Oil filter wrench

[desmobob]

100% this guy right here. Mine is nearly 20 years old and has never once met an oil filter it couldn't remove.

The screwdriver-through-the-filter "method" needs to be erased from the internet. The housing is thin aluminum; if it's thin enough to drive a screwdriver through, it's too thin to apply horizontal force to.

+1

My very first car had a stuck oil filter. The "screwdriver-through-it" method just made a huge mess. We ended up putting a forked bit in an impact hammer and unscrewing it.

The filter linked above works beautifully. I've had one for many years. Although, a strap wrench is a great back-up with other uses.

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[Don806]

Have used the strap wrench on all kinds of larger than regular jobs. Pipes, covers, tie rod ends, struts. It sits in the top tray of my tool box!

I have the "poor man's" strap wrench.............and old leather belt, which has never failed me.

 

[Mc_Flier]

Note to self: Ford shop does the first oil change.

 

[Chris_G]

Note to self: Ford shop does the first oil change.

That takes all of the fun out of it

 

[paneubert]

Second vote for the "three finger" variety. Will expand and contract to whatever size it needs to be via the gears built into the product. Also will "dig in" a tiny bit to the filter if needed for extra grip (only good when removing, not a wanted feature when installing new filter, hahaha).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UD0CTQ/

 

[Lynyrd Skynyrd]

Note to self: Ford shop does the first oil change.

Becareful with that. Auto industry is no different than any other. everyone is hurtling badly for help from minimum wage to upper management. Ford and all others don't use mechanics any more for oil changes and you're lucky if you leave there without damage. Me? Ford put 11 quarts in my F150, and did body damage. Others I know, engine, body damage, Broken or stripped bolts, to little oil and seized engines and more.... For me? Mine will never see a dealer again unless my back is to the wall, I would rather pay out of pocket to a trusted mechanic if it's something I can't do (even warranty work). hell, discount tire just bought me new rims from having under skilled labor that can't even bolt up a rim without fudging it up
Just sayin

 

[bbhaag]

I used a long screwdriver, to go through the filter (with a hammer), then I tried to twist the filter.

 

[MaverickTopGun]

I got a big-ass pair of channelocks, worked just fine

I've used CHANNELLOCK® Straight Jaw Tongue & Groove Pliers, model 460, several times in the past (not on my Maverick) when my fluted fitting didn't work.
A person really needs a couple of sizes of Channellock in their toolchest.

That said,
I might just get that nylon strap thing somebody mentioned above. It's cheap enough and works.
https://www.amazon.com/Tools-3149-Nylon-Strap-Wrnch/dp/B0002SR4MM/

 

[Jahman]

My first oil change on Star and as others have said the filter was on very tight. I had already drained my oil and was struggling to remove it. I remember that I had a busted inner tube from a bicycle and wrapped it around the itsy bitsy factory filter and got just enough torque to loosen it.

 

[hopsnbarley91]

I have the "poor man's" strap wrench.............and old leather belt, which has never failed me.

I've used an old serpentine belt that I left in the trunk of my Civic because I was too lazy to toss it.

 

[MaverRick]

My Oil Filter was just on hand tight! Being the first oil change I was expecting it to be on super tight so I was prepared with 3 different types of filter wrenches. I have the strap one, end cap version and the grip type which I like to call “ Jaws” Which would have been my last resort! Lol

 

[JBryant]

*

Have used the strap wrench on all kinds of larger than regular jobs. Pipes, covers, tie rod ends, struts. It sits in the top tray of my tool box!

Everyone has a better one. Mine never fails. It is called Allen’s Texaco and Oil Change. Never had to buy a tool yet LOL. Have fun guys, but when you get old like me, let someone else do it. I keep going back to advise an old Cajun plumber gave me years ago when he had to come fix a mess I made trying to do plumbing. When I asked him how much after he finished, he said, “would have been $50 if you called me first, but now you messed it up, it is $100.” Just wait, kids, your day will come one day.

 

[OrCoaster]

I did the oil change today (the first oil change on my Maverick 2.0T). Boy, the factory-installed oil filter was a B*TCH to remove. Obviously, the oil filter gasket wasn't lubricated with oil. The dry rubber gasket was "sticking" to the oil filter housing. I used a long screwdriver, to go through the filter (with a hammer), then I tried to twist the filter. It was a mess - oil everywhere. The oil filter body was destroyed too. The filter element fell to the ground. The threaded part of the oil filter was still attached to the housing. I called my friend to come over to help me. He used a long nose plier to unscrew it. He successfully did it.

I applied some oil to the new oil filter gasket, it will be much easier for me to remove it in the next oil change. Which oil filter wrench did you use for your Maverick? I noticed that there's not much room for us with a tool to remove the filter.

Thanks for the heads up on the crazy tight filter. My truck turned over its first 1000 miles so I picked up oil and a filter yesterday and got on it this morning.
No problem with getting the plastic pan down or the oil out of the engine. But then, I moved to the removal of the filter. Whoa, what monkey/gorilla put that on? I went for the cap wrench but it was too small. I don't have a strap wrench but I did have a 3-inch hose clamp.

So I put that on to where I could then clamp a pair of vise grips on the adjustment nut. By using a large screwdriver and prying against the pliers and the oil pan I was able to move the filter a very small amount. So I kept resetting the clamp until I could get it off by hand. I bet those guys in the quick lube places do the paper, scissors, rock thing when they see a Maverick enter the bay. I sure hope that they don't think that is the necessary spec for retightening it. I guess it is caused by putting a dry, non-oiled filter on the dry flange and then oil in the engine.

I won't have to deal with that again thank goodness.

 

[H.Gage]

I did the oil change today (the first oil change on my Maverick 2.0T). Boy, the factory-installed oil filter was a B*TCH to remove. Obviously, the oil filter gasket wasn't lubricated with oil. The dry rubber gasket was "sticking" to the oil filter housing. I used a long screwdriver, to go through the filter (with a hammer), then I tried to twist the filter. It was a mess - oil everywhere. The oil filter body was destroyed too. The filter element fell to the ground. The threaded part of the oil filter was still attached to the housing. I called my friend to come over to help me. He used a long nose plier to unscrew it. He successfully did it.

I applied some oil to the new oil filter gasket, it will be much easier for me to remove it in the next oil change. Which oil filter wrench did you use for your Maverick? I noticed that there's not much room for us with a tool to remove the filter.

Big Channel lock plyers.

 

[OrCoaster]

Big Channel lock plyers.

By big you mean like 3-4 inch opening ones. Not sure you can get them up there and have room to swing them around, maybe on a bit of an angle downwards.

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