Oil filter wrench

$6.75 here (dang, I should get one) |Engine+tool&vName=3DAutomotive&sName=3DAutomotive+Specia=lty+Tools&cName=3DTools+%26+Equipment

dave

You're supposed to stab it with a screwdriver and unscrew it using a series of holes and rips in the sheet metal. And, it's not done right unless you bleed a bit.

I just changed oil on my 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 with the Cummins. Some genius engineer put the oil filter in a nearly inaccessible place. I took my regular oil filter wrench, cut the handle off it, and welded two old sockets on the stub so I could slip it up in there and get the thing off and back on. Barely enough room at that.

Is a wrench made that sockets up from the center, and upon turning, constricts? I have one that is 16 sided or something like that, but not all filters are hex shaped. And the ones that are don't always spin off with that flimsy little plastic goober.

Anyone know of a good filter wrench configured like that?

Steve

I have one like that. No name on it and I bought it some 20 odd years ago. It would be easy enough to make one if you can't find one to buy. I can post pics if you want. Art

Lisle LIS63250

I found this after using good old google. The one posted by others looked good, too. The three fingered one with the chrome nut on it ..........

How would that work once it was tightened down? Is there a slot there for a shaft in the middle of the nut? One direction or the other, it would loosen if twisted in that direction.

I gotta do something, because this filter is in a bad bad place. Those engineers need to use this stuff before they turn it loose on the public.

Steve

I have seen one with a filter diameter spiral/spring; as you unscrew, the spring tightens.

I have a Hazet 3 finger one that works GREAT. They are very high quality. They are pricey but they do show up on Ebay every once in a while. I bought mine over 25 years ago. I bought one for my son for $25.00 on Ebay a couple of years ago. The nut in the center comes out so you can also use a 3/8 drive ratchet.

I got one just like you're describing at Sears, years ago. Also ought to be able to get one at NAPA.

That is a truly minimized design- gear and finger from the same piece of round stock.

Dave

(compared to a shiny polished Snap-On), but they are GREAT. A bit harder to wipe clean (they usually have a "sandblasted" finish) but easier to hang on to.

Just about all the tools we had at the school in Zambia were either Hazet or Gedore.

The steel ones work better and can be fine-tuned to a snug fit with a hammer. I carried a new filter in the car as a sample until I found the matching wrench.

jsw

Looks like this one got the most votes. Will try to get one locally.

Steve

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:32:10 -0500, the infamous Don Foreman scrawled the following:

Good product. Whenever I had a problem filter and had room, I used these:

-- If we attend continually and promptly to the little that we can do, we shall ere long be surprised to find how little remains that we cannot do. -- Samuel Butler

I have one similar to this, that works very well on small filters.

I spin it on finger-tight, then grab it with my whole hand and give it 1/4 turn more. Never had one leak, and never had any trouble removing one either.

You would think that some folks never read the direction printed on the box!!!

99% of them either have it printed on the box or on the filter itself. Most say. Clean the filter base on the engine. Apply a thin layer of oil to the gasket. Tighten filter until the gasket seats. Tighten additional 3/4 turn.

Note that no wrench is involved.

One thing that Fram does on their filters that I wish all the others would do it the textured coating the put on the filters. It does give you a better grip taking them off. About the only time I need a wrench is when someone tightened the filter down with a wrench OR I can't get my hand onto the filter in a way that I can grip it tight.

Nope. Try again. I just checked the instructions on a Fram box. "Tighten 3/4 turn after gasket contacts base".

"Gasket contacts base" and "gasket seats" aren't the same thing.

"Gasket contacts base" + 3/4 turn, and finger-tight + 1/4 turn are, as near as I can tell, about the same.

Makes it a lot easier to put one *on* with oily fingers, too.

If you *don't* need a wrench to take it off, you probably didn't put it on tight enough by hand.