oil filter torque spec

[Eggman]

Too messy, with the rad hoses in the way etc. I have to get under regardless to satisfy my OCD with trying to keep things clean.

Totally understandable. Though it seems it would be easier to stay cleaner by working from up top, eliminating getting oil drips down the arms.

[Cobrajet]

I always remove them from the top with my left hand, but if you are useless with your left hand this might be pretty hard to do.

I would not even try it with my right hand. Too much in the way, and I would have to twist the filter the 'wrong' way.

[Mark]

I always remove them from the top with my left hand, but if you are useless with your left hand this might be pretty hard to do.

I would not even try it with my right hand. Too much in the way, and I would have to twist the filter the 'wrong' way.

I have a hard time grabbing the oil filter from the top. A stubby handle racket with the correct oil filter socket works well for me. When I put on the new one, I reach down with both hands (left & right of the radiator hose) from the top. I find that helps me guide the new filter in place to thread it correctly.

I can honestly say that I have been changing oil filters for over 40 years, & I have never taken one off with just my bare hands alone. Even on my simple riding lawnmower, I use a wrench. I must be doing it wrong all these years.

As far as mess goes, I just make sure I have some type of pan is under the filter. Sometimes, I use two if the oil pan is still draining. I can reach down from the top and wipe off the small plate under the filter. I also take a rag & wipe the top of the plastic from underneath (when I go back under to close my Fumoto valve).

Removing all that stuff seems like a lot of extra work. I like to do my oil changes on a cement slab outside my garage. If I drip some oil on the cement, I just throw some kitty litter on it & sweep it up later. The rain takes care of the rest.

[2016 Versa]

I can honestly say that I have been changing oil filters for over 40 years, & I have never taken one off with just my bare hands alone. Even on my simple riding lawnmower, I use a wrench. I must be doing it wrong all these years. .

I've been doing my own oil changes for 44 years and I too usually take filters off barehanded. When I bought my Versa and did it's first oil change I found I was going to need something to get the filter off even though it was much more accessible than the filters on my other cars. I didn't have a cap wrench or strap wrench that small but luckily I had about a 14-15" pair of channel locks that worked great. Every time I've changed the oil in the Versa I've had to resort to using them to get the filter off so I recently bought a 65/14 cap wrench and put it with my extra filters so I could keep up with it.

[Cobrajet]

I can honestly say that I have been changing oil filters for over 40 years, & I have never taken one off with just my bare hands alone. Even on my simple riding lawnmower, I use a wrench. I must be doing it wrong all these years.

I have changed my own oil for 30 years. I think I have only used some sort of tool to do it maybe ten times, and it was always to remove some generic white no-name filter which had been installed at Skippy Loob by some 20-year-old who was told by his boss, "Make sure it doesn't leak!" I think I even got the original filter off my Mirage barehanded.

A couple times I know I had to punch a screwdriver through the filter to use as a lever so I could twist it off, and I almost certainly used Channellocks a couple times. But I have never had much use for cap wrenches or strap wrenches. The few I have I inherited from my father and grandfather.

As a general rule if you don't put filters on with tools you won't need tools to take them off. No need for either of us to change what works, right?

[Mark]

As a general rule if you don't put filters on with tools you won't need tools to take them off. No need for either of us to change what works, right?

I agree! I probably put oil filters are tighter than necessary. In the case of the Mirage, however, an oil filter socket may be helpful for those who have trouble grabbing the oil filter from the top.

[Fummins]

I haven't changed oil for 100 years. But probably change more oil in a month than some have in 15 years. But who's counting...

The longer mz filters(and most aftermarket filters) are relatively easy to get off compared to the stubby 123a0105 filters that come from factory. As I mentioned before our local dealer won't sell us the Mz690072(i think) filters anymore cause they claim the filter is to blame. Normally I use wix filters on the fleet units but I think our cost must be a few cents cheaper for the mitsu one so...I now have to use a filter socket(from the bottom) to get the short filters off these turds 80% of the time.

[skyblue]

i made the mistake of taking the filter off from underneath the other day, much better to do it from above with a large mess pan underneath

worse placement for the oil filter, either put it low or high, cheers

[CROSSBOLT]

Lot of oil change experience on here and I happily add to it! My opinion is 3/4 turn after contact is too tight for hand removal at the next change. So mine are generally no more than 1/2 turn after contact. Only had one leak since 1965: Kohler 22 hp powered Toro zero turn mower uses a "standard" spin-on oil filter that is .020" smaller thread OD than a real standard interchange. That is, the threaded pipe on the engine barely engages a filter unless itnis a KOHLER filter. Once I got the OEM filter screwed on the darn thing leaked!

Some MBA midget-brain at Kohler thought he would lock-in sales by playing parts games with the $@#_&::=_;&*))!! filter. I will use that filter until .....later....way much later.

[jbarr]

I remember the factory filter was a beast and am 20% towards needing to change the 2022. Not looking forward to it. Like others I always go from top, takes a bit of finagling to get past radiator hose, but not too difficult. Make sure you but a bit of oil on the threads and rubber seal of the new one and tighten until it makes contact, then I do about 3/4 a full turn. Never had a filter leak. I use Fram UltraGuard as they are a decent filter and the main reason is that among other equivalent filters it has a rubbery grip coating on the filter which allows me to remove without a wrench.