Best way to cut open an oil filter??

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Hello fellow BITOGers,

Just a quick question. I just finished an Auto-Rx cleaning cycle. I have the old oil filter and I'd like to know if there is an easy way to cut open the filter that could be done with common tools?

I've heard of people using pipe cutters but I'd rather not go buy one just so I can cut open an oil filter
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Thanks!

Ed B.
 
Use a hack saw and work around the seam, but be careful with what's likely to be a slippery can. Also this will generate a fail amount of metallic bits - to discount in the visual observations made. I've opened unused filters by grinding around the same area with my bench grinder - corner of the wheel of course. Much finer metal particles. This could however turn out to make a mess if a splash of oil somehow finds it's way onto the spinning wheel - wear goggles and oil close if going this route! I've pondered the functionality of an old manual can opener, but the crimped seam might be too big?

Do you have a metal lathe? Put it in the jaws dome-end in. Set the RPM's low and slowly feed the cutter head. You may wish to keep a stop or hand close to catch the end plate/filter assembly as it is under spring pressure as the cutter is nearly through.

Wish I had a lathe myself from time to time, AND the space for it and a place to work out of the weather on our vehicles with a lift. Well, it's nice to have something to shoot for I guess.

Take care.
 
I use a my Dremel, with the cutting wheel. Put on goggles, and the dremel cuts those babies open in about 30 seconds, with a perfect, clean cut every time
 
Search eBay. I picked this one up for $10. It came from a motorcycle shop, hand crafted by someone.:
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Racers look for metal. So do others ..but defects, accumulations ..etc. Great for an Auto-Rx cleaning. You also get to see if the lowball filter you use has changed manufacturers ...moved to China ..or if your filter is made in China ..if they threw sawdust or whatever inside to make it feel "more robust".
 
Look up aircraft maintenance tools. A&P Mechanics use them all the time because they are required too on 100 Hour inspections I believe (I am not an A&P so don;t quote me). Dad is one though and has a couple. But they have ones that will open up the can like a can opener with no metal flakes to contaminate the filter during inspection.

Try

http://www.browntool.com

--or--

http://www.aircraftspruce.com


The ones with the cutting wheel opposite 2 other wheels are the best. Of course there filters are like K&N with a 1" hex on the end to make things easier.
 
That's the one I have. Saved maybe a buck or two by getting it via ebay instead of ordering it outright. You're hard pressed to find one for less than $35+. Too niche a market for them. The serious mechanics get the serious tools that last a lifetime. The Summit one will too, but will be processing far fewer filters.
 
The Summit is nice solid cutter. Summit's western location is only 100 miles from me so I get overnight UPS delivery.
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I was withing a couple of miles of it today but didn't have time to stop. I've heard they have an immense retail showroom there. A good excuse to go back to Reno. After the storm that's supposed to drop 5 to 10 feet of snow on Donner Summit on the way there in the 3 days gets cleared.
 
The cutter for opening the filter might be very useful to see how effective the Magnafilter magnets are at trapping metal. I've seen these oil filter magnets advertised as trapping metal just by attaching to the outside of the oil filter. It would be interesting to see if they trap a lot of metal particles from the engine during the filtering process.
 
I too own the one from Summit. I used to use my Dremel and a wheel cutter, but the Summit cutter is less messy and faster. Plus, no sparks.
 
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