed the filter already a strap wrench works great for getting them removed. Sometimes putting a bar through the filter just tears it up .
I am sure you already know but putting a film of oil on the gasket during install keeps the filter from getting stuck.

You can crank on it, but drptop is right that they tend to just tear. If it were mine - and knowing what I know now - get a strap wrench.

Use a strap wrench as low as you can get it on the filter. After filter is off the surface the gasket seats against must be flat and smooth any highs or lows will produce a leak. Do not try to pry on the filter around the gasket seal area as this can cause a indention or uneven seal point. Remember any remnants of the old gasket will cause a leak.

I've taken off many a stuck oil filter by driving a large screwdriver thru it and turning. Clean the block filter contact surface with a clean rag, inspect surface for residue/old gasket, wipe a generous coat of oil on the new filter's gasket (stick your index finger up to second knuckle in the bucket of drained oil, wipe onto face of new gasket like applying library paste in elementary school i.e. fully covered to near dripping), spin it on until it just makes contact, tighten 1/4 turn more by hand. If it leaks then, take it off and look for the problem: old gasket or residue on block sealing surface, unoiled new gasket rolled up from overtightening, cracked or damaged filter boss if separate piece bolted to block, no gasket, wrong/defective filter. No properly installed oil filter (see above) should ever leak or need extra tightening. If having trouble due to difficult filter location/work space, consider installing remote filter relocation kit. I like the filter location change procedure on my Solstice engine. Filter housing is at rear top of engine, changed from above. Unscrew cap (housing and fiter element drains into pan when engine is shut off), lift out used element, drop in new element, screw cap back on. Done! On the Miata engine filter was screw on mounted horizontally in center of block above front crossmember. It was also changed from above. Because of tight space it was difficult to turn it, catch it without spilling oil all over crossmember. Trick there was to put toddler size disposable diaper on crossmember below filter, unscrew and drop filter into diaper. Wrap diaper around filter and lift out without getting a drop of oil on car or hands. :D

Buy a good quality all metal oil filter strap wrench, for loosening filter. test it in the store on a filter to verify it is the right size for your filter. You can improve one by gluing a strip of thin innertube rubber to inside of band with contact cement. They also sell cup type wrench attachments that fit over end of filter and go on a breaker bar or ratchet, they work well if you have room or can't maneuver a strap wrench over filter. They come in several sizes, be sure to get the one that fits snugly on the filter you use.

I have been using Dow Corning DC-4 compound to lube the gasket on oil filters for years. I haven't had to do the old "drive a big screwdriver through the filter trick" since I started using the DC-4. I picked up on that practice when working as an aircraft mechanic. It is recommended by most of the filter manufacturers for aircraft use, so I figured it would be OK for my cars and trucks as well. It is also a good lube on O-rings.

Dan

Thanks for the input guys! My son bought a strap wrench last night but had no success. I don't know if it was a good one or not. Maybe a combination of him on one levering device and me on another will do it. But I'm nervous about breaking the filter boss. That'd really suck! When we first installed the filter we lubed it but my son says we took it off recently and reinstalled it. I don't remember that (they say the memory is the first thing to go--can't remember the second thing) but I doubt we re lubed it. We probably removed the filter when we were installing the pressure sender. Idk. Anyway, so I shouldn't be too concerned about torquing the filter boss right off the block huh? Just go for it?
T

If you have room you might be able to get a large screwdriver or punch, down near the seam at the bottom of the filter where it screws onto the engine and hammer it in a unscrewing direction as you apply pressure with the strap wrench. Sometimes the jarring will help loosen the gasket.
If that makes any sense to you. The seam is stronger than the filter shell.
Larry

Yeah I saw that method on a YouTube video, but I didn't know that about the seam being strongest. Makes sense. Thanks!!

Dan where might I get something like that? T

I have had success with a strap wrench and putting a leather belt that is wet between the wrench and filter. Cut the belt to be a little short of going around the filter. The leather should be soft and not high polished. We always had old horse reins available that worked well. Good luck

These guys are pretty good: Search Results from Aircraft Spruce

Dan

Be sure and let us know how you get it off!
Elmo