This is why I change my own oil...

[Iloverootbeer]

Last Thursday I decided it was time to change the oil in my Yukon. This would be the first oil change since I bought it 3 months ago. So I drain the oil from the oil pan and replace the drain plug. Easy enough. Next I locate the oil filter, grab my oil filter pliers and attempt to remove it. Nothing. So I keep wrenching on it and this thing won't budge. I decide to grab my strap wrench and give that a shot. Won't move it a millimeter. Now I'm a pretty strong guy, 6'2" and 200lbs, and I'm wrenching on this thing with all of my strength and it will not move. I grab a screwdriver, drive it through both sides of the filter body and use the screwdriver as a breaker bar hoping to turn it. Nope. But it tears the hell out of the oil filter body to the point of falling off in a mangled mess. Now I've been wrestling with this damn thing for 4 hours, invented curse words that would peel paint off the wall, and I haven't moved this filter one millimeter. All that remains is the threaded piece that screws onto the oil adapter assembly and the filter cap with the holes on it. I grab a cold chisel, insert a corner of it into one of the holes and give it a heavy blow with the mini sledge. It doesn't move at all, so I keep beating the hell out of this thing to no avail. It's been 5 hours trying to take this filter off and I'm over it so I give up. I get online and do some research to hopefully find some answers, but I've tried everything that comes up. Then I find this tool:

The black bolts you see in the picture fit into the holes of the filter cap. Then you put a ratchet on it and break the threaded piece free (hopefully.)

The pictures above are after I used this tool to break the filter free. It was on so tight there was absolutely no way it would have come off with anything else. You can see how mangled the filter was when I finally got it off. This is why I change my own oil. When replacing the filter, the rubber gasket should be rubbed with a film of the new oil before installing. This keeps the gasket from essentially becoming super glue and gluing the filter onto the oil pan. Secondly, the oil filter should only be hand tight. After the gasket makes contact with the bottom of the pan, 3/4 turn additionally is all that is needed. Engine suction will not allow the filter to come off if it is snug. Do not use a strap wrench to tighten the hell out of it! I know it was one of the quick oil change places that did this because the previous owner always went to the same place to have the oil changed. So what was supposed to be a 10 minute oil change cost me 5 days due to the holiday weekend and shipping, as well as $60 for the tool and shipping. The tool worked very well and definitely saved me a tow to a garage and a big bill to get the filter off. Here are the tool details:

I am in no way affiliated with this company, but the tool saved my *** so I thought I'd share. Guys, if you have the ability, change your own oil and do it right! It will save you a lot of grief!

 

[shavefan]

Been there, it's a complete PITA! Glad you got it resolved

 

[Iloverootbeer]

Thanks! I’m glad too

 

[Lightcs1776]

More often than not, the right tool can save the day. I used my easy-out yesterday on a messed up screw. I never would have gotten it out without the simple, but effective, gadget.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Iloverootbeer]

More often than not, the right tool can save the day. I used my easy-out yesterday on a messed up screw. I never would have gotten it out without the simple, but effective, gadget.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Yep, sometimes a specialized tool is the only way to go. That’s one of the advantages of knowing how to weld and do metalwork. You can make specialized tools on the spot.

 

[Jim99]

Last Thursday I decided it was time to change the oil in my Yukon. This would be the first oil change since I bought it 3 months ago. So I drain the oil from the oil pan and replace the drain plug. Easy enough. Next I locate the oil filter, grab my oil filter pliers and attempt to remove it. Nothing. So I keep wrenching on it and this thing won't budge. I decide to grab my strap wrench and give that a shot. Won't move it a millimeter. Now I'm a pretty strong guy, 6'2" and 200lbs, and I'm wrenching on this thing with all of my strength and it will not move. I grab a screwdriver, drive it through both sides of the filter body and use the screwdriver as a breaker bar hoping to turn it. Nope. But it tears the hell out of the oil filter body to the point of falling off in a mangled mess. Now I've been wrestling with this damn thing for 4 hours, invented curse words that would peel paint off the wall, and I haven't moved this filter one millimeter. All that remains is the threaded piece that screws onto the oil adapter assembly and the filter cap with the holes on it. I grab a cold chisel, insert a corner of it into one of the holes and give it a heavy blow with the mini sledge. It doesn't move at all, so I keep beating the hell out of this thing to no avail. It's been 5 hours trying to take this filter off and I'm over it so I give up. I get online and do some research to hopefully find some answers, but I've tried everything that comes up. Then I find this tool:
View attachment 998047
The black bolts you see in the picture fit into the holes of the filter cap. Then you put a ratchet on it and break the threaded piece free (hopefully.)
View attachment 998048
View attachment 998049 View attachment 998051
View attachment 998052
The pictures above are after I used this tool to break the filter free. It was on so tight there was absolutely no way it would have come off with anything else. You can see how mangled the filter was when I finally got it off. This is why I change my own oil. When replacing the filter, the rubber gasket should be rubbed with a film of the new oil before installing. This keeps the gasket from essentially becoming super glue and gluing the filter onto the oil pan. Secondly, the oil filter should only be hand tight. After the gasket makes contact with the bottom of the pan, 3/4 turn additionally is all that is needed. Engine suction will not allow the filter to come off if it is snug. Do not use a strap wrench to tighten the hell out of it! I know it was one of the quick oil change places that did this because the previous owner always went to the same place to have the oil changed. So what was supposed to be a 10 minute oil change cost me 5 days due to the holiday weekend and shipping, as well as $60 for the tool and shipping. The tool worked very well and definitely saved me a tow to a garage and a big bill to get the filter off. Here are the tool details:
View attachment 998056
I am in no way affiliated with this company, but the tool saved my *** so I thought I'd share. Guys, if you have the ability, change your own oil and do it right! It will save you a lot of grief!

I’m thankful I’ve changed my own oil since I was 16.

 

[tube_guy]

I'm surprised the chisel and mallet didn't work out. I've had to do that before and it sucks.

Be happy your drain plug isn't stripped out. That's another common problem with the quick lube places. The technicians usually earn flat rate, something like 10 minutes, per oil change. That includes putting the car on the lift, and taking it off again. They're usually looking to save as much time as they can so, after draining, it's pretty common for them to start and run down the drain plug all at the same time using an impact wrench. No hand start of the plug because that would take a few extra seconds. The drain plug commonly gets cross threaded, and then the next person to change the oil can figure it all out.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

I’m thankful I’ve changed my own oil since I was 16.

It’s the only way to go imo.

 

[cleanshaved]

That looks a handy little tool.

I do my own oil changes for a few reasons.
One, I don't have to take the car to anyone during business hours. That is such a PITA.
Second it's cheaper to DYI and I'm cheap…...er…….. budget conscious.
Third, I don't trust them to use the correct oil, drain it fully, top it up correctly, not over tighten things etc.

The only downside for me is disposing of the used oil but that's no biggie really.

Thanks for the reminder, my wife's car is due for a oil change.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

I'm surprised the chisel and mallet didn't work out. I've had to do that before and it sucks.

Be happy your drain plug isn't stripped out. That's another common problem with the quick lube places. The technicians usually earn flat rate, something like 10 minutes, per oil change. That includes putting the car on the lift, and taking it off again. They're usually looking to save as much time as they can so, after draining, it's pretty common for them to start and run down the drain plug all at the same time using an impact wrench. No hand start of the plug because that would take a few extra seconds. The drain plug commonly gets cross threaded, and then the next person to change the oil can figure it all out.

Yep, I’ve had to use a breaker bar on a drain plug before. It was a miracle that it wasn’t cross threaded and the threads weren’t stretched too bad. My sister in law went to one of those quick lube places and they changed the oil but forgot to tighten the drain plug. She had been on the interstate for about 15 miles when the oil light came on. She pulled over and not knowing anything about cars, called a tow truck. Tow truck driver got there, got under the car and said the drain plug was completely missing, and that he had seen oil in the road for a mile back. If she had pulled over only a minute later, the engine would have been toast.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

That looks a handy little tool.

I do my own oil changes for a few reasons.
One, I don't have to take the car to anyone during business hours. That is such a PITA.
Second it's cheaper to DYI and I'm cheap…...er…….. budget conscious.
Third, I don't trust them to use the correct oil, drain it fully, top it up correctly, not over tighten things etc.

The only downside for me is disposing of the used oil but that's no biggie really.

Thanks for the reminder, my wife's car is due for a oil change.

I agree. It’s amazing how lazy and incompetent some of those people can be. And as you said, unless you actually sit there and watch them, often times they won’t even change the filter at all, especially if it’s hard to get off. Luckily for me I have an Autozone a block away from my house, so I just recycle my oil there.

 

[razorboi]

What horror stories!
I've heard that some shops siphon the oil instead of draining it. That method allows for sludge to build up in the sump. I always change my own oil anyway. It's so simple and I know it's done right.

 

[EL Alamein]

I’m thankful I’ve changed my own oil since I was 16.

+1

 

[FarmerTan]

I agree. It’s amazing how lazy and incompetent some of those people can be. And as you said, unless you actually sit there and watch them, often times they won’t even change the filter at all, especially if it’s hard to get off. Luckily for me I have an Autozone a block away from my house, so I just recycle my oil there.

I was thinking as I read of the OP's trouble with that filter: would a speedy lube even change that filter? My dad would beat me for doing that.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

What horror stories!
I've heard that some shops siphon the oil instead of draining it. That method allows for sludge to build up in the sump. I always change my own oil anyway. It's so simple and I know it's done right.

Yep, some shops do that. Bad idea if they want the engines to last.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

+1

 

[Iloverootbeer]

I was thinking as I read of the OP's trouble with that filter: would a speedy lube even change that filter? My dad would beat me for doing that.

I can tell you without a doubt that that oil filter has been on there for at least the past 3 oil changes. The condition of the filter housing as well as the condition of the media inside of the filter lead me to that conclusion. Which means that the previous owner was lied to about changing the filter along with the oil. It was probably on so tight that they couldn’t get it off, so they just said to hell with it. Hopefully it hasn’t caused any unnecessary engine wear.

 

[FarmerTan]

I can tell you without a doubt that that oil filter has been on there for at least the past 3 oil changes. The condition of the filter housing as well as the condition of the media inside of the filter lead me to that conclusion. Which means that the previous owner was lied to about changing the filter along with the oil. It was probably on so tight that they couldn’t get it off, so they just said to hell with it. Hopefully it hasn’t caused any unnecessary engine wear.

Highly doubtful. Maybe run some Seafoam through it just before the next oil change? My dad would put some fuel oil through them back in the day. I only did it a few times, seemed to clean them up pretty good.

 

[Rhody]

Good Lord. Let me represent the clear minority view here. I don't and wont change my own oil. The last time i did was about 1990.
Even reading about the ordeal here was too much of a time commitment. even if i had to pay for oil changes which i dont because they are included in the car maintenance its just not worth my time.
plus i don'want to ruin my manicure. (Kidding)

 

[FarmerTan]

Good Lord. Let me represent the clear minority view here. I don't and wont change my own oil. The last time i did was about 1990.
Even reading about the ordeal here was too much of a time commitment. even if i had to pay for oil changes which i dont because they are included in the car maintenance its just not worth my time.
plus i don'want to ruin my manicure. (Kidding)

Lol'd!