Another reminder why I always change my own oil

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I bought a new to me Honda insight back in October and the dealer performed the oil change. When I was changing out the transmission fluid I noticed teeth marks from a wrench on the oil filter
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Now that I think about, I bet the drain plug was torqued to 123lb the same amount the car makes
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Any tips are welcome to remove the filter, I really don't want to buy a oil filter wrench that I'm only going to use once.
 
Make your own chain wrench, (length of chain long enough to wrap around filter, + screwdriver to pass through it to act as a lever)
But first you need a section of chain to wrap the filter with.
You can puncture the filter off-center with a large screwdriver as well, but I only did that once, BIG MESS. Chain wrap is far cleaner.
 
Oil filters are not supposed to be hand tight so you'll need a filter wrench for every oil change. Just buy the Lisle, it's the best.
 
What ???

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There's nothing wrong with hand tight... As long as you are not a total pansy with like only 50 lbs of grip strength only
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I hand tighten my filters after oiling the gasket, and still need a wrench to get them off more often than not.
 
Originally Posted by bubbatime
Oil filters are not supposed to be hand tight..


You were born and raised at a Jiffy Lube, right? Lmao
 
My filter is between sizes for which they make fluted wrenches. I use a blue paper towel as a liner inside the wrench, drive it on with a dead blow hammer, then use a ratchet to loosen the filter. IF the filter were on real tight, I could use a breaker bar, as I'm sure the cast filter wrench could withstand a LOT of torque. And to install a new filter, I never use anything but my clean dry hand and moisten the gasket with new oil. I'm not a guerrilla, I'm a 5'4" man of 150 lbs. I've been changing my own oil and doing this for 40+ years and never had a leak...and every filter I've ever put on by hand takes a wrench to remove.

Originally Posted by Maddog3355
Another vote for a screwdriver hammered all the way through and clean up the mess.

If you're going to go this route, save yourself a big mess. Use a drain pan in position, use a hammer and nail or ice pick, knock a hole in the lowest part of the filter and let the oil drain, then drive your screwdriver through an empty filter. Lot less mess...
 
Originally Posted by bubbatime
Oil filters are not supposed to be hand tight so you'll need a filter wrench for every oil change. Just buy the Lisle, it's the best.

totally agree. o bought the 63600 model and its the best ihave used.
 
The general rule for changing out an oil filter is after you hand tighten it, take the oil wrench and give it a quarter turn to tighten it.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
The general rule for changing out an oil filter is after you hand tighten it, take the oil wrench and give it a quarter turn to tighten it.


Can you post a reference to that rule? I can't find any published instructions that include a wrench when installing an oil filter. Some thing other than the "error-net".
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
The general rule for changing out an oil filter is after you hand tighten it, take the oil wrench and give it a quarter turn to tighten it.


IIRC, any instruction I've ever seen was to turn until the gasket makes contact and then another 1/2-3/4 of a turn (by hand).
 
A quick search shows most legit hits say "hand tight" or gasket contact + 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

OP, an end cap wrench usually doesn't cost much and a bit of insurance in the tool box doesn't hurt anything.

I tried the screwdriver trick on some new beater way back when and while I poked a hole and drained the filter first it was so tight I ended up with a mangled filter still on the engine.
 
I wrench my oil filters on. Better to be a little tight than to leak.
 
Originally Posted by Leo99
I wrench my oil filters on. Better to be a little tight than to leak.


Been changing my own oil for over 30 years. Oil filters always hand tightened. No leaks ever. Spin on by hand until gasket makes contact then another 3/4 turn. Good to go.
 
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