Quick Oil Change Question

[terrible one]

Hey guys, my friend asked me this question and I truthfully didn't know.

Today he went to change his oil, but the oil filter was on too tight for his cheap oil filter wrench. He said that it kept slipping off, and he tried at it for 30 minutes or so. After getting frustrated and giving up, he simply put in the new oil and went about his day. He then called and asked me if it was okay that he went through an oil cycle with the old filter. Does anyone know? Surely it can't be that big of a deal...

[mikepmcs]

he needs a strap wrench that hooks to a ratchet and the band/strap tightens around the filter. They are cheap at the auto parts store.  I'm curious to when his last change was.  In other words how old is the filter that he has recycled for this oil change. 


He will most likely get away with it but not a great idea.  What kind of filter is on there now?

I vote for changing the filter and if funds allow it, tell him to take it to a local oil place and get that thing replaced as soon as he can afford it.  What happens next time when he changes the oil, is he gonna get frustrated and let it go again?? 

A $20 oil/filter change is much cheaper than a destroyed motor.

My .02

v/r
Mike

[bull]

It's ok this time but he's going to want to get that filter off next time. I wouldn't run a filter more than twice (actually, I wouldn't do it more than once unless I couldn't get it off and had to get back on the road) but twice won't hurt anything.

I bought an '89 Dakota back in like '90 and I don't think the oil filter had ever been off of it. It was a Mopar filter (probably stock) and it wouldn't budge. After an hour of working on it with a filter wrench, water pump pliers and finally a large punch hammered all the way through it, it finally came off. But I was really starting to get worried.

[terrible one]

Thanks guys. I just got off the phone with him and told him what you said. He said that he would get a strap wrench, and that he had no problem going back under there and getting the job done with the right stuff, but that he spent $35 alone on full synthetic Mobil 1 and doesn't want to waste all of it. He said the last oil change was about 2,000 miles and 3 months ago, which was when the filter was replaced. The filter on it is a Firestone filter.

[mikepmcs]

He can save the oil by just draining it back into a known clean source and then just put a good filter in the funnel to screen out the impurities when he puts it back in the top of the motor.

Those filters can be found in a gas can, a generator if you have one, etc....  I wouldn't use screen as the holes are too big.  he could also buy a real cheapy inline fuel filter, rip it apart and use that screen to put in the funnel.

Oh and tell him to get a Napa Gold or Wix  oil filter for his car.

v/r
Mike

[terrible one]

Haha this is funny. I'm basically reading, calling him, and him replying, and me typing it for him.

But anyways, he said thanks for the advice about just recycling the oil and admits that he never would have thought like that. I guess I wouldn't have either hahaha. He says he already bought a Motorcraft (Ford) filter for his car but next time will go with Wix.

[mikepmcs]

 

[moparguy01]

ill tell you this, if I can't find a wix or a baldwin filter, for anything im driving. INCLUDING THE CHARGER. I put on a motorcraft. I've never had a problem with them, and when i cut a bunch of them apart they looked to be up there damn near as good as the wix.


ive had to use punches driven through the filter before, and screwdrivers. He is turning it the right way right? Dont laugh, I've seen that happen many many times through the years at dealerships and service stations i've worked at . "Hey Russ, this filter wont come off." quick take it off and toss it to them "turn it the right way dumbass."

[Silver R/T]

all that crud that got filtered is stuck in a filter and he wants to run fresh oil through it...not great idea

[oldkimmer]

Im my opinion 1 qt dirty iol + 4 qts clean oil =5 qts dirty oil.............Did u know GM recomended only changing the filter every 2nd oil change, but the we all know how that turned out.......they sucked a valve then chucked a rod............Kim.......

[Telvis]

I have had to knock a screwdriver through the filter to get it off. It's messy but effective.

[kab69440]

I don't generally have any trouble getting them off, but on the problem ones, I prefer a pair of Vise Grips with a chunk of bicycle chain on them. Some people seem to think an oil filter needs to be torqued down with a 1" drive ratchet. I've never put them on more than one hand snug. Tell him to make sure to spread fresh oil on the rubber seal before installation. That helps a lot!