Spent an hour looking for my strap wrench, oil still isn't changed 😒

[The motor guy]

Guess it's time to start putting stuff back, or finish up some of my projects. I finally went to dinner after seeing the filter had a fluted end.
Hopefully, I can find my cap style wrench now I just don't get it somedays. Me being the genius I am already dumped the oil. Glad I got a second vehicle. Anyone else have this issue? You can't complete a job because the one tool you need grew legs? The neighbors probably think I'm crazy when I start walking back and forth look for the stuff.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Well, I guess you can just change the oil without changing the filter and just do the filter every other oil change.

Is it a cartridge filter or a spin-on? If it's a spin-on, get out the hammer and screwdriver

 

[Blueshound]

Grab that sucker with your paws and twist it like you mean it!

 

[IndyIan]

I do them up with one hand, so I can undo them with two...
But yes, I have spent more time looking for a tool, than doing the job before... I am moving to a bin system so all my oil change stuff is in one rubber maid. Grinding/sanding stuff all in another bin on the shelf, snowmobile parts in another, etc.. Some of the bins are even labelled when I've found a permanent marker that worked long enough to write a few letters....

 

[92saturnsl2]

I have four kids I employ when I'm looking for misplaced tools and they all act as if it's child abuse... I tell them to blame their mom because she's usually the one that doesn't put tools back.

Losing strap wrenches / automotive tools, which doesn't happen often, that's usually my fault. I bring whichever kid(s) are within earshot to help look. I'm surprised the cops haven't been called by now.

 

[The motor guy]

Well she's done. I had a cap socket that fit.

 

[AmBeRnEcTaR]

Grab that sucker with your paws and twist it like you mean it!

Agreed...
I've never used a filter wrench in my life.

 

[The motor guy]

Agreed...
I've never used a filter wrench in my life

It's in a bad spot where I can't get a good grip on it. If I was on a lift and I was standing up, I probably could.

 

[The motor guy]

It's in a bad spot where I can't get a good grip on it. If I was on a lift and I was standing up, I probably could.

This is a diesel oil filter btw. The filter itself holds an entire quart. I don't really like it when it spins off after an 1/8th of a turn... There have been a few times where i wondered if it was about to come loose on its own. I spin them on as far as I can by hand when is usually 3/4 of a turn after contact which is what it says on the filter anyways, then I take the wrench and give it just a smidge more, they come off just fine using the wrench come oil change time.

 

[The motor guy]

Agreed...
I've never used a filter wrench in my life.

You haven't changed oil very much then. I've had oil filters half crushed by the time they finally spun loose. This usually happens on a new vehicle for the first change

 

[Nmr1981]

This is happening more frequently in my garage as my 7 year old takes my tools and puts them in his tool bag to carry around. My top drawer suddenly has only flathead screwdrivers.

 

[PF52]

You haven't changed oil very much then. I've had oil filters half crushed by the time they finally spun loose. This usually happens on a new vehicle for the first change

+2

I think the quickie-lube the PO of my Honda Fit used must've installed the filter using a long breaker bar. It was tighter than a CV axle nut! So the first time I changed the oil on it I needed to use the smallest strap wrench I could find. LOL I don't think it had been used in 30+ years (the moral to this story being never get rid of tools you no longer need, because you may need them again some day!).

 

[cptbarkey]

Definitely have run into it a few times, the worst I punched a screwdriver through the can it and finally got it out gorilla style. It was a blown engine so didn’t really care.

 

[JTK]

Oh yeah. Seems like every job at home where I need tools, I can't find everything. With three boys, things get "misplaced".

I recently fought with the oil filter on my daughter's malibu. First oil change for me on it. I finally got it with one of my 30-40yr/old filter wrenches and a piece of doubled over sand paper to keep it from slipping. It was on there insanely tight. I always one hand snug them. I've never had one leak.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

We have a “rule” in our house. You can borrow any of dads/hubbies tools but they are to be returned to the work bench on completion of your project/job. No one puts tools away in my toolbox. I’m OCD with the 5S. It has helped me over the years identify if something was missing and when I’m under a vehicle I can get assistance by saying grab me the blah blah, it’s in this drawer, on the RH side.

For strap wrenches though I have a couple sets.

Just my $0.02

 

[John105]

In the 80s I was in the same boat. Finally gave up and went to the neighbor (whom my mom said kidnapped our family dog) and asked to borrow his. I remember saying I tried grabbing it with my hands and he said nah you can’t do that you need a wrench.

I know he passed away (he never worked the entire time I was in Kindergarten through 2012) but we ran into him last 10 years or so as he talked to us when we were sans child and had the 2011 Buick.

 

[repairman54]

Strap wrench, filter pliers or in the worst case a big slip groove Channel lock pliers so resistance is futile.

 

[AmBeRnEcTaR]

You haven't changed oil very much then. I've had oil filters half crushed by the time they finally spun loose. This usually happens on a new vehicle for the first change

I think I've paid for less than 5 oil changes in my life and only those times because the car was in the air at my mechanic's for something else during winter and it simply made sense.

Never used Mr Lube or any of the other express places. Probably owned more than 20 cars, I just learned early on from my father how to properly do an oil change and those lessons have served me well. No over-torqued drain plugs or filters. I can put enough jam on the filter with my hands so never bothered with a filter wrench.

Sorry to hear of your issues though I can imagine the frustration

 

[Rmay635703]

My one car can only be removed with a gigantic wrench, the others need a strap wrench, sadly my favorite strap wrenches keep deteriorating

Agreed...
I've never used a filter wrench in my life.

Photo of op changing Cummins 24v filter with bare hand

 

[The motor guy]

My one car can only be removed with a gigantic wrench, the others need a strap wrench, sadly my favorite strap wrenches keep deteriorating

I think I'm actually going to go back to using the filter cap wrench over the strap. Seemed much easier I'll just stick with that same fluted filter