Better Oil Filter Wrench?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

In many areas, the oil change places and auto parts stores will take it. Most town dumps have a hazardous waste dropoff.

My towns garbage collectors will take it curbside in a special container that they'll drop off at your house, complete with a funnel. Oil filters go in a plastic bag on top.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

My local oil change place gladly takes used oil. With the run up of crude prices, I'd guess used oil is similarly worth more to a recycler.

Good to know, and pretty easy, since I've got such a place a mile away. What kind of container do you catch and transport the oil in?

 

[REWahoo]

Good to know, and pretty easy, since I've got such a place a mile away. What kind of container do you catch and transport the oil in?

You can get a plastic oil drain 'pan' at Waly World. After pouring in your new oil, use a funnel to pour the dirty oil back into the empty oil container.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I have a humongous oil catcher with a plug in the middle, so you can seal it up. It holds about 15 quarts, so you can take a while before you have to take it in.

 

[jazz4cash]

All this talk about oil filter wrenches has me thinking about changing my own oil instead of bringing my cars in. The biggest impediment to changing my own oil is disposal of the used oil. Where/how do you dispose of your used oil?

As others have indicated, oil change shops usually offer disposal and parts stores that sell oil are required to dispose of waste oil for free even if they do not offer oil change service here in MD. This is just a practical way to discourage improper disposal and I suspect now days the value of used oil is above the disposal cost as travelover mentioned.

 

[travelover]

Good to know, and pretty easy, since I've got such a place a mile away. What kind of container do you catch and transport the oil in?

I use a 1 gallon plastic milk jug to transport it. I catch it in a pan made for the purpose that has a spout on the side to make it easy to pour into the jug.

Somehow I always seem to slop it all over the garage floor when I first remove the plug though. Kitty litter picks it right up.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Ah. A topic near and dear to my heart.

I have used a strap wrench that I shortened the handle on to fit in tight places. Cap wrenches are the best! Screw driver is a gutsy call. If it is not successful, you are out of options.

Hand tight is supposed to be good. Once I saw my oil filter in my rear view mirror, bouncing down the street. It could have been operator error but ever since I give it a little snug with the wrench.

 

[SecondCor521]

I use a 1 gallon plastic milk jug to transport it. I catch it in a pan made for the purpose that has a spout on the side to make it easy to pour into the jug.

This is what I do as well. I put a funnel in the top of the milk jug to prevent spillage.

Somehow I always seem to slop it all over the garage floor when I first remove the plug though. Kitty litter picks it right up.

I used to have trouble with this as well. Two tricks help here:

1. In my case, my oil drain plug is seated sort of on a diagonal such that the oil streams out pointing towards the rear of the car. I position the pan I'm using to catch the old oil so that the majority of the catching area is to the rear of the drain plug. As the oil drains, the pressure decreases and the oil begins to drain vertically. I watch as this happens and slide the drain pan forwards to keep the "drain stream" centered on the pan.

2. When I remove the drain plug, I use a socket wrench to get it finger loose first. Then I use my fingers to unscrew it. This way you can tell by feel that the plug is almost out. When it feels almost out, I put counterpressure on the plug -- pushing it inward -- so that the oil doesn't start dripping out.

Another trick you can use as well is to wear a latex medical glove or gloves, which still allow you to have "feel" but keep the oil off your hands. If you use these, then when removing the drain plug you can pretty much not worry about getting oil on your hands or you can let the plug drop into the drain pan and fish it out later.

2Cor521

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Just take the gloves off before you come into the house. Wives tend to get a little concerned when they see their husbands coming towards them with oil soaked latex gloves.

 

[Eagle43]

Ah. A topic near and dear to my heart.

I have used a strap wrench that I shortened the handle on to fit in tight places. Cap wrenches are the best! Screw driver is a gutsy call. If it is not successful, you are out of options.

Well, at the risk of being laughed at, I once used a stilson wrench. It worked like a charm.

 

[TromboneAl]

I've got something similar this that works like a charm:

It's very neat and tidy. I have sawdust handy in case of errors, but I've already made most of the mistakes, so it's usually a drip-free operation.

Warm oil on you hands is the best part.

My neck muscles are finally recovering from the time spent on one shoulder working on that filter.

 

[Nords]

I've got something similar this that works like a charm:

Along with a SureDrain. I only get oil on my hands when taking off the filter.

Oahu oil goes into a bag of shredded paper to be burned at the HPower plant.

 

[UncleHoney]

I changed oil and filters on two vehicles yesterday. The filter on my truck hangs straight down and there is always a cup of oil above the filter that won't drain. I just poke a hole in the filter with a center punch and let it drain before unscrewing it.

Both filters came off easily, one with a strap wrench and the other with a cap wrench.

I have a friend that heats his shop with waste oil, so I bottle it up and make a donation once or twice a year. I worked with him for about twenty years and when he retired he took up gunsmithing so it's always fun to visit and kick tires. It's amazing what people will spend on fancy shootin irons. His specialty is custom stocks for shotguns. He usually has about a year's backlog of work.

 

[TromboneAl]

I just poke a hole in the filter with a center punch and let it drain before unscrewing it.

That's a great idea. For my truck, the filter is above a pan, and it was a mess the first time I changed it. Now, I loosen the filter, then put a ziplock bag around it before removing it. Your way may be better.

 

[Nords]

... then put a ziplock bag around it before removing it.

I like that idea!

 

[bow-tie]

I second the Wix filter recommendation..

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I just dribble oil all over the place, drop the filter a few times so it spatters all over, spill some of the new oil, finish up and wipe it up with a paper towel.

You guys are so anal retentive!

 

[Marquette]

I pay $14 and let someone else do it... granted, I feel less manly than you all, but still somehow smug in my decision.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Another tip: feel the new filter with your hand for a few minutes
after startup; it oughta get noticeably warm within a minute or so.
If not, something serious is wrong. Unlikely, but you wanna catch
it if so.

For those with enough access, just use a big pair of channel-lock
pliers, as suggested elsewhere in this thread. They have many other
uses as well. Otherwise, end-cap wrench. Also, if your filter mounts
in the upright position (with the open end UP), after you've loosened it,
unscrew it with a plastic cup in your hand - the plastic cup will collect
the drippings.

If you must get someone else to change your oil, go to a real garage,
not a place like JiffyLube. They are (mostly) staffed by uncommonly
stupid teenagers. Changing oil ain't rocket science, but it NEEDS to be
done RIGHT. The ONE time in the last 30 years I went to one of these
places (I was on a long road-trip), the moron did not install a washer
on the drain-plug.

 

[jambo101]

Reminds me of that gag about the difference between a woman changing the oil and a guy changing the oil.
Oil change instructions for women & men… « Just Humor Me

 

[HFWR]

Do all you do-it-yourselfers own a grease gun as well?

 

[ls99]

Do all you do-it-yourselfers own a grease gun as well?

Of course! 3 of them, each with different grease, plus a mini for hard to get places.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Do all you do-it-yourselfers own a grease gun as well?

Do they still make cars that have grease fittings that need to be
regularly serviced ? Neither my 1997 nor 2006 Subaru ...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I had a couple each on my 1994 Trooper and my 2000 Expedition.

 

[UncleHoney]

Do they still make cars that have grease fittings that need to be
regularly serviced ? Neither my 1997 nor 2006 Subaru ...

Some have fittings and some have places for fittings but no fittings. Check for small plastic sealing plugs on tie rod ends and around the steering gear and ball joints. If you have the plugs they can be replaced with fittings and greased.

Which fittings you need?...............That's another story.