Always hand tighten filters, if you have a leak, there's a problem.
Either the filters damaged, the old gasket from the old filter is stuck on the engine block (common problem) or there's something else between the filter and the block.

An oil filter strap wrench might help, something even better is rubber strap wrenches, I use them often and they're cheap



The quickest way of doing it is to take a screw driver with a sharp end or better yet, a pick, place it in the middle of the filter and hit it with a hammer, it should go straight through the filter and allow you to use it as a wrench.

For future reference.

As soon as you take the old oil filter off, check to see if the gasket is still in place.

Always rub oil over the new oil filter gasket, also fill the filter up 1/4 of the way with oil.

Always hand tighten, snug but not tight.

 

i dont know how the sandwhich plate mounts to the block, but can you just take it off with the filter still on?? That way you can put the plate in a vise and have more room to work with

 

at sears they have universal oil filter removers. It's like a claw that adjusts around the filter, works like a champ if the filter is damaged or not. Cost like $13.

 

That's the exact tool that I was using and it crushed the grooves of the filter. But the pliers I had were barely small enough to clamp the outside of the filter. After the grooves went, the pliers would just keep sliding off as I turned it.

Btw, it's leaking where the filter base meets the sandwich adaptor. So, I don't think the rubber gasket is sealing for some reason. I'm going to try and buy every tool I can think of after I get off work: Vice grips, pipe wrench, strap wrench, etc.

Before I do actually get the filter off, should I drain my new oil first and reuse it after I put a new filter on? Or should I just put new oil in there after? Only thing I'm worried about is that the new drained oil will mix with some of the old oil (not much) still left in the oil catching tank.

 

Its fine, your oil pan also has that same old oil, I would buy some cheese cloth (food stores) lay it over a container and filter the oil just in case there's any pieces of metal or dirt in your oil drain container. Just to be safe.

As far as the filter goes, again I bet you have 2 gaskets, thats why it's leaking.

Again, rubber strap wrench FTW! not for every oil change, but for what you have with the messed up filter.

I use


Any auto parts store should have a multipack that has most standard sizes for around 10-15 bucks.
You can even use a torque wrench and install oil filters knowing you have the perfect torque.
Never again will you have issues with it stripping out.

P.S I for one would never use that adjustable filter wrench, anytime you use "adjustable" anything, you're asking for trouble. Just look at what happened to you, perfect example. If anything use

It's somewhat adjustable, but it doesn't need to grab anything, as long as the filters round you're good to go, it can't strip it since there's nothing to strip. I'd put that 2nd on my list however they're limited on size and you need 2-3 different ones if you do more then just your own car. I have 3. thankfully I have enough filter wrench ends (black caps) that I almost never need to use them... almost.

for the record I have 3 autos, and do oil changes on a few friends cars as with my gfs. I do oil changes pretty often. =)

 

i seriously hope your turning it the correct way, towards the rear of the car right?

 

Screwdriver. No need to buy anything. The filter is shot already so why try to do it the pretty way.

 

So, just hammer it in the middle until it goes through one of the holes in the center and turn? What happens if that doesn't work and I just shear the filter in half?


Yes, I know how to turn a bolt. Right tight, left loose. I did manage to take the old filter off, lol.

 

i like to use a sawed off shotgun when that happens...



little messy but it works.

 

Dude, you are way overthinking this. Have you ever seen a cross section of an oil filter? They are extremely thin walled - think soda can, they are a bit thicker then that. A screwdriver (I would recommend a flat head) will punch easily thru both sides, enabling you to use the exposed handle as a wrench. I promise you it will work, now get out in the garage and fix your car.

BTW, I have never had good luck with rubber strap wrenches on our car. There is just not a lot of room there to get good leverage with them. Also, a rubber strap will slip if the filter is already oily (as I would assume it is from your leak)

 

sounds like you may have cross-threaded it ... if so, that could be costly to fix ...

 

^Shouldn't be that bad. A whole new sandwhich is like $40. The threaded 'bolt' should be less if you can find it.

 

Rubber strap wouldn't be good for normal oil changes, however, if his car was here and the filter was in the shape it's in, that would be the first thing I'd reach for.

Rubber slips easily, however, if you wear gloves while doing oil changes, you'd know that if you wipe the filter off with a paper towel, the latex gloves grip REALLY well, almost like a rubber pad on top of a food type jar. believe it or not, it really grabs well.

oil will make it slip, but paper towels fix that easily.

 

Success. Just used the screwdriver and hammer method and it works, but its really messy.

I could see how the oil filter could indeed shear in half if the filter was on tight enough and you put too many holes in it.

Seems like the culprit was a bad rubber seal. I took it out and it looked a little deformed, not in a perfect circular shape. Used a cheapo fram filter, but it worked and I am happy.

Damn, this was demoralizing.

 

Bout time. Damn.

 

I was gonna say lift weights until you get strong enough to take it off by hand.

 

Fram FTL!

 

 

lol, OEM Nissan Oil Filter Seal FTMFL.

 

OEM Nissan filters have a round o ring style gasket, not a flat gasket that tends to come off every other oil change.

all 3 of my autos use o ring style gaskets and I've never had a single issue with any of them.

I'll say it again, there was more to it then just the filter not sealing right. again either you double stacked gaskets or the filter was damaged to start with. I have a hard time believing there was an issue getting an o-ring to mate up with a flat surface.