# Oil Filter Replacement problem



## medalian1 (Nov 30, 2004)

Drained my oil and went to take the old filter off. Hmm my filter wrench (kind that goes on my socket) doesn't fit it. Start looking around for my regular adjustable filter wrench and can't find it. This is what happens to me when that one time I'm in a rush I take it to a quick lube place instead of doing it myself.

It's 9pm and I have to work tomorrow morning. So I replaced the drain plug and filled the car up with *new* oil. The current filter has 5k miles on it (yes I know I was way overdue changing the oil). So should I go buy a adjustable filter wrench tomorrow and change the filter (and oil again) or just leave it for another 3750 miles (so 8750 miles total on the filter) until I change it again?

Any thoughts are appreciated.


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## sukebegigi (Mar 5, 2005)

If yer gonna do something, do it right!


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## AsianJKim (Dec 15, 2004)

medalian1 said:


> Drained my oil and went to take the old filter off. Hmm my filter wrench (kind that goes on my socket) doesn't fit it. Start looking around for my regular adjustable filter wrench and can't find it. This is what happens to me when that one time I'm in a rush I take it to a quick lube place instead of doing it myself.
> 
> It's 9pm and I have to work tomorrow morning. So I replaced the drain plug and filled the car up with *new* oil. The current filter has 5k miles on it (yes I know I was way overdue changing the oil). So should I go buy a adjustable filter wrench tomorrow and change the filter (and oil again) or just leave it for another 3750 miles (so 8750 miles total on the filter) until I change it again?
> 
> Any thoughts are appreciated.


I guess you could leave it, but it probably wouldnt be a good idea. Probably could go for a day or two. But you should change it ASAP!


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## Birch (Sep 8, 2004)

No big hurry, I always like to change the filter with the oil though.


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## Tavel (Aug 21, 2004)

here's how it works:

every 3 months or 3,000 miles change OIL
every 6 months or 6,000 miles change OIL FILTER

so you could ideally just wait until you next oil change, but since its so old already i dunno. i would change the filter for good measure, but you *dont* need to change your oil again. :cheers:

oh yeah, as far as a filter wrench goes. i dont use them, instead i use my rubber coated cotton gloves. i wear gloves when i do most anything car related cus im sick of getting cut up (rust=tetnis? ouch), and it just makes sense to use them for oil filters. the rubber gives adequate grip to remove the filter.


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## Birch (Sep 8, 2004)

Tavel said:


> oh yeah, as far as a filter wrench goes. i dont use them, instead i use my rubber coated cotton gloves. i wear gloves when i do most anything car related cus im sick of getting cut up (rust=tetnis? ouch), and it just makes sense to use them for oil filters. the rubber gives adequate grip to remove the filter.


Really? I can't picture myself ever getting the filter off with just gloves, but I guess I've never really tried rubber gloves before.


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## medalian1 (Nov 30, 2004)

Thanks for the replies, I'm going to change the filter today.


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

*medalian1*, changuing the filter ASAP is probably the best idea ... but these things are generally over-engineered for what we (car guys) use them for. They are designed with the average-idiot motorist in mind and can swallow a lot more gunk than we think. So, if you left it on for 2,000 miles or more then changed your oil again, that'd be OK too. 

When an end-cap wrench is a bit too loose, you can place a spread-out rag over the filter, then put the wrench on again and that will often take up enough slack to allow the larger wrench to get a good "bite." 

And yes, I can often get oil filters off with my bare hand ... as long as I was the one who put it on. 

Some mechanics, eager to prove their hairy-chested manliness, torque these things down until their knuckles bleed ... then wonder why they have a hard time getting 'em off.


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## medalian1 (Nov 30, 2004)

Changed filters, oil looked almost good as new. Thanks again guys.


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## Hydrolock (Feb 18, 2005)

Old school mechanic trick is to drive a screw driver right through the mother, then twist it off using the leverage from the screwdriver.


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

_"Old school mechanic trick is to drive a screw driver right through the mother, then twist it off using the leverage from the screwdriver."_

Yes, but you would only resort to that if you crushed the canister some trying a different type of wrench. You should never do this to a perfectly intact filter.


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## Sanguinius (Mar 3, 2005)

Hydrolock said:


> Old school mechanic trick is to drive a screw driver right through the mother, then twist it off using the leverage from the screwdriver.


Christ on the 2000+ Sentra??? You might be able to pull it off on the Spec V SE-R model (I dunno where the oil filter is located in THAT one) but in the 1.8 that I have forget it. You'll NEVER get the power to pound the screwdriver through the filter best to just get gloves and get it by hand (I always take 'em off and put 'em on w/o gloves  )


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

I never knew people screwed filters in that tightly...I always have used good old fashioned hand tightening and I have never had a problem


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## Zero Dreamer (Nov 23, 2004)

ya i had the same problem when i tried to change teh oil filter myself.......i ended up just going to the dealer to get the oil filter change with the new oil i had just put in.....ugh i spent like 30 bucks trying to buy the right oil filter wrench.....none of them worked


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## dirtdog (Jun 20, 2006)

This is what I use


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## SΞ-R (May 9, 2007)

I don't think there ever is need to put the filter on that tight at all?


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## sunnysentra (Jul 24, 2002)

*oil filter changes*

I usually ram a phillips through the filter body and rip the filter off. 

Chris 92 classic


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## caliman (May 9, 2007)

Hydrolock said:


> Old school mechanic trick is to drive a screw driver right through the mother, then twist it off using the leverage from the screwdriver.



this is what i do if i ogar tighten my filter on accident or if it stick works awsome just makes a little bit of a mess


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## runerx (Jun 8, 2007)

If you lube the gasket and don't over-tighten it, it shouldn't be that hard to get off. The Fram sure grip filter works pretty well also. I swear that the 1.8 filter is the smallest i've ever seen though.

Dave


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