Sometimes I change my own oil, sometimes I don't. I had someone else do it last time, and now I cannot get the cannister off this time. It will not turn at all.

Any suggestions on how to make that all important first quarter turn?

 

Appropriate 36mm socket and a long ratchet or breakover bar for leverage?

 

Actually, that was the most difficult part when I changed my oil.....
Be patient. keep trying.

 

My socket is fine. My ratchet barely makes it to the top of the valve cover. I'd like to whack it with a hammer, but don't even have a useful way of doing that. I may wind up buying a breaker bar, if I can find a 3/8 that looks long enough to make a difference.

I've always managed to get it off in the past. The biggest fun is usually getting the puppy back on again.

 

Add an extension to get up higher so you can get some leverage.

Putting it back on is very easy if you do it correctly. Prefit the filter down into the housing and stretch the opening, then pull it out and put the other end into the cap.

Put a film of wheel bearing grease on the o-ring and also the first inch inside the housing all the way around.

Now it will just drop down so the threads catch. You can actually turn it by hand until the end. Remember the o-ring is what is making the seal, not how tight you tighten the cap. Just snug it down well and you are done.

If you skip the pre-fit part or the grease part then you are in for trouble.

YD

 

Hmm, wonder if I can find a metal pipe around here somewhere. That would make a good extension.

 

crossed posts!

buy a chunk of pipe with an inside diameter sufficient to slip over the handle of your ratchet. 18 inches is a good length.... couple of bucks and problem solved.

clean oil on the o-ring works fine but oil the entire o-ring, not just the 'outside'. Same trick as on my u/w cameras. Take the o-ring off - ensure the channel is CLEAN. Ensure the o-ring is CLEAN. Lube the (new) o-ring, not excessively, and seat the o-ring in the channel. TOO much is as bad as too little.

When putting the can back on I find the secret to be pressing down hard on the can, back thread til I feel it meet the threads (click or pop) then press down hard while turning in on. Also wearing a disposable rubber glove allows a much stronger grip. When everything is threading right I can even feel the rubber o-ring sort of bouncing along as I thighten and can get the can to within a quarter turn of flush. Finish off with the ratchet and good 2 go.

 

Amazing. This vacation house is in the middle of nowhere, so going out and getting a pipe did not seem worth the time. I found a 24" length of flimsy PVC pipe, and decided it could not cost much to try and break the pipe.

Something cracked, and I was sure I broke the pipe, but it was the seal giving up the ghost. Now to drain the puppy. At least I have a Fumoto valve, so things can't get really screwed up underneath.

 

Oh sweet Jesus. I do not recall who changed my oil last, but when and if I do, I shall hunt them down and kill them. They took out my Fumoto valve, and I don't have the tools here on the edge of the world to remove the drain plug they put in its place. So much for this part of my Memorial Day weekend plan...

At least tightening the filter cannister posed no problems...

 

they removed your Fumoto????

I know some one you can arrange a contract thru ... they R evil and need to be dealt with

 

They probably figured if I could not get the name right, I would never notice it was gone. Ahh, but I could edit the name right, did they think of that? I think not.

 

you can use the closed end of an end wrench on your ratchet handle for more leverage

 

Oh geez, after all the problems getting the cannister loose, I should have known. I got the car home yesterday afternoon and put it up on Rhino ramps. I have a 13mm closed end ratchet wrench, and thought removing the drain plug would be a piece of cake...

Let's just say that the wrench turned, but the drain plug did not. I've made a good start on stripping either the plug or the wrench. I am beginning to think I should sell tickets to the eventual execution, if only I can figure out who to kill!

 

see if you can still get a 1/2 inch on it ... the 1/2 is just a wee bit smaller but fits...and fits with less slop


if that doesn't work I resort to these made by IRWIN

the Sears product is very similar

I've mangled a couple - the ugly and the new


normally I'd recommend replacing with a Fumoto

 

I ordered another Fumoto last night.

Just to be sure I understand the difference, is the Irwin tool a six star while the 1/2" tool shown first is a twelve star wrench?

I suspect at least a part of my problem is that my 13mm wrench is just cheap. I got it at Target as part of a six wrench set (each wrench two sized) for about ten bucks or so. The real problem, of course, is that Satan performed my last oil change.

 

I ordered another Fumoto last night.

Just to be sure I understand the difference, is the Irwin tool a six star while the 1/2" tool shown first is a twelve star wrench?

The IRWIN tool I reference is the set of 'extractors' that will grab onto a ruined head....the guys in the blue box. If you've trashed the head of the plug you're gonna need some form of bolt extractor .... sure, try some vice-grips and even a pipe wrench. Survey says you'll be back. There are extractors where you drill a hole and tap something into the hole
TADA


but these IRWIN ones just grab from the outside (don't be afraid to beat on them to get a grip)

I suspect at least a part of my problem is that my 13mm wrench is just cheap. I got it at Target as part of a six wrench set (each wrench two sized) for about ten bucks or so. The real problem, of course, is that Satan performed my last oil change

There are those that say if you use a 6 point socket rather than a 12 point socket you'll never have a problem. That may be. What I KNOW is that a 1/2 inch socket is just a tad smaller than the recommended 13mm AND IT FITS. SO a 13mm has some slop and if things are TIGHT and the tool is perhaps soft..or the plug IS, people seem to often end up with a rounded off plug. I have TWICE b4 I discovered this fact - a 1/2 inch fits BETTER. putting the BEST fit socket/wrench to the task MIGHT avoid the problem. But anyway you attack the beast, a factory plug with that damn plastic seal seems to grab tighter than a ferret with hold of your pinky

 

I gave up on the cheap 13mm ratchet wrench and bought a decent quality 13mm socket for a 1/2" drive. It took a little muscle, but I managed to get the plug out with muscle alone, without resorting to the assistance of the pipe (which I had handy) or any device.

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

You can use your jeans leather belt to wrap around the oil canister and pull the end.
nice trick.

 

I use a 1/2 drive to break the cannister loose, then I have to remove it about half way off and do the rest by hand with just the socket. Same for installing...

 

Just a quick question while on this topic, my car is new and hasn't had a scheduled change since the end of November. Is the first batch of oil in the car most likely to be the dirtiest? I can't believe the oil change meter is telling me to come in around August. I wonder if even synthetics can last that long. Did most of you ignore the meter and change it early?

 

YES!
I change every 5,000 with Royal Purple.
Oil change interval is a big topic on this board so you will likely get more/different responses.

 

Well, I did it. It was not really as easy as everyone claimed. I guess it's because it's the first DIY oil change I've ever done. The tricky part was getting that *&$#%^$ oil cannister off without frying my hands. I took the car for a few laps around the neighborhood so that the oil would drain out quickly. I had a tough time getting the oil plug out because the car sits so low to the ground. I don't know if i wanna spend $75 just for ramps or stands to raise the car a measly three inches. Feels like a major waste of money. I got the plug out and damn, dropped it into the drain bucket!. Burned my hands trying to fish around for it. Found it and replaced the copper washer. I had to wait for quite a while for the oil to drain out. In the mean time: that evil oil cannister. I burnt myself a few times trying to get it off and AGAIN trying to soak up the oil puddle inside the threaded area where the filter goes. Getting the new one on was easier than removing the old one. Weird. I tightened both and added the oil. For some reason, the MINI didn't like the taste of the new oil and the tach kept doing funny things. I stopped and checked the oil and added more. After taking it around the block the engine was now purring nicely. Overall, it was not difficult; just takes a lot of fussing and cussing because of the piping hot engine and the uber-low clearance. Might consider springing for ramps in the future.

 

I'm having the same problem right now with the oil filter canister being stuck. As of now, I've broken two 3/8" drive breaker bars, one 3/8" drive ratchet wrench, three 1/2" to 3/8" drive step downs (one of which was high impact), a makeshift 1/2" drive shallow well 36mm socket, and bent a couple of metal poles. The odd thing is, last time I put it on I barley tightened it at all, and I put oil on the packing, and the threads. I've done everything I can think of besides pull the engine and put an impact wrench on it.

Anyone have any suggestions before I go knee deep into this oil change?

If I ever get this thing off, I'm putting anti-seize on it.