Removing oil filter without a mess?

[wavinwayne]

I had an idea & wondered what the BITOGers would think about it.

When I unthread my two vehicles' oil filters, I get a nice oily mess. W2 don't like this. So what I thought was this: What if I punch a nail hole in the end(drain hole) & the side(vent hole) of the oil filters, so the oil will drain straight down into my catch pan without making a big mess?

 

[Dan4510]

It is always a mess. If w2 doesnt appreciate the savings and you commitment to taking care of her car, you might need to trade her off.

Dan

 

[rg144]

I've read some do that.

Others use a zip lock bag; unscrew the filter enough so the 1/2 cup of oil drains into the bag.

Or, cut a plastic shopping bag to size, use a rubber band that's smaller than the filter. As you unscrew the filter the rubber band will seal around opening until you can get the filter to vertical.

As they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[wavinwayne]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dan4510:
....If w2 doesnt appreciate the savings and your commitment to taking care of her car, you might need to trade her off.

Dan

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LOL, actually, W2 is my short-hand way of referring to myself in the third person. I'd never consider trading off the little woman.

 

[Steve S]

I an awl with a sharp point . This works well depending on the filter position.

 

[Filter guy]

This has always been a problem..

I believe some of the newer European engines that are coming with cartridge style filters have a drain type device (I hesitate to call it a plug) which allows the mechanic to drain the oil out of the housing before totally unscrewing the canister and replacing the cartridge element.

So the moral of the story is buy a different vehicle...

I think both Mann & Hummel and Hengst have their own patents on these type oil filters.

 

[Whimsey]

Work fast and use some of those disposable paper "shop rags" to help clean up the oil mess along with spray brake cleaner. This is the reason I go for long OCI's, less mess

. I have a Ford truck with the 4.6L V-8 and I don't see how you could effectively puncture it to really drain the oil without making a real mess. Working fast seems like it would minimize the mess. The filter on the 2002 4.0L V-6 Explorer is a dream. It's vertical with the mounting facing up and easy to reach. However on my V-8 truck I'm punished

.

Whimsey

 

[wavinwayne]

quote:

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Originally posted by Whimsey:
...I have a Ford truck with the 4.6L V-8 and I don't see how you could effectively puncture it to really drain the oil without making a real mess......Whimsey

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My wife's Expedition 4.6L oil filter is mounted with the threaded end facing up, so I could easily puncture the end of the oil filter & let the oil drain into my catch pan. It's a breeze working under the Expedition.

 

[VgRt6]

I've used both the nail and ZipLoc bag techniques on my sister's 1.8T Jetta. Both methods are better than just spinning the filter off, but they have their own drawbacks. IMO, it's the stupid PS hoses directly below (and nearly touching) the filter that make filter changes on this engine such a hassle.

Gary

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

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use some of those disposable paper "shop rags" to help clean up the oil mess along with spray brake cleaner. This is the reason I go for long OCI's, less mess

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ditto

(shhh! ..people think you do long OCIs for the utility and efficiency of it all. You're blowing my cover

)

Yep ..brake clean (non-chlorinated is a must) makes a tidy end of story on the filter change. Any floor drips are easily taken care of with it.

 

[paulo57509]

Would this work?

Oil Filter Drain Tool

 

[Schmoe]

My wife's Expedition 4.6L oil filter is mounted with the threaded end facing up, so I could easily puncture the end of the oil filter & let the oil drain into my catch pan. It's a breeze working under the Expedition.

[/QB][/QUOTE]

Threaded up? Are we talking about the V8 engine here? Aren't they threaded sideways, and if you have 4x4, right above the transaxel...but wait.....Ford put this really cool plastic drain pan over the axel.....

 

[wavinwayne]

quote:

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Originally posted by Schmoe:
Threaded up? Are we talking about the V8 engine here? Aren't they threaded sideways, and if you have 4x4, right above the transaxel...but wait.....Ford put this really cool plastic drain pan over the axel..... [/QB]

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Yes, the threaded end of the oil filter is up on the Expedition.

[ March 16, 2005, 09:18 PM: Message edited by: wavinwayne ]

 

[Darryl]

Just loosen the filter enough to start the trickle of oil, and when it stops turn it 1/2 a turn and let it drain some more. Repeat until no more oil comes out. Then simply take off the filter with no mess.

Use an oil drain pan that's big enough to catch the oil from both the filter and the drain plug at the same time, that will also help.

On my truck/car this method works great. Also, pick up some mechanics rubber gloves.

There is no way I'm beating any sharp object into my filter/housing...No way.


Darryl

 

[srivett]

If I feel creative I'll take a piece of cardboard and fold it into the shape of a V. That'll direct the oil to wherever I want it to land.

Steve

 

[Quattro Pete]

First time I did an oil change on my 1.8T, taking the filter off was a real mess. Second time not a drop of oil hit the floor.

First I loosened the oil filter enough so that I could turn it by hand, but not enough for the oil to start dripping. Then I put a plastic bag (make sure it has no holes

) around the filter and the oil cooler that's right above and secured the bag at the top with a few rubber bands. Then I unscrewed the filter and let it sit in the bag for about 30 mins allowing all the oil to drip out of the oil cooler. Then I gently removed the bag with the filter and some oil inside. You just have to be careful but it worked.

 

[Swift]

Plastic bag trick, been doin it for years.

 

[Shannow]

If you want to make some bucks, manufacture an adaptor to fit (or even manufacture your own system) to "copy" the system on the Nissan ZD30 turbodiesel.

The filter is a cartridge type, with a cast aluminium outer housing (complete with 1/2" drive...what filter wrench?). The femal part is cast into the block, but could certainly be an adaptor.

Turn the filter housing two turns anti-clockwise, and point an arrow to the top...the "O"-ring has just uncovered the drain port, which flows through its own tundish into the drain pan.

Unscrew, change the cartridge (a pleated element with felt "end-caps" reputedly acting as bypass filters) change the o-ring and go.

As a refinement, you could add a fill plug to the top of the housing.

 

[dkcase]

Shannow says:

quote:

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... uncovered the drain port, which flows through its own tundish into the drain pan.

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I think I saw this word before in your posts and wondered about it. Interesting new word to me.

I took the liberty of looking it up online (American Heritage Dictionary, I think):

tundish

SYLLABICATION: tun·dish

NOUN: 1. A funnel. 2. A container for pouring molten metal into a mold, having holes in the bottom to prevent splashing.

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