I need alternate oil filter removal ideas guys...

[Blackcrow64]

So I changed the brakes on the Firebird tonight and it just went too smoothly and simple for my luck. So I go to change the oil too. I do everything and its goin nice and quick and I'm thinking to myself, sweet I get to go in early... Spoke way too fuckin soon. I go to take my oil filter off and low and behold it won't move. I tried a oil filter wrench thingy and the filter is just slightly too small for it... So I moved onto the screwdriver through the filter trick. Did it and twisted and of course with my wonderful luck, it sheered the end of the filter off... Not all the way, but most of the way that the whole thing is flimsy now... So I have officially been bent over by the Firebird... Any other ideas how to get this damn oil filter off?

BTW its a Fram... Moral of the story, never buy Fram... lol

[Bodack]

Depending on the clearance, you could try a monkey wrench around the base, tighten it a lot, then twist? I doubt you've got room for that though. Should've put the screwdriver more towards the base I guess, but that sure doesn't help now. Or...maybe a filter wrench with a cheater bar.

[Blackcrow64]

The filter wrench can't even get a grip on the filter though cause the filter was just small enough that it wouldn't fit the wrench... Oh yeah, did I mention that after my rage got a hold of the filter it was no longer round? Now whats left is kinda oval with dents and holes throughout it. lol

[ez1286]

You could try a c-clamp and tighten it as much as possible so it crushes it slightly and twist with that.

[Blackcrow64]

Originally Posted by ez1286

You could try a c-clamp and tighten it as much as possible so it crushes it slightly and twist with that.

Tried it and it easily busted through that filter and wouldn't work... Are Frams like extremely cheap ass or something? lol

I'm wondering if I peel back the rest of the filter to the oil pump housing, will I be able to put a pair of vice grips on the center threads and take it off that way? (I doubt I even have enough room to get vice grips on it...)


Geez I hate this... I wanna drive that SOB with some new brakes and crap. lol

[kjewer1]

A filter wrench that fit the filter might have been a better idea Either pick one up, or a "strap wrench" (I use an old timing belt combined with a sacrificed finger or two to achieve the same end), and put it on the stronger base of the filter before you wear down the nub to something you can't get any tool on.

[corning_d3]

Take a long chisel and hit it at the base in the direction you want to go....

[kjewer1]

Unlikely to work in this case thanks to the oring, unless you can get a mean sideways angle on it, I would think.

[scottsee]

can you take the filter housing off??

[gthompson97]

Use a pipe wrench. And from what I've heard about Fram, they're the worst filter to use.

[nova1313]

I had the same thing happened. I took an adjustable clamping wrench (2 huge handles and you can adjust the size the teeth fits around) Squeezed aroudn the base and turned.

I've also done the screw driver once and didn't have a problem. If not take off the oil filter housing. I use fram all the time the filter that have been stuck were always the ones that came on the cars when I bought them. As long as you put some oil on the oring and just hand snug it like 1/2 a turn past you will have no problem getting them off. Forget that oil though and well yeah your up a creek.

[Blackcrow64]

I never forget to put oil on the o-ring and I definetly tried all the pipe wrenchs and filter wrenches on it... I donno... Damn I hate the simple things...

[Elciper13]

another idea is get a CO2 cartride for a bb gun and sheer the top next to the bace, but make shure you hace a steel can or a realy good grip with pliers on it. the compressed air should work.. or use freon...

[Blackcrow64]

Well I finally got it off. I went and found some massive channel locks that were about 2 feet long... I wasn't messin around anymore, got it up in there and on it and gave it a twist and it slipped off the first few times until I got the top smashed in a little. Then I did it again and it twisted nice and easy. Got it all off and looked at the o-ring. That SOB was crushed on there so far that it went through the o-ring and was against the metal of the filter. I donno who the dumb SOB was that did that...

(It hadn't been changed in like two years. )

[SLoe]

Screwdriver shoved through the side works every time.