I have a 455 in my 69 Firebird and the last guy must have thought it would be fun to tighten the "H" out of the oil filter. In nearly 60 years of playing with cars I've never come across an oil filter I couldn't remove with a cap or a band wrench. Now, like the oil filter, I'm stuck. I've watched a number of you tube videos but I don't want to punch a screwdriver thru the filter as then I'm really stuck, no pun intended. So my choices are to just change the oil and not the filter like I did the last time I changed the oil or find a non destructive way to get this filter off. Is there any advantage to running the engine to get it hot before I try to remove the filter? Any ideas on non destructive ways to remove the filter? Thanks, Doug
Large screw driver thru the side. Works every time. Heating up the engine will not help in this case,IMO
X2. I've run across filters that this was the ONLY way I could get it off. Don't use a small screwdriver. It will slice right thru. Use the biggest screwdriver you can find. In fact, I think I once punched a hole with a big screwdriver, then drove in a bigger rod of some kind. A flat bar, driven all the way thru both sides, vertically, might work even better. Should apply more torque, before tearing the metal.
Should all this fail, I suppose you could use a dremel tool with a cut-off wheel. Lots of careful work required. But, hey, the old filter needs to come off.
I've had the same problem with lug nuts. It seems that most tire shops torque the lug nuts as tight as their air impact wrenches will torque 'em. Don't see why this has not broken more studs. I recently had to use both hands on the end of a cheater pipe, on the end of a long 1/2" drive breaker bar, to loosen the nuts on a Doge mini-van. My electric DeWalt 1/2" drive impact wrench wouldn't budge 'em. Guessing that it required more than 200 ft lbs of torque. Definitely more than required to torque my 455 balancer bolt to 160 ft lbs.
When I have wheels put on a vehicle, I make the guys just snug 'em up, then let me finish 'em with a small 4-way lug wrench. I think about 60 ft lbs is all that's required, for 7/16 studs. Definitely don't need more than 80 ft lbs.
I think tire shops over-torque, on purpose, to make absolutely certain the wheels they put on will never come off, because of loose lug nuts. I suppose it's a liability thing. I've never seen a tire shop use a torque wrench. They always use an air impact wrench, & let it hammer way longer than needed.
Another option if you can get the angle is to get a large screwdriver on an angle against the side at the top and wack it to create a groove and then use it to unscrew it, make sure you are going lefty loosy for the threads. Worst case unbolt the filter adapter from the block and get the entire assembly on a bench....they probably didn't put any oil on the gasket and it's now heat fused together.
I found a big screwdriver jammed between the filter and the band wrench gives the wrench more bite but doesn't puncture the filter. Or, maybe use the band and cap wrenches together.
Large, really large, spanner wrench...not much range of motion in that tight area, but i’ve Had success with that method. Twist a little, reposition, twist a little,... I have sometimes used this wrench vertically.
Why not use a large-ish screw driver through the filter? Just have your drip pan and kitty litter ready fo the mess. You can’t leave the old filter on indefinitely.
You’ll likely puncture the filter anyway...
Last edited by Bronze Bird; 07/04/1910:33 PM.
I'm a hobbyist. Not a professional. Don't be hatin'!
I've had to remove the adapter before the put a large pipe wrench on the top of the filter to remove. I thought the adapter was going to break in the vise but I lucked out. That was after trying the screwdriver trick, all I got was a torn up filter can.
I saw a training video where a guy was telling viewers to dip a finger in the oil that was just drained and use that to lube the gasket. Maybe the guy who put your filter on watched the same film. Dirty oil on the filter gasket can shellac up like glue.
I have a strap wrench with a chain in the end. You can really get some leverage with that bear!! Never tried it on an oil filter but i've turned all sorts of other stubborn things with it. Mine is older than I am but a new small one is about $25 at the Home Cheapo!