Can't get oil filter off!

[jimbo]

Anyone else ever had this problem?

Changing my oil for the first time. Piece of cake EXCEPT...

I have three oil filter wrenches here, an adjustable and two cap type. The filter that's on here is a Vavoline. The adjustable is slightly too big to get it off, just spins. The one cap type that fits on the replacement filter I'm going to use won't fit on the vavoline, slightly too big. The other cap type is slightly too small. I'm not sure if they even make a size inbetween. I keep having to walk to the auto parts store cause I already have the oil out of the truck. I've tried wedging a latex glove inside the adjustable but I can't seem to get it to stick enough to turn.

Damn this is a fristrating.

A 15 minute job is turning into all day.

Any tricks?

[Child's Play]

I've never tried this on my VX, but I have on other cars. You can try punching a screwdriver or sharp tool all the way through the oil filter, this should give you enough torque to at least loosen it enough to get it the rest of the way off with your hand. Yes, it will be a little messy, but it may save you a few more trips to the store!

[thedutchguy]

Are you sure you're turning it the right way?;Dy;

Tightening the filter with a tool when fitting could cause this problem.The heating and cooling of the engine will cause the filter to set supertight.

But the remedy's allready been given: first punch a hole in the filter to drain, then punch a large screwdriver through it, good luck!

[jimbo]

Called a friend who's a mechanic, he said wedge a really big screwdriver between the filter and the tool to make the tool be smaller.

Why didn't I think of that?

Worked like a charm.

Thanks for the help guys.

[jimbo]

By the way, how much oil should this take? I have 5 quarts in and it looks like it's about 1/2 way between the add and fill lines.

[Green Dragon]

At Filter replacement,I install a Stainless steel adjustable clamp on the filter. If it is too tight, I Place a large common screwdriver blade at point of clamp adjustment & tap with a hammer.

Bob F

[Heraclid]

From what I can remember, the VX oil capacity lists at 5.5 qts, but I buy the 5 qt jugs of Mobil 1 SuperSyn from Wal-Mart, dump that in, and the level always checks out good, so if you're doing a simple drain-and-fill (no flush) it should be fine that way.

I actually just got back from buying oil and a filter myself. I am partial to the FRAM XG3593A (silver canister, orange lid). It's also the ONLY FRAM filter I'd buy, because it's the only FRAM filter that uses metal end caps instead of cardboard in its internal construction.

The K&N's are constructed really well otherwise, but the filtering media isn't so hot and that's the whole point. They actually have about the lowest pass-thru efficiency I've seen out there (only 90% versus 96-99% for everything else). And they cost the most. Love their air filter though.

Wix is a good one oil filter too - if you buy an oil filter at NAPA, it's a Wix.

I had a problem with an oil filter wrench not being quite small enough and borrowed one of my Dad's rubber strap wrenches and it worked great (for oil filters at least)! I always hand-tighten the new one on, though, for reason thedutchguy mentioned.

[jimbo]

I used a Purolator Pure One filter. Only high end filter they had at Pep Boys. The problem I had today was with a Vavoline filter that was on the truck when I bought it. For some reason this filter (the Vavoline) is slightly smaller in diameter than the others and the wrench wouldn't grip tight enough.

As I stated above I had to wedge a big screwdriver between the body of the filter and the adjustable wrench.

Also:

This oil filter test page is easy to find so many of you have probably saw it already but I thought it was worth doing a link cause it was interesting:

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study/

[Tone]

ALWAYS put in the amount of oil necessary to bring the level to full on the dipstick. Lack of / low oil is THE major cause of hi reving, small engine failures.

[Joe_Black]

I'm beginning to sound like a total Mobil-1 prole, but they make a great filter as well. The M1-104 is 100% synthetic (no paper) and has outstanding filtration and flow characteristics as verified by a variety of independent reviewers. Costs a bit more, but how much is your engine worth? ;Dy;

[johnnyapollo]

I bought a case of Isuzu filters on eBay for $2 a piece a few months ago - figure those will last a while.

-- John

[Heraclid]

jimbo, that's a great link but it is somewhat outdated (last updated in 1999) because I know that at least the FRAM filters information is not current.

The current FRAM X2 line is excellent. Here is a snip of a review of filters by a Honda Prelude enthusiasts site (uses the same XG3593A filter as the VX):

The FRAM x2 (and only the FRAM x2 Series) is probably the most heavily constructed filter I've seen so far. Though all of the Japanese made filters were of exceptional quality, the Fram x2 was as good in every way. Of note with the construction were the following features: metal screen backing the media, heavy metal end caps (all other Fram filters have cardboard), and 2 layer filter medium. Lab testing indicates this filter is fine at 5000 miles use with Mobil 1. As with all of the Fram filters and OEM Honda oil filters the x2 uses the standard spring loaded plastic by-pass valve that many people do not like. However, lab tests do not indicate that the valve jams or fails to work. It's possible that a hard enough impact at a sharp angle while the filter was by-passing might cause it to jam open, but I suspect the fluid within the filter would prevent this.


The X2 is FRAM's "Extended Guard" (XG3593A fits the VX), not to be confused with their Extra Guard (PH3593A). It has newer and better fully synthetic filtering media, 70% increased capacity, a metal mesh that reinforces the pleating, metal end caps, and a handy sure-grip exterior surface which helps with removal. It is also billed as a 7,000 mile filter but I am sticking to my 3,000 mile change intervals. It can be hard to find in stores, though. The local Pep Boys only carries the lower-end FRAM products, Advanced Discount Auto Parts is the same, and I'm not sure about Auto Zone because there's not one close enough that I ever really shop there. Wal-Mart carries them but is often sold out. Next time I'll pick up as many as the have on the shelf so I have spares ready to go.

The Mobil 1 filter is very good too. It is the same filter as the K&N except that it filters down to a slightly smaller particle size than the K&N does.

Note: I would be wary of the FRAM Double Guard filters - they disperse Teflon into your engine.

[Tone]

Why is Teflon bad? And why is a major manufacturer offering it.
There are oil additives that contain Teflon also on the molecular level, I do question how well it works though.....

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

Originally posted by Joe_Black
I'm beginning to sound like a total Mobil-1 prole, but they make a great filter as well. The M1-104 is 100% synthetic (no paper) and has outstanding filtration and flow characteristics as verified by a variety of independent reviewers. Costs a bit more, but how much is your engine worth? ;Dy;

I basically bounce between Mobil 1 filters and Purolator's PureOne filter because If I'm near an Autozone they have the Mobil 1 filter and if I'm near an Advance Auto they carry the Purolator PureOne filter.....they aren't the same size so I had to buy 2 ratchet driven oil wrenches.

P.S.--To get back to topic...I've used the "pounding the screwdriver through an oil filter like impaling a vampires heart with a wooden stake method" a couple times in my life when I was in a pinch and it worked pretty good!;eekb;

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

Originally posted by Tone
Why is Teflon bad? And why is a major manufacturer offering it.
There are oil additives that contain Teflon also on the molecular level, I do question how well it works though.....

My experiences have been with Slick 50:

I've never used it in my VX, but my experiences with it in other vehicles including my Harley Davidson Sportster and the 2-cycle formula for small engines is that it works good so long as the engine never is overheated (i.e. cooling failure) as this can cause it to "coke" up which probably wouldn't be good for oil ports..etc.

My other vehicles would turn over faster (reduced friction) and mileage was a tick higher...usually 1-2 mpg. My Air-cooled V-Twin Sportster seemed to love it for the above reasons as well as running cooler...even to the point of taking longer to warm up!

I used their 2-cycle formula when I used to race RC cars that used 10% Nitro-methane fuel (RC airplane fuel) and tore the little buggers down and saw the teflon coating on the cylinder walls and on the piston itself(these engines have no piston rings!). I gained compression over stock motors and a higher RPM level due to the reduction in friction. Also maintained compression when stock engines would peter out from wear.

I've run it in my previous rides with no complaints. I kind of got scared by our owners manual for the VX that states somewhere that additives are not necessary/recommended...so I just made sure I keep synthetics in her!

[Triathlete]

Kind of funny... I changed my oil today and I think this thread jinx'd me because I had a hell of a time getting my K&N filter off! Unfortunately when I went to get a new filter they were out of the K&N's so since the choices were slim I got one of Frams X2's. Will see how it does. The box (if you can rely on what it says) says it has a 96% flow rate and a fully synthetic material that is suppose to flow and filter better!

[SGT.BATGUANO]

The rumor that I heard about the teflon filters is that after the first pass through the engine, the teflon can clog the filter because the teflon molecules are too large to pass through the filter medium.

Also heard something bad about teflon coated utensils when they're heated above a certain temp.

[Heraclid]

I like the X2 oil filter that FRAM makes, but wouldn't use their other filters. It is interesting that Slick 50 came up in this thread, because that is the idea - FRAM wants to cash in on the Slick 50 craze.

They embed bits of Teflon into the filter media. From what I've read, the problem is that Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. The makeup of Teflon means that it can't get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Plus as Sgt. Batguano touched on, as the filter gets dirtier, Teflon is unable to pass through the filter media, so the filter ends up filtering the Teflon right out.

I have also seen on more than one filter review website that DuPont (the maker of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. I'm not sure how they can use it in filter production if DuPont doesn't give them the rights, but nonetheless I have read it in a few places.