Oil filter stuck on my 04 V6… any advice?

I’m trying to get the old oil filter off my 2004 V6, but it’s in such a tight spot near the front of the car. It’s completely stuck, and my hands barely fit in there, let alone a filter wrench.

Is there an easier way to get it off without tearing things apart? Or should I just keep topping off the oil since it leaks out anyway? (This car already has 268k miles on it.)

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-3-jaw-adjustable-oil-filter-wrench-59175.html

This tool worked great for me. You can twist it off straight away.

Leith said:
https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-3-jaw-adjustable-oil-filter-wrench-59175.html

This tool worked great for me. You can twist it off straight away.

That’s probably what the shop used to crank it on so tight. Probably with some gorilla glue too.

@Casey
Mandatory 100 ft-lbs with the air gun, of course.

Taj said:
@Casey
Mandatory 100 ft-lbs with the air gun, of course.

That’s exactly what it feels like. I can’t even turn it with an extension. It’s like they do this on purpose so we’re forced to come back.

edit Not even a breaker bar is working. The engine mounts have more give than this drain nut.

@Casey
Wow, that’s wild. Probably just a first-year tech over-tightening everything. I’ve heard some crazy stories about rookie mechanics. They’re about as smart as a bag of rocks.

This is why I don’t let shops touch my cars anymore. The dealer once did the same thing to my Corolla and even broke the filter housing tool trying to remove it.

@Taj
Yeah, it’s so much easier when you’re the one putting the bolts on. At least you don’t crank them down like a competition.

@Casey
What’s funny is, I put the last one on myself, and it was still crazy tight. Guess it’s from driving and weather changes.

@Casey
I didn’t have any luck with that tool. This one worked for me. Once I got it started, I just twisted it off by hand.

Del said:
@Casey
I didn’t have any luck with that tool. This one worked for me. Once I got it started, I just twisted it off by hand.

I figured the pliers would be the same hassle, but I found a cup-style one that fits. I’ll give that a try when I get home.

@Casey
The cup ones are definitely a cleaner solution. I swapped mine with a K&N filter that has a hex nut on the end, so now I don’t even need tools anymore.

Del said:
@Casey
The cup ones are definitely a cleaner solution. I swapped mine with a K&N filter that has a hex nut on the end, so now I don’t even need tools anymore.

Man, why don’t all filters have hex nuts? That’d solve so many problems.

I’d recommend an oil filter cap wrench. Here’s an example on Amazon.

I once tried stabbing a screwdriver through the filter to twist it off, but the metal was too thin, and it just tore apart. That was a fun mess to deal with.

You could probably leave it for one more oil change, but I wouldn’t recommend ignoring it for too long. If the filter clogs, it’ll just bypass the oil, sending unfiltered oil through your engine. Not ideal, but better than no oil pressure.

@Brogan
Tried two different oil wrenches on my 2011 V6 with no luck. Ended up buying what you suggested, and it worked perfectly.

You really need to get that old oil filter off. It’s not in the best spot, but there should be enough room to use a strap wrench. Leaving it on isn’t a good idea. If it clogs, your engine could lose oil pressure and end up ruined.

@Hadley
There’s enough room for a strap wrench to fit, but not enough room to actually turn it. I can barely fit one hand up there.

Have you tried oil filter pliers? I had to use these for the first oil change after taking my car to a shop.
Oil filter pliers

I had the same issue with my 2002 Escape. Here’s a messy but effective trick: Get some rags and an oil catch pan. Stab a large flathead screwdriver through the filter, then twist it counterclockwise. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to tow it to a shop since you won’t be able to drive it after.

@Bliss
I’ve done this a couple of times. My 70-year-old neighbor actually taught me this trick years ago.

Update: Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I ended up using one of those cup-style filter wrenches, and it worked like a charm. No trouble at all.

Strap-type wrenches are useless for these cars since there’s no clearance to turn them. Go with the cup style, and it’ll come off in seconds.

Hand-tightened the new filter this time to avoid this happening again.