Oil Filter Tightness

[DaveN]

Well i just finished my third oil change on my 2001 ram, and regardless of what I do it still seems to take three men and a small boy to loosen the oil filter. The first one was the worst (the filter came off in pieces), but even if I back off on tightening it (tighten by hand, then about a 1/4 turn with a wrench) it still takes me a half an hour and two visits from the neighbors asking me to watch my language. I oil the seal, and I'm not turning it more than the 3/4 turn that they say on the oil filter..... it almost seems that it self tightens a bit. Same with the drain plug, I just snug that up when I install it and it seems to self tighten to 18,000 lb-ft.





Any suggestions?

 

[BK]

Dave,

I use latex gloves on my hand to get mine tight.

Wanting more grip and traction to make sure it's tight.

I made two marks on the filter mounting housing with a permant marker. After I install the filter I mark the filter with the permant marker with two aligned marks. So I can tell if it moved... It never has moved in either direction. I keep an eye on the filter and check it every now and than.



While I'm trying to take the filter off I always wonder who put the filter, silly me I know the answer. . but geezzz... It seems I was much stronger putting it on than when I'm trying to get it off.



I do oil up the rubber gasket on the filter... do you?



I always need to use either a filter wrench or oil filter strap wrench to get mine off... . I find the strap wrench to work the best.



I have a '99 and have been through a bunch of oil changes.



I guess I rather have the problem of getting it off than having it fall off. .



Bob

 

[Cooker]

I never tighten with a wrench, only by hand. I tighten it almost as tight as I can get it by hand. I ususally check it a few times between changes to make sure it's still tight. Sometimes it's needs to be snugged up. The nice thing is I never have a problem getting the old one off when it's time for another change.



It works for me,

Ryan

 

[RATTLINRAM]

No problems yet

Oil filter was loose & leaking two weeks after I bought the truck. Hand tightened it and removed it by hand on the next oil change. I have put it on hand tight every oil change since,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,no leaks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,easy hand removal since,,,,,,,,,,30,000 miles now. I must be lucky. The drain plug can be another story though, it does seem like someone tightened it up while I wasn't looking.

 

[24V-DSL]

Yeah, what's the deal?

Same as you've all said. I put a torque stripe on it so I can watch it between changes.



Someone posted a while back and said to use liquid wrench around the base before taking off. I will be trying this next change.

 

[joesoot]

A little dab of grease on the rubber seal seems to help better than oil.

 

[Batman]

What's up with the drain plug???

Just changed my oil for the second time. I put the drain plug in the last time so I know it wasn't torqued too tightly. As stated above, think some gremlins got under my truck and torqued it good, cause boy was it tight.

Same with the filter.

Must be something to do with expansion of the different metals during hot/cool cycles???

 

[Ram4Sam]

Dave, mine does the same thing. And your remark of"and two visits from the neighbors asking me to watch my language. "



I had to laugh outloud because my neightbor has had to this also.



Sam

 

[BK]

The Ram hasn't made me go to the 4 letter words yet...



Want to talk about 4 letter words... now lets talk about my wife's Altima. . the Nissan. .

Ever look at the back of the block towards the firewall on one of them... . Ever try changing the PCV Valve on one of them. .

1st you have to try and find it!

Two hours and I didn't even get the hose clamp off yet! It took me 15 minutes to find it, the rest was trying to get my big American hands in there.

A hint is to take off the breather seperator off 1st, that the PCV valve is screwed into. . which you cant cause the lower bolt of the 3 holding on the breather assy in is facing the timing chain cover... and you cant even get to that 3rd bolt unless you strip everything off of the belt end of the engine. After kicking a few things and generally stompin around... I took it to my local shop, they said they could change it. . 2 hours later yes, they changed it. . but they never want to see it again.



I've done all the PM on that car and other work, I never dreamed that the PVC vavle was that much of a monster... . of course I never knew were it was either. . till now.

My hands look as if I had a boxing match with a Rose bush.





When it's due in another 30K miles, either the Nissan dealer is getting it todo or we don't own it anymore...