Oil Change problems couldn't get oil filter Off! Suggestions? Please help!

Wix is a decent brand, I've been using only oem

 

One old oil change trick that I've used is to take an old screwdriver and using a hammer, drive it through one side to the other of the oil filter. Then you can use the screwdriver to torque hard on the filter, or if needed, tap the screwdriver with a hammer to loosen the filter. Note to have some newspaper and an oil pan underneath if you do this; it will spill out the oil in the filter. Obviously this will destroy the old filter, but it's going in the bin anyway. Not nearly as nice of a solution as using a specialized tool, but will get the job done.

 

That ain't gonna work with the 3rd gen (and onward) Prius, lol: the filter housing is permanent, made of plastic.

The seal is not at the end; it's an O-ring along the barrel.

 

Hahaha, I miss the gold ol' days when you could just brute force everything

 

That's my guess too, or it could even just be the difference between a 'nominal' size and the actual size when you measure it.

I've had good success with this tool, and yes, my filter cap was crazy tight from the former owner. I nearly had to raise the car higher ... my torque wrench ratchet could only do one click between handle-hitting-engine and handle-hitting-driveway, and I nearly bent the handle all the way to the driveway before the cap started to move.

When I put it back on, I decided 18 foot pounds sounded like enough.

I have no idea what the little clip is there for, but I do see that the repair manual excerpt says (in not one, but two places!) not to remove it.

-Chap

 

In that situation, I like the idea of buying a spare filter cap, in case you wreck the original getting it off. Some people have reported destroying their cap tool (some obviously being sturdier than others), the cap, or both trying to remove badly overtightened filter caps.

You've double-checked and rethought the layout to be certain you're applying torque in the correct direction?

 

Mine did, indeed, finally come off, and in the expected, anticlockwise direction.

I did notice one of the ribs on the cap is snapped off. I don't think that was me; I bought the car at 107,000, plenty of opportunity for somebody else to snap that off. I have considered buying a spare cap just because, but the original did come off without damage, and as long as I'll be the person tightening it from now on, I don't anticipate more struggles....

-Chap

 

If you have a spare cap you're freer to get Neanderthal on the orig.

 

I had another car (not a Prius) that had a stuck oil filter. It was clearly over-torqued. I simply paid for one oil change and had a mechanic deal with it. This mechanic was smart enough not to over-torque it.

The filter was easy to get off on the next oil change. Afterwards, it was DIY.

 

So if you break the cap while it's "stuck" in the engine, how do you remove the rest of it? It goes deep into the metal. I don't think I want to do that!
Before I got the proper tool I had to do a change (first one at 8000 km). I used a band type but because the cap is slippery, I applied a single layer of rubber self-sealing tape to the outside of the cap. This provided enough grip for the band. After the oil and filter change I took the band tool inside and coated the inside of it with silicon rubber, after thoroughly degreasing it and roughing it with sandpaper. It would probably work just fine now, but the proper tool arrived two days after that oil change, and I use it now. Oh, and the "proper" tool will jam on the end of the cap. I use the handle of the ratchet to carefully tap on each side of it driving the socket off the cap.

BTW, those band type tools even slip on metal "spin-on" oil filters. But mine won't now.

 

These are a couple of Honda filter sockets I've got. The one on the right is what I use with the Prius, fits good. The one on the left is just a keepsake now, larger old style no longer used by Honda AFAIK, but it had this opening that made it easy to pry off with a screwdriver.

 

Had the same issue so I took it back to the place that did the last oil change. They couldn't budge it with the tools they had, which included the standard notched cup. All their oil filter removal tools were pretty worn out, so the manager said he would order a new one and have me come back in a couple days. So he got a super heavy duty snap-on brand, non-notched, and also 65mm which I told them would probably be too big. They jacked up my car and once they put the tool on, it seemed to fit perfectly snug. The mechanic put his ratchet on it, then slid on a 3 foot pipe and the filter came loose on the first pull! What a relief! The manager was so happy that it worked he came over for a fist pump!

 

So I have a Gen 4 with the cartridge filter cap also. Am I correct in assuming that if you can't get the cap off, get a bigger wrench?

I tried my Ryobi Impact driver. That did nothing but twist the bit off. The cap is still there laughing at me.

Chris

 

Previous dealership oil changes??

Can your oil filter socket be driven either with a socket or 3/8" square drive? If you haven't, try the latter? Hopefully doesn't snap a weld...

 

I finally after several hours got it off. I think I'll start a new thread over on the 4th Gen forum, since they don't seem to have anything on stuck oil filter caps.

The new thread is: Stuck Oil Filter Cap, and First Oil Change | PriusChat

 

If this is the first post-dealership oil change: they were probably installing it with impact wrench; I've never found it that hard, after proper 18 ft/lb install.