factory installed oil filter

[D.Webb]

Okay I give up. How d you get the factory installed oil filter loose. I tried, then took it to a quick lube place. Three guys tried and finally broke their wrench. They said, take it to the dealer. I did but would charge me for a complete oil change. I explained that I had just changed the oil, all I needed was a new filter. No deal. Any help?

 

[jwilliams3]

Auto Zone has a metal oil filter socket with a 3/8" drive that will connect to the bottom of the filter flutes.

It costs like $3.



By the way you have to go from the bottom to remove the filter.

 

[MYeary]

Try to do it when the motor is as hot as possible, the heat will help it come loose.

 

[GaryCarter]

You need either a high quality metal flute wrench or strap wrench. The cheap ones just break as you've seen.

It takes some serious torque to get the first filter off.



Gary

 

[Nate]

What readon does Cummins (or Dodge?) have for cranking them on so tight? Handtight is tight enough! I don't even own a filter wrench. Just unscrew them by hand.

 

[jwilliams3]

So they don't fall off.



Hand tight:

Not everyone has the same "hand" torquing capabilities.

 

[Diesel Power]

one of those "jaw type" filter wrenches should do the trick :-laf

 

[Slow Six]

A good strap wrench should do the job. Get it in place and put the torque to it. On a tight filter like the original the filter will start to collapse and than it will break loose. I also use a long enough extension so that I have room to put some muscle into it.

 

[FDavid]

When I had my 3rd gen I used to change it from the top. I remember one time it was on so tight that I actually tore into the filter. Turns out I was turning the wrong way :-laf

-Dave F.

 

[MChildress]

I have one of the plastic junk filter wrenches. I used two layers of paper towel to keep it from slipping with a long 3/8 extention and rachet. That bugger was too tight. Genos has the metal Lesli filter wrench I plan on getting. That strap wrench will work too if you can get it in there.

 

[wcjp]

My first filter change I had done at the dealership. Just did the truck's second filter change myself. No problems. After reading of the adventures of people here on the TDR with the first oil change I didn't see the need to play Superman.

 

[ohnoitsyu]

I just did my first change on my 06, and using the metal fluted tool from Genos my filter easily came off. It wasn't that tight at all. Of course my engine was very warm.

 

[JXP]

oil filter removal

i have a boat with twin v-8 chevys, the first time i went to remove the filters with the engine hot it was a bear. one came off with no problem, the other one was really on. i tried all the oil filter wrenches i had. no luck. i went nextdoor to my neighbors house, he is a dodge tech, he had a big channel lock pliers he just bought to do some pond plumbing work. it took the two of us to break it loose but it finally came off. i them told this story tomy boat mechanic and he showed me a angled jaws type oil filter wrench that never fails. it was a matco or mac brand, not the cheap knockoffs that the pep boys or wallyworld sell . i then told him when his tool guy comes in get me the same one. he did, 28. 00 but well worth it, good luck.

 

[J.Post]

Try to do it when the motor is as hot as possible, the heat will help it come loose.

Ahh. No.



I actually had read of the horror stories hear about how tight they were on.

So I decided I would try and loosen it a bit when cold then run the engine till hot and drain the oil. Worked well for me.

I figured that when cold all the materials in the filter and the shaft it is installed on would contract a bit and make removal easier. Sure enough it came loosened w/ very litttle effort. I did use a filter wrench and did it from underneath.

 

[mdepot]

On my first oil filter change I had tried different approaches to getting the factory filter off for about an hour before I figured out a trick that worked easily. I was using an end cap type filter adapter for my socket wrench. The problem was that it was on so tight that that the socket adapter would just keep slipping off the end of the filter though. So here's the trick. First I put two long socket entensions on the end of a breaker bar type socket wrench. This got the handle end of the wrench down to about 10 inches or so off the floor. Then got a floor jack, put a small piece of soft wood on it, and jacked it up against the bottom of my socket wrench until it was just snug. Then I gave the wrench a turn (it still took a bit of effort) but it came right off. The trick here is that the floor jack keeps the socket adapter from slipping off the end of the filter. When you don't have to fight keeping it from slipping off at the same time as turning, things go a lot easier.

 

[lgjohnson]

Cummins must have a guy at the factory named "Bruno" that puts these on.....

I took a cheapo extension and tack-welded an end-type wrench to it... . Then used a breaker bar along with a cheater pipe on the bar..... it turned.

 

[tandersen]

I've used an adjustable filter wrench from Sears on 2 new filters so far. The more you turn it the tighter it gets. From below with 2 long extensions. It helps to know the right words to encourage it with. #$@!^&%#%

 

[Blu-meanie]

I have one of those pretty engraved ones that Hardwick used to make. I even bought it when I owned a 2001, just because. In fact it was so nice looking, I bought a 2005 truck just so I could use it! :-laf

 

[pullya]

Get the filter wrench from Geno, Best investment you'll ever make unless you hire the guy that puts them on at the factory to take yours off. He probably laughs everytime he tightens one of them up. :-laf

 

[blacksheep4x4]

I just used a metal strap wrench. I didn't go in from the top or the bottom. I pulled back the wheel well liner on pass side got wrench on it and pulled. It came right off. The wheel well liner will scrape up your arm if you don't wear a long sleeve shirt, but doing it this way gives you good access to the filter.