the most embarrasing question ever

85snakeeyes · Post by **85snakeeyes** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:19 pm

so i just bought my first xr4ti! ive had 2.3s before but ive never had any 'problems' so the car has been sitting for quite sometime. when i went to change the oil the filter (A fram GRR!) the filter is stuck. this normally wouldn't be embarrassing but i am tech. so i was wondering if anyone knew any special tricks? i tried filter wrenches even the ol' screwdriver. to no avail.. help thanks, sam...

xmythx · Post by **xmythx** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:37 pm

my guess is a bad solder joints.. also you can get everything for your car from either
merkur depot or Merkur Parts Midwest

xr4man · Post by **xr4man** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:20 am

i'm assuming that since you've tried the screwdriver trick, that all the metal is ripped apart all the way to the flange at the base of the filter?

you may just have to get in there with some pliers or something and rip it apart piece by piece if nothing else works.

Mike McCreight · Post by **Mike McCreight** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:54 am

When all else fails, get the air chisel.

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:17 am

xmythx wrote:my guess is a bad solder joints.. also you can get everything for your car from either
merkur depot or Merkur Parts Midwest

Bad solder joints on what, the oil filter???

Are Mike and Jeff making house-calls now too???

The oil filter is reasonably accessible on our cars, so I'm surprised that you're having issues. I've got a couple difference oil filter wrenches for the tough ones - something always works.

velocityboy · Post by **velocityboy** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:19 am

Mine was a real B to get off too. Finally managed it using an old school chain style filter tool, but it didn't look much like a filter anymore. More like a beer can after a frat party.

xr4man is probably right. At this point, I suspect the key is to bend the rubber gasket ring up so it's not making contact anymore. From there, it may just spin right out. Maybe you can get a small screwdriver in around the edges and bend it back a little?

If all else fails, break out the Dremel.

Post by **John Brennan** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:28 pm

Laying underneath your "new" car doing its first oil change, and reaching up with both both hands, as is so easy to do with an XR-- and being unable to remove the filter by hand-- brings forth a rumbling curse for all the morons out there who overtighten oil filters...

I suggest throwing one into the pit for the sequel to Meet The Spartans.

Post by **86XR4Ti5SPD** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:21 am

John Brennan wrote:...and being unable to remove the filter by hand-- brings forth a rumbling curse for all the morons out there who overtighten oil filters...

I suggest throwing one into the pit for the sequel to Meet The Spartans.

Dang, ya mean you're not supposed to tighten those suckers down until you see that little rubber gasket bulging out from around the base of the filter?

Freejack · Post by **Freejack** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:26 pm

Another option: pull the right angle adapter off and remove what's left of the filter on the work bench.

Word of warning though, you may, in the process need to replace the gaskets between the block and heat exchanger and heat exchanger and the right angle adapter.

Jake

Post by **blugg** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:47 pm

an if you do need the seals....thats is where Jeff can assist......however these seals wont have solder an sadly wont come hand delivered.

as most have mentioned....something usually works.....large channel locks come to mind.......screwdriver stabbed thru the side like Ian mentioned......or take the 19mm fluted bolt off the side cooling housing and remove on a workbench with a vise.

then when you install your new oil filter find the strongest arm on the block an have them torque to 120 ft/lbs so you can do this again the next time you remove.......j/k.....hand tightening to a respectable snug fit an a little more will suffice.

if you break something important to the operation of the engine during your oil filter removal these guys will get you back up to snuff then

MerkurMidwest.com

gangaskan · Post by **gangaskan** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:46 pm

Freejack wrote:Another option: pull the right angle adapter off and remove what's left of the filter on the work bench.

Word of warning though, you may, in the process need to replace the gaskets between the block and heat exchanger and heat exchanger and the right angle adapter.

Jake

i had this happen to me, i couldnt get it off! that sucker was on

pulled the right angle off, the seal to the block was destroyed and dominated. my quick thinking made me see the old FRAM filter's ring and it fit perfectly

works great so far

bw_krupp · Post by **bw_krupp** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:46 pm

I've always got even the toughest #$!% filters off by stabbing it with a screwdriver and turning. Usually just the act of mangling it up is enough to get it started. On one of my cars (I think it was the Subaru), I got a huge pair of visegrips on it and squashed it like a tube of toothpaste and turned it off.