stuck oil filter any advice?

squarpeg · April 27, 2025, 11:39:56 AM

I have a Norwood mill with a B&S vanguard 23. The oil filter sits almost on the deck. I was able to barely get a oil filter wrench on it. Will not budge. Afraid I was going to tear the fitting off the side of the motor, filter itself starting to collapse in. I think if I tried the screwdriver through the filter trick it might just tear through the filter. Hard to get purchase on the thing also. Any thoughts?

beenthere · April 27, 2025, 11:52:54 AM

Get tough(er) with it.

Pipe wrench on the fitting to resist the fear of tearing it off the motor (if removing the fitting isn't a possible solution).

Good luck with it.

doc henderson · April 27, 2025, 12:35:14 PM

screwdriver may tear up the thin meatal cover, but then you can get on it better with a wrench.
would it help to remove the hoses to get more room?

KenMac · April 27, 2025, 01:41:46 PM

I have used a chisel or screw driver to cut into the rim of the filter and loosen stubborn filters before. There seems to be enough room for that. Remember lefty loosey!

YellowHammer · April 27, 2025, 02:02:02 PM

One of these will get it off. I used to struggle with all kinds of fancy oils filter wrenches, strap wrenches, chain wrenches, screwdrivers though side, all that stuff, but after fighting my tractor filter with no success, I got one of these from my tractor dealer ship, and I have never had to fight any filter again. They sell similar on Amazon, Channellock, etc. The bigger jaws allow bridging over hoses, and the smaller ones need less room. The teeth bite into the metal, and won't slip.

doc henderson · April 27, 2025, 02:15:23 PM

I think HF may sell a version like that.

arojay · April 27, 2025, 03:25:47 PM

That tool shown in post 4 is a very good one. In my experience, I would stick with Channellock or same quality. I'll try anything to avoid punching a hole through the filter as you are then down, for sure. If you keep the filter intact you can at least get back to work while you figure out a better way to attack the beast.

arojay · April 27, 2025, 03:28:20 PM

I forgot to say, I have a filter head with a very weak mount as well. I have to get a back-up wrench involved to avoid breaking something. What were they thinking?

Jeff · April 27, 2025, 04:08:33 PM

This may not need to be said, but going clear back to autoshop in highschool, be sure, when you reinstall, , dip your finger in the oil and wipe the seal so it doesn't happen next time and only had tighten, or, as Mr. Manual Hagen said, you'll have trouble next time if you spin on a dry seal.

YellowHammer · April 27, 2025, 04:49:19 PM

Also, the rubber O ring is generally a Butyl or similar rubber, designed to swell in the presence of oil. So when it's put on correctly, hand tight, with a slight bit of oil to lube it for proper assembly, as Jeff advises, it will swell after first use, and get more than hand tight and be a perfect seal.

If it's put on more than hand tight, or dry, then there is some significant cussing involved getting it off.

I hate to say it, but a lot of time, strap wrenches or conventional oil filter wrenches, like I assume used in the photo because of the crease, will draw the metal up, (that's the crease) and actually cause the threads to deform, shrink and tighten their grip even more. They also cause the filter to be loaded off to the side, which puts much more off center or torque load on the filter housing. Also, if at all possible, try to grip the filter near its bottom, away from the threads and where the metal is stronger, and much less prone to collapse.

I hate oil filter straps conventional oil wrenches, I think a sadistic engineer designed them and convinced people to use them just to make life miserable. Get a good set of quality pliers, with a wide bite so you can bridge over hoses, and give all the other stuff to your brother in law for fun.

Resonator · April 27, 2025, 05:03:59 PM

Can't add any techniques other than what has been said. But I did see recently a comment to a video showing doing an oil change. They suggested wrapping a plastic bag around the filter once it's loosened slightly, thus containing the oil that leaks out.

Dave Shepard · April 27, 2025, 05:08:57 PM

For some reason, some filters seize up even following best practices.

I have the best luck with those slip joint filter wrenches. Sometimes it's the only way.

arky217 · April 27, 2025, 10:11:54 PM

An old mechanics trick.
(I'm old, but was a mechanic when I was young)

Put your oil filter wrench on the filter, but don't brute force it.
Just put as much force on it as you can without deforming the
filter and just keep applying that force. It will finally loosen.

Slow and steady does the job.

Larry · April 27, 2025, 10:29:06 PM

Quote from: YellowHammer on April 27, 2025, 02:02:02 PMOne of these will get it off. I used to struggle with all kinds of fancy oils filter wrenches, strap wrenches, chain wrenches, screwdrivers though side, all that stuff, but after fighting my tractor filter with no success, I got one of these from my tractor dealer ship, and I have never had to fight any filter again. They sell similar on Amazon, Channellock, etc. The bigger jaws allow bridging over hoses, and the smaller ones need less room. The teeth bite into the metal, and won't slip.

Harbor Freight sells those and I have two. One for the shop and one for the kitchen. The one in the kitchen gets used to remove tight jaw lids! Works fantastic on those pickle jars. When your out of pickles you don't want to be fooling around with a stuck lid.

TimW · April 27, 2025, 10:33:30 PM

Hard to tell in the photo, but can you remove the filter assembly from the hoses and engine and put it in a vise with a wrench on the filter head?

Peter Drouin · April 28, 2025, 06:13:36 AM

Just what I was thinking, take the whole thing off.

jpassardi · April 28, 2025, 07:21:03 AM

If you don't want to wait for pliers you could also try the strap wrench at the top where the filter has more rigidity due to it's flange. There is a risk of deforming the flange and making the gasket tighter if it doesn't loosen though.
In my experience if I install filters by hand with oil on the gasket I have never had an issue using a strap wrench. When someone before me has cranked them down - different story...

duffdav · April 28, 2025, 07:47:42 AM

I have had a heck of a time with my own self overtightened filters.

50 years ago I stopped along the road in the dark to try to help a guy with trouble. He had bought a used car and had the oil changed before he had ever got home with it. The shop had not tightened his filter enough. He lost his oil seizing the engine.

So for 50 years every time I tighten a filter I think of that and give it extra turns then pay the price later. The last filter change on my s10 which is in a tight place I started having visions of not getting it off when the canister started crushing.

DDW_OR · April 28, 2025, 11:16:41 AM

when you get it off search for an oil filter cutter

allows you to open the filter to see what is inside

squarpeg · April 29, 2025, 10:10:56 AM

Quote from: YellowHammer on April 27, 2025, 02:02:02 PMOne of these will get it off. I used to struggle with all kinds of fancy oils filter wrenches, strap wrenches, chain wrenches, screwdrivers though side, all that stuff, but after fighting my tractor filter with no success, I got one of these from my tractor dealer ship, and I have never had to fight any filter again. They sell similar on Amazon, Channellock, etc. The bigger jaws allow bridging over hoses, and the smaller ones need less room. The teeth bite into the metal, and won't slip.

I have one of those and I have a strap wrench, and one of the band wrenches. None worked. Today I am going try to see if I can not remove the entire fitting off the engine. See how easy that is. Was also considering carefully applying some heat with a heat gun, Maybe soften that seal up.

Dave Shepard · April 29, 2025, 10:21:10 AM

I'm guessing two bolts to get that housing off. Hopefully it's an o-ring seal. It does look like it's in a tough spot.

squarpeg · April 29, 2025, 10:23:46 AM

It is 3 bolts, one is half hidden between the filter and the block. Hoping I can sneak in there.

doc henderson · April 29, 2025, 10:52:01 AM

can it be moved remote from that location. not sure if there is a hose for in and out, or if it is plumbed direct through the mount. I assume there is a direct connection.

squarpeg · April 29, 2025, 11:02:24 AM

No it is bolted right to the engine block. They might make something that allows you place the filter in a remote location. If I can get it off I will probably just remember to NEVER tighten that down again!

doc henderson · April 29, 2025, 11:08:23 AM

My brother did road construction and they did that with oil and grease. He did an oil recycler that would let you change your oil in a truck stop lot. open a valve and pump and filter the oil and put it in the fuel tank to burn the 10 gallons of waste. change the filter and fill with oil. Be sure and close the valve. It was all direct connected.