My name is MUD. HELP.

geoffbaltz · geoffbaltz's Garage

I cannot get my oil filter off the car.

It is a Mahle and I am replacing with a Mahle.

I have never changed the oil on this car - before you haze, it's not because I don't know how, just every time before I had it in the shop for something else and always had the shop do it while it was in.

Anyway, I went to the local parts store to pick up a filter wrench with my new Mahle in hand to make sure I get the right fit. I got the kind that fits on the top of the filter and connects to a 3/8" drive socket wrench. Get back home and the SOB just spins on the filter on the car. I shouldn't need a wrench in the first place. But the dude at the shop must have cranked it on.

What next? I just about sprained both wrists trying to get it off by hand.

Does anyone have a recomendation for the RIGHT wrench?

-g

944 LT1 · 02-18-2002, 05:12 PM

I would suggest a strap wrench. The harder you twist it the tighter it gets. I have had filters so tight they almost bent in half before coming lose!

AFJuvat · 02-18-2002, 05:14 PM

Ok, go to the auto parts store, get one of those black oil filter wrenches that attach to the 3/8ths drive, like you have. However, make sure that it is a #7 (the only one that fits OEM porsche filters, like Mahle) (got mine at discount auto parts) You can see the number on the inside of the wrench.

There are a couple of others that will fit, but will just spin on the filter.

Do yourself a favor and punch a hole in the top of the filter before you remove it - it will allow the oil to drain out otherwise it makes a huge mess.

AFJuvat

geoffbaltz · geoffbaltz's Garage

you think a strap wrench will fit in the tight space?

cruzermusic · 02-18-2002, 06:08 PM

try it with the engine warm, it might loosen up, rap on it as you turn,, good luck

when all else fails think power tools

stray15 · stray15's Garage

I have something better, get wanna these:

I've changed filters on cars that were so hard to get off you couldn't even tell what it was, just a mangled piece of metal with oil all over it. The worst are taking off Fram filters, they are junk, the walls are so thin they get punctured so easily.

porsche1984944 · 02-18-2002, 06:43 PM

You could just do what I had to do on my old '68 LeMans and poke a screw driver through it and use the screwdriver to get more leverage. I dont know if there is enough room on our cars to do that though. Plus it makes an awful mess. The oil goes everywhere when you put that screw driver through

cruzermusic · 02-18-2002, 06:47 PM

tick off your girlfriend and get her to do it...

cruzermusic · 02-18-2002, 06:49 PM

wait.... that may not be a good thing...

fty · 02-18-2002, 07:51 PM

screwdriver it..had to do it to mine...took me 45min to get mine off from the PO..

MixMasterK · 02-18-2002, 10:50 PM

I got one of those filter sockets as well and was having the same problem you are. Solution: Beat the socket onto the filter as far as you possible can. Creates more of a friction fit. Had to do it a couple times before I finally got it off there. I replaced it with a new fram for the time being until I can run the engine long enough to clean it out with the new oil. I'll use one of the K&N oil filters on the next change. I have one in my '79 924. Nice thing with the K&N is that you can saftey wire them on and they have a hex cap at the end that you can use a regular socket on to install and remove the filter with.

Lawrence Coppari · 02-19-2002, 02:57 AM

Recently had that problem. My cheapo filter socked was slipping on the filter so the filter would not budge. The socket had 4 holes in its top. So I took an ice pick and poked two holes in the top of the filter through the holes in the socket, then put two center punches in the holes in the filter protruding up through the socket. That way when the socket wanted to slip, some torque would be transmitted by the center punches to the filter providing more torque on the filter. It came off.

If you choose to try this, punch the holes with a sharp object - do not drill them. You don't want any metal filings anywhere.

PrerYDoG · 02-19-2002, 04:09 AM

My prefered method is channel locks. Don't squeeze too far towards the base as you'll crimp it down on the filter threads, but up top, channel lock it, squeeze, and twist.

Worked for me every time.

ch944 · 02-19-2002, 04:49 AM

#7 oil filter socket is the balls. My local supplier had to order it & had in a day but works excellent.

ch944

todd951 · 02-19-2002, 02:22 PM

why don't more manufacturers use an oil filter setup like on the e36 BMW's? the filters are just the inside part of the filter without the metal case, and they slip into a permanent filter housing on the engine. it's much easier, much cleaner, and less wasteful since you're not throwing away a metal canister every time you change the filter. but my 325is is the only car i've ever seen that has such a system from the factory, and i just don't understand why it hasn't caught on yet. it can't be that much more expensive than the traditional screw on filter design, can it?

Lawrence Coppari · 02-19-2002, 02:30 PM

I have an old 450SL and a 400E that have it. You just replace a paper element in permanent aluminum housing. It is so neat, no muss, no fuss.