Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Sunday afternoon, I've got some time. Lets do that quick, overdue oil change......



or not!

So that oil filter is veeerrry stuck. I started trying the rubber strap tool, then the chain wrench tools I have, but due to the very limited access space they both proved useless. As I don't have an oil filter 'socket' to go over the large nut at the end, I stuffed in loads of rags and opted for the never failed before hammer a screwdriver through. This just sheared the metal filter housing as I turned it. After a couple of tries, I cut down to the filter base, created a notch and tried to use that to turn the filter, slowly moving up though hammer sizes... nothing. nada. zilch. Not moving at all.
I'm also a bit worried about damaging the sealing surface on the block doing this - trying to be careful, for all that means.

So... I'm borrowing a slightly better filter wrench from work that I think is worth a shot, and borrowing a three pronged one from a friend to give that a shot. In my frustrations I contemplated a heat gun on it, but with the amount of oil around it could have pretty severe consequences!

Slightly embarrassing being totally thwarted by an oil filter... but I am, so any ideas would be really appreciated!

Hi Gryphon,

I feel your pain here. There is nothing worse than something "simple" that turns into a complete nightmare. I use a metal banded tool like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/?iid=361752505 ... t=0&chn=ps

which has a tightening nut on the end of a thread. The metal band allows you to make a tight but even load around the filter and there is just enough clearance with it between the left side of the engine and the power steering reservoir to turn it by a few degrees. I've been able to use it to remove a few different filters over the years which were gorilla tight.

I hope you get it sorted without too much more trouble.

Matt

I know it's a bit late now, but I always use one of these purpose built for flutes on our filters. They even sell them in Halfords!

If it is that stuck there is a risk that the filter will rip apart. OTOH access is terrible with most filter tools.

I'd try Stratfordshark's oil filter tool suggestion. I've used them before with success. If it is still very stuck on get your rubber banded tool and use both tools together. The banded tool would sit at the bottom of the filter with the fluted item at the top. It should then loosen as it will then be a game about an even amount of surface area.

As Columbo said, "One more thing". Stuff plenty of rags around the filter at the base and remove the undertray at the front of the engine. Finally, put some sheeting down below the engine like a tarp or some newspaper spread out etc. These have been the messiest oil change to do on an car IME. Why Porsche fitted an upside down filter is beyond me. Even Porsche themselves struggle to do the change cleanly.

I test drove a BRZ over the weekend and was surprised to see an upside down oil filter... although at least Toyobaru give an integrated catch tray around it and excellent access!

It is indeed messy! I had all the rags in place when I first pierced the filter, oil still went everywhere at least it's basically empty now though.

StratfordShark/AlpineTurbo - I'm definitely getting one of those, for next time if nothing else. Not that I tend to have much trouble with a filter I've fitted... This is the the first time I've done it on this car and I think I've had enough grumbles on here about the PO.

Matt - that does look like it should get a good grip! Thanks for making me aware, I'll add it to the options list

The tool I borrowed from work was this one:


Gets a decent amount of torque onto the filter, although it started crushing it... Should have one of the three prong jobbies to try tonight, although as that will destroy the nut, may buy and try a socket one first.

Cheers guys!

I had the exact same problem a couple of weeks ago! My 20 minute oil change turned into an hour and half.
It is incredible how tight the filter gets and that coupled with the painfully limited space makes life difficult.
My chain wrench was too long and the gap between the water pump, pipes etc was too tight to even thread the chain around.
In the end - I bodged two screwdrivers into the top of the filter - one each side, then put a a short bar between the two to act as a lever. Worked a treat - but like you say...messy!!
I'll be buying a proper tool too...instead of feeling like a proper tool!

Success!!

Three prong wrench did the trick:


A normal wrench wouldn't move it... Had to get the meter long breaker bar out, and then it took a decent amount of force for the first whole turn, freed up a bit, then seized for another half turn. Whole filter body twisted, but still came off! I'm getting myself one of these three prong removers - borrowing this one was well worth a bag of doughnuts though

Thanks for the sympathy and advice. I hope I'll never fail so much at an oil change again... (and I'm definitely not over torquing the new filter :p )

Last time I couldn't get mine off I got an old screwdriver and stabbed it through the whole filter, was a bit messy but it did do the job. Definitely a last resort

We see many like this, usually barn find cars in particular.

We use a tool much like the cup one in the photo above, but used with a small low powered 3/8th impact wrench with not enough power to rip the filter apart, but enough vibration to free the filter... In fact the little 3/8th drive air impact gun is probably my favourite tool for anything in danger of snapping or breaking, that mixed with a large portion of patience and more recently the latest in inductive heaters do wonders where it looks like something might just break before enough torque is applied to free it off.

Halfords sell a cup tool like this and over the years I have directed many club members to Halfords to pick one up for a 944.

Just my 2p worth to add for anyone who searches the archives in the future and is stuck (or rather their oil filter is)

Tried that, screwdriver just spun, shearing metal!

Thank Jon, I was cautious with the breaker bar... Car was off the road for 15 years before I had it, but I had been assured that it had had an oil and filler change though... Your (not so much) competition aren't making good names for themselves!

K & N do a filter with a large nut shape on the top that takes something like a 26mm socket,

I've always used a three legged adjustable fitting tool to undo and a gentle 'tweek' to replace the oil filter.

Maybe too many people have seen that YouTube vid of a "porsche" garage mech tightening a 944 oil filter to such a torque and presumed that's the way it should be done...worth a look...this is why you will never/cannot remove it again...!! The vid is 'Project9'

Re: the mess....

I normally punch/drill a small hole in the top of the filter while I'm draining the oil to let air into the filter, which hopefully lets a bit more oil out.

Unlikely makes any difference, as the stop valve within the filter will always contain a bulk of oil...

I was under the impression that only the OEM oil filters had stop valves... do the MANN and Bosch ones as well?

When I poked a screwdriver in near the top it poured oil out which I wasn't quite ready for! As it was close to the top I was expecting air to go in rather than oil out