So, it's oil change Saturday. Did my wife's Cobalt, easy squeezy. I start on the Blazer, and that filter would NOT come off!

My strap wrench just crumpled it up. I dropped the skid plate down, and drove a flat head through it and tried to spin it off. Just sheared off the filter. Had to remove the whole housing and lock in in my vise. Hammered the flat head between the filter and mounting surface on the housing, then beat it off like a fuel pump lock ring.

It's an AC Delco filter, only been on there a smidge over 3k miles, too. And to top it all off, I discovered all three mounting flanges for the filter housing are broken off. The only thing holding it up are the four oil lines.

 

Who installed that filter?

 

I did. I've never had a shop do an oil change for me, ever, lol.

I just snugged it up hand tight, too. No tools, didn't even really put much force behind it. I even put a dab of oil on the o-ring/gasket on the end of the filter, too.

 

That is insane. It looks like it was put on with an impact wrench

 

I've had to disassemble a few filters like that to get them off. Best tool for removing oil filters, if you have the room to get at the filter, is a huge pair of channel lock pliers. It will crush them, but very few have successfully resisted them over the years.

 

I go with giant channel lock pliers or maybe "oil filter pliers" as soon as the filter jacket starts to crinkle.

Grab right at the top flange of the filter and twist there. If possible, keep the pliers in the plane of the top flange of the filter. It will come off that way.

The "remote filter mount" makes life more difficult, because you really need to grab and hold the mount assembly so it doesn't move/break the mounting tabs when you turn the filter with the pliers.

 

A big pair of channel locks is something my tool box has been lacking! I think I'll have to invest in a pair in the next 3,000 miles!

 

When putting it on I always snug it up by hand, never had an issue getting it off that way. Sometimes by hand also

 

Wow! I've never seen one like that. I've changed a hell of a lot of filters, I just coat the black 1/4" gasket with a swipe of chassis grease and that come right off. But yours is one for the books. What do you think was holding it ? The only contact is that black 1/4" rubber gasket on the filter base. Like I said, that's one for the books ?

 

that happens all the time to me too at work, i see a car come back with our filer on it and its impossible to get off, i think the rubber expands or something. also anytime you see a dealership oil change sticker you know youre in for a fight they are the worst with over tightening filters