Oil Filters, how tight do you do them and you.

[Andrew357]

Bit of a rage/question thread regarding the simple, age old question: If you do your own oil changes, how tight do you do up your oil filter?

I did an oil change yesterday on a friend's car and the filter was on so tight that I strained my right shoulder and bent the absolute Shiite out of the filter getting it off. I've done tight ones in the past (ie - mine before I do my own changes and my dads) but this one was ridiculous.

I have always tightened by hand with reasonable force, but still tight enough that you can undo the filter by hand. Am I doing it wrong?

[lateralus]

i do mine as tight as i can by hand, and then another 1/4 of a turn with a strap type oil filter wrench.

with the oil film you put on the gasket combined with the prolonged heat its exposed too, you dont need to do it up very tight at all. i'm just paranoid of stripping the thread on the spout thingy.

[DJKOR]

My old man always used to tell me that you don't need to do it up with a Tarzan's grip like lots of mechanics out there. Usually another 1/2 turn after the gasket makes contact does the trick. Most filters specify an amount and have this written on the filter itself. Usually it will be never be more than 2/3 of a turn after gasket contact, but I like to have 1/2 turn as the maximum.

[Andrew357]

I can't believe I strained my shoulder. Thank god my brother is a physio.

You guessed it I get all my physio....

10% of all my sessions with him <_<

[Guni]

Turn and a half mayb?

And yes, some mechs are anal about over tightening stuffs ..... I should know since my wheels nuts and my strut top nuts are casualties of mechs. Stripped right off <_<

Collateral as some might put it....

:lol: :lol:

[Guni]

Turn and a half mayb?

And yes, some mechs are anal about over tightening stuffs ..... I should know since my wheels nuts and my strut top nuts are casualties of mechs. Stripped right off <_<

Collateral damage as some might put it....

:lol: :lol:

[Blind Kid Seeks]

i always (ALWAYS!!!!!) make sure there is a film of oil on the filter rubber before it is installed. Spin on till there is contact, and then tighten by hand only.

if you ever see where the filter is on a 4AGE, count your sweet lucky stars you own a 2zz/1zz/2zr!!!

[trentmeyer23]

Yup tighten by hand with a film of oil on the o-ring then tighten 1/4 of a turn further is plenty enough, if it does leak at any stage slightly nip it up, but ive never had one leak.

[Guest]

I always go as tight as I can by hand and thats it.

Always make sure you put a bead of oil on the rubber seal !

[Hiro]

Same as the two above - thin film of fresh oil on the seal, spin up by hand until it starts to bite, then half a turn or so with the Toyota SST to compress the seal. The SST makes it a piece of ***** to get back off too, well worth the $20 or so it cost me to get it.

[dyslexik]

I do 1/3 of a turn by hand after it makes contact. The oil filter on a Civic (EK) is a B***h to get to and always have to use a special claw to remove it come change oil time.

[Ascendant Rice]

what happens if u dont oil the seal?

[Hiro]

what happens if u dont oil the seal?

Makes it more likely to leak.

[trentmeyer23]

and the friction can tear or stretch the o-ring

[Rolla Boy]

All genuine Toyota filters come with lubricated seals already... Just take off the plastic and spin it on...

Most of the cars I service I always use my remover tool... Better being tight than loose :)

[Andrew357]

... Better being tight than loose :)

but tight to the point where you bend the fark out of the filter to remove it is simply not cool.

My shoulder still hurts.

[Rolla Boy]

Haha, with the right tool things get a lot easier...

[STYLSH]

Just had an epic 10 round fight with my oil filter. After a hour of swearing at it, getting a million little cuts and bruises, I finally managed to undo the bloody thing. But it isn't round anymore lol. Furthermore the easy wrench off nut feature with the oil filter is epic fail. The nut got rounded even with great care on the first go at taking it off.

2 hour oil change ftl... At least now the car has motul synthetic in it now.

Edited July 4, 2010 by STYLSH

[Andrew357]

So it would be safe to say you can't wait for those K&N ones?

The real question is, how tight did you do up this one?

[Keisari]

Oiling the seal also makes it easier to get the filter off next time. I didn't put any on the last filter I changed and the only way I got it off again was to drive the biggest screwdriver I had through the side of it and twist it off. I didn't put it on particularly hard last time, but I guess it must've seized somehow.

[STYLSH]

I did it hand tight. Just when the seal was touching + half a turn.