Help - Oil Filter Removal

[WWalters]

I've been trying to remove the oil filter on my Cummins. So far no success and frankly I'm not sure if I'm not making matters worse by turning the filter in the wrong direction. if you are looking at the filter form under the hood, do you try to turn the filter counter clockwise - towards the radiator or clockwise towards the turbo? I'm using a pair of filter pliers. I've crawled under the truck and pretended that I was removing the filter that way and it seems as though I have been doing it right but nothing is happening except the filter is getting mashed. Also I have the pliers up next to the lip of the filter. Please help so I can get this over with. Thanks.

 

[BarryG]

Bill:

On my first oil change I had no luck with any other type of filter wrench than the strap style. I had a couple different types in the garage. I figured if I could get it on, it would work but to no avail so I ran out and bought a strap type and was able to do it from above with the help of a few four letter words. Seems those Cummins techs like to have a laugh on us with the amount of torque they use to put that first one on there. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. Since then I put on a remote filter mount and now it is a piece of cake and can use any type of wrench I want. I am sure some one else will chime in with a tip. Good Luck.

 

[joesoot]

If you're leaning under the hood, you should be turning the filter clockwise(as looking fom the top of the engine down... if you were under the engine this would be counter-clockwise... ie: righty-tighty, lefty loosey)... here are 2 how to pages on the oil change subject.



http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/filter/oil_filter.htm



http://home.austin.rr.com/murdocks/oil.htm

 

[MidwestMotorman]

turning the filter

Turn the filter toward the turbo to remove it. Righty tighty lefty loosy, looking from the bottom. If your filter is mashed, you might need a strap wrench or a screwdriver to remove it. Just drive the screwdriver through the filter and then turn. Do not punch anything with the screwdriver, the ac hoses and some electrical wiring are close.

 

[KatDiesel]

Strap wrench works good for this.



Helps to take off the intake hose on the turbo if ya haven't already done so (more room).



Watch out for the back of the alternator tho, might get a big spark and blow a 140amp fuse. Theres an exposed bolt/nut that people accidently hit. Not sure how early or late your truck was built, so its possible.

 

[Fireman Dave]

You may have to resort to using a screwdriver like a chisel with a hammer on the top edge of the filter to work it around. I finally had to do that while alternating with a Vise Grip chain wrench to get it to move on my first oil change. Even after it started to move, it took a lot of work to get it loose enough to turn by hand.



Good luck!

 

[WWalters]

Help-Oil Filter Removal

Thanks everyone for your valuable assistance. I finally removed the filter. This was my first time for the Cummins and also the first time that I have had to remove an oil filter on any vehicle from the top. This is what added to my confusion as to which way to turn the filter. Between the person that put the filter on to begin with and my stupidity its no wonder that it took me so long to get it off. Anyway, the next time will be a snap. Thanks again.

 

[Mundgyver]

Ah you can not blame a person for putting on the filter at the factory. It is done by a robot. A bunch of us complained to the Cummins rep at the Timberline get together a couple of months ago and he made the statment that Cummins uses a robot with a pre-set torque. . I changed mine out to a dual bypass amsoil set below the radiator. Takes me 6 minutes to do a complete oil change now.

 

[TKilgore]

"Liquid Wrench"

I did my first one over a year ago and it was TIGHT. A shot of LW around the seal, waited a few minutes (read:drank beer) and it came right off.



Tom

 

[lschultz]

Your not so stupid. Your probably just like most of us. Thats how you learn. Sometimes we confuse ourselves. I've done some pretty dumb things in my life.