(Home) Removing oil filter

I have spent ALL day trying to remove the oil filter on my 1990 2 Ltr TD Townie.

I have changed it on one previous occasion, but the last time was done by a garage when having a service.

It will not budge. I have a chain strap, but there is barely enough room to get it round the filter, and certanly not enough room to then exert enough force to unscrew.

I have tried knocking a screw driver through it to use it as a lever.

It is now in shreds but still in place.

Is there an easy solution or should I resort to dynamite.

I am so annoyed. this should have been an easy job, but I ended up under the car for five hours, covered in oil, and extrememly fed up.


Desperate.

- (#9986) Steve Lewis, 9 Apr 04 11:18

Garages do tend to, uneccessarily, overtighten oil filters and, on the Townace, there is not much room to lever the filter off. The best method is to buy the chain type of removal tool which has a half inch female socket square. With this type of tool, a socket extension bar can be put into the square and the tool can be operated with a normal ratchet or socket drive bar. The socket extension, ie, about six inches long with male and female square drives at opposites ends, allows a long lever to be used, quite clear of the filter itself and, all the other encumbrances in the filter area. Machine Mart do a very good one for less than a fiver. Halfords should also stock this type.

- (#9986) John Davis (Leics), 9 Apr 04 11:39

I was going to make the same suggestion. This is the type of remover I use and it usually does the job. When you do get it off, make sure you smear some oil or grease on the seal of the new one before you fit it. Putting them on dry is the main cause of sticking as the seal sticks to the block. Believe me, a lot of mechanics don't bother and I curse them daily!

- (#9986) John Shaw, 9 Apr 04 12:15

Thanks for the replies.

I have never heard of this tool, I will try and get one tomorrow.

I can put the dynamite away now then. :)

I always wet the rubber seal with oil before fitting it.

Steve..

- (#9986) Steve Lewis, 9 Apr 04 12:23

If it's already mangled, NO remover will help you. They rely on the strength of the circular casing, once it's damaged it'll just collapse. Hammer and cold chisel on the flange might be the only way now...

- (#9986) David Miller, 9 Apr 04 13:21

I managed to get it off with one of those claw type ratchet gadgets. The chain ratchet thing just crushed the filter.

The rubber seal was bone dry.


Steve....

- (#9986) Steve Lewis, 10 Apr 04 14:12