First oil change

[bighammer]

Today was the day. I drained the oil then tried to get the filter off with my new Genos Garage 6 way wrench. The wrench split and wouldn't budge the filter. I thought the Cummins filter install gorilla was replaced with a normal person.



Genos is sending me a new wrench. I picked one up at Auto Zone that's made of steel instead of plastic. I'm sure the Genos wrench will be fine for future changes.



Drain plug felt like it was only in hand tight.

 

[johnrv4]

Same thing here on my '01

Same thing happened to me on my '01 Pete . I destroyed one filter wrench and spent about an hour getting the original filter off. My drain plug was the same way too

 

[RBender]

I also did my first oil change this weekend. I decided to change the filter from underneath, since it seems the easiest way. It took a little work, but with a metal oil filter socket, an extension and a breaker bar, it came loose after a couple of minutes. If Dodge follows the Stratapore recommendation of hand tight plus 3/4 of a turn, no wonder it's so tight! The oil pan plug came off easy, and was retorqued to 35 ft/lbs.

 

[Rosco]

I must be a lucky guy because the oil filter on both of my '03s thankfully came off without any trouble.

 

[Boonieman]

I had the same problem on my 2001. I took it back to the dealer I bought the truck from and asked them to just loosen the filter for me so I could change oil. They wouldn't do it unless they changed the oil and filter, which I had already purchased elsewhere. I took it to another dealer down in the country and one of the guys came out and loosened the filter with a strap wrench for me. I bought my own and it works great on the 2003 from underneath using a 12" extension and wrachet. Guess where I bought my 2003?

 

[Dean Upson]

I had problems getting the factory filters off my 1994 and 98. 5 so I had the dealer wrestle the one off my '03 on the first change. I actually destroyed the filter on the 98. 5.



Dean

 

[Fireman]

I found that the metal socket type filter wrench that I used on all of the Dodge V-8s also works on the fleetguard filters. I had no problems removing the first filter with that.



Fireman

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Why does everyone remove the filter from below? By taking 60 seconds and removing the intake snorkel to the turbo it's easy to remove the filter from above. Well, OK, maybe that's because I have a 2-wheel drive. . .



Anyway from above the strap filter wrench worked great getting a somewhat stubborn (but not as bad as my 01!!) Mopar oil filter off.



Vaughn

 

[bighammer]

Vaughn, I think you're on to soething there. I might look into doing from above from now on. I've never had to use a filter wrench except for the first filter removal. I like to just wrap my paws around it and unscrew it.



Not sure I want to be under a filter full of used oil anyway. It would be especially bad if you change it hot and end up wearing it.



I do like the fact that there aren't any slots in the drain plug. No oil comes until the plug is OUT. Nice change.

 

[amsoilman]

I agree with vaughn! It is much easier to get at the filter from above by removing the air "snorkel" and then using a strap wrench. You can then let the filter drop down a little to clear the housing, then lift it up to remove. The only thing that one has to be carefull about is to keep the filter in the "upright" position.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[lschultz]

The same thing happened to the oil filter wrench I got from Genos. And they are sending me another one. I had already changed the oil 3 times and used the metal filter wrench I had. Then that light bulb came on in my head and I remembered my new wrench so I said I will use it and crack But I think I did have the filter on too tight. I just don't know my own strength

 

[10-G]

First change on my 02. Attempted to use strap wrench ,no luck. Attempted to use vise grip chain wrench, no luck, it mangled the filter. It became personal at that time. Extra long chisel and hand sledge. Victory.



My neighbors appreciated my hammering at midnite. I had already drained oil into dirty container. Had to have transportation to work the next day. Oo.

 

[RBender]

Why do I change the oil filter from the bottom and not the top? Firstly, its about 50 inches from the garage floor to the edge of the hood by the filter. That's a long reach, even standing on top of a step ladder, or milk crate. Secondly, I'd rather not take the small chance of FODing the turbo while I had the inlet snorkel off. I don't suspect that's covered under warranty

 

[ttreibel]

Mutilated filter

I fought the dang thing from below and from above. I mutilated the oil filter trying to get it off I tried the cummins strap wrench,no go. I tried oil wrench pliers, no go. When I was just about ready to get out the sawzall and an M-80 I tried an old large steel oil filter wrench left over from, I think, my dads 65 ford station wagon and that finally broke the dang thing loose.



Well just as I expected there was no lubrication on the rubber seal. I don't think the boys building them in Mexico? were ever taught proper oil filter installation from there fathers.



But hey thats just my opinion.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

ttreibel, your filter looks gorgeous compared to the factory unit I removed from my 2001 Ram. When it finally came out it was impaled at least twice and the huge holes were hogged out to the point I almost completely ripped the lower half of the filter off It took nearly 2 hours and some choice words to get it off!



Fortunately the initial change on the '03 was far less eventful!



BTW now we now have two Treibels on TDR from Washington State Pretty rare name from what I understand.



Vaughn

 

[ttreibel]

Yes Vaughn Treibel is a rare name and we are brothers. He helped me get off my Ford kick. However he is a BOMBER and I am a "stocker" in comparison.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Well good for John! I've known John for a long time, very cool guy in my book He's certainly taken BOMBing to new levels, his truck is like no other.



It's great to have you on here too. You probably know about www.nwbombers.com as well.



Vaughn

 

[Steve M]

I'll have to go along with the "do it from above" theory. It works for me. I used one of my Fleetguard filters that I had ordered for my '01 before I traded it. I like the above method as I can slip a freezer bag over the filter to catch it in and avoid any mess. The only problem was my silencer ring fell out when I took the intake tube off. I wonder what brand and type motor oil is in from the factory. It looks like synthetic the way it beads up on smooth surfaces. Is it still Valvoline PB?

 

[Pit Bull]

Hate to have one of you guys get mad at me after seeing what you can do to an oil filter

 

[Ladders]

SHEEEZS, dont u know by now that the filter is on for the life of the eng??????

Dats y da ting is sews tight!



SOTSU!

\\BF//



by da way, mine will b dew in abouts 2. 3k, anyone feel like the need to get a fustration out?? gimme a call and you can have my filter removal job