Hard to remove oil filter fix.

[Snowy Mountains Mick]

My NIssan alwas seemed to have filters that were a bear to remove. I would put them on hand tight then a poofteenth of a turn extra, but 5000Kms later they seemed to be soldered on. In addition to their being little room around the filters, this was a much dreaded job, but I am too miserable to pay someone else (occasionally I lash out, but not very often).

I also am into BMW motorcycles. I bought an old 'airhead' pre mid 1990s fully aircooled engines. The exhaust flange nut on these bikes is a big old fashioned star nut with cooling fins . The manual suggested using Copper Grease on the threads and loosening them a tad everytime and re-tightening them whenever you were doing an oil change or other work on the bike. The manual also suggested using it as an anti sieze treatment, especially on heat affected stuff.

I got Repco to order me a small tub in ($13 something for a small plastic tub, about the size of a woman's small face cream tub).

When I was changing the oil, I decided to try the copper grease on the threaded studs on the engine and on the female threads on the filters, in addition to the normal smear of oil on the rubbers.

I have had my life turned upside down lately and also have been suffering from major slack attacks. Instead of chaning oil and filters religiously every 5,000 kms, I ended up letting it go for a bit over 11,000kms :jawdrop:
Before getting the spanner out, I reached in and tried the filter. A small amount of pressure and the seal broke and the filter started unscrewing. Same deal with the other one. AMAZING!!!!!

This has changed one PITA job into simplicity itself. They were on tight enought to ensure no oil leaks, but come off easily. My mate was tring to help me with the oil change and treated the copper grease stuff as nonsence as he is an impatient type, but I wasn't having any of it!

This is probably no biggy to you guys, but I love it. I haven't used the grease on the bike yet, lol.

[frenzy]

Sure beats trying to stick a screwdriver through it!

[nissannewby]

I wouldnt recommend putting an additive on those threads could react wrong with the chemicals in your engine oil. The best thing you can do is put a good amount of new engine oil on the seal of the filter and only do up hand tight and it doesnt have to be that tight there isnt that much pressure going through.

[Snowy Mountains Mick]

I wouldnt recommend putting an additive on those threads could react wrong with the chemicals in your engine oil. The best thing you can do is put a good amount of new engine oil on the seal of the filter and only do up hand tight and it doesnt have to be that tight there isnt that much pressure going through.
This is what I have done previously, smeared engine oil (new) on the rubber gasket before fitting it (and checking to see if the old one was completely removed). Removal was difficult even so. The gasket is probably not rubber anymore, which is why you never hear of one coming apart and sticking to the engine.

The copper grease is used sparingly on the male and female threads that attach the filter to the engine. I can't see how it could get into the engine oil as it is away from the oil system. If you stuck great globs of it on, which spilt over, that might be a problem, but used intelligently the copper grease should be nowhere near the oil.

[nissannewby]

Fair enough being in the trade i have only ever apllied oil and never have a drama removing filters no matter what size do all my own servicing etc if it works then keep running it

[Silver]

Fair enough being in the trade i have only ever apllied oil and never have a drama removing filters no matter what size do all my own servicing etc if it works then keep running it

I often see tradies selling their skills a bit short like this nissannewby :-).

Your grip strength would be a lot higher than the average, and you know by experience the knack of the best way to apply the force at your command.

These skills, and strength seem to apply to male and female tradies. I once watched a tyre fitter that would have weighed 40kg dripping wet, effortlessly hoist a 750R16 splitty up and onto the studs without even breathing heavily. As it happens, she was a, well, she :-)

[Snowy Mountains Mick]

I don't know why they were so hard to remove. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that there is not much room and sharp things get in the way. One time I had so much trouble getting the first filter off that I stopped to have a rest after about an hour or so. Then it occured to me that the last oil change was done by the Repco dealer where I get all of my work done. I rang him and said seeing it was one of your gorillas that fitted the filter, how about you come out and remove it. He did and bought a couple of filter removing tools with him. He is a very experienced mechanic and spent about a half hour getting it off.

With the copper grease it was amazing, I have big hands, but have serious arthritus in the carpal base of the thumb on my left hand. Even considering the lack of strength in the thumb, I was able to grip the filter and after the slightest hesitation, it came loose. The strength in my left hand wasn't the problem in the past getting the filters off, I only held the tool in place with that hand, it was the right hand doing all of the work on the long breaker bar.

Probably enough discussion, just wanted to pass on a tip that I worked out by accident. Probably a smear of any sort of grease on the threads, or even a smear of engine oil if you were concerned about what is getting into the engine, would be ok.

[nissannewby]

Yeah i was by no means having a dig at anyone just passing on what i know and as i said if it we works and isnt a problem i dont see a drama with the idea of utilising it. Im not sure what motor you have in your patrol but i usually find taking the fuel filter and fuel filter bracket out helps a lot and is only 4 bolts i think. I have also even just taken the filter head off said bracket and this aids with the room.

[The Tank]

Great idea, have used coppercoat etc..on loads of other things but never an oil filter.Mine seem to come off easily on the TD42 but smaller ones like the wee Suzuki outboard and Honda industrial seem to always require a tool. To get them tight enough to not leak makes them quite hard to undo and I might give this a try next service.