At the first oil change the original, from-the -factory, oil filter was a real pain to get off; thought it must have been installed by some extreme muscle-man during assembly! Then I heard that Ford had been having problems with the oil filters coming loose during normal operations and so now I'm wondering if I should go back and tighten the new filter using "mechanical means" rather than the usual hand tighten.
Anyone heard of these filters comong loose?
No, never 'wrench tighten' an oil filter. 3/4 turn after gasket contact is more than plenty. Usually 1/2 turn is enough.
Ooops. :/ Steve don't you remember the true/false questions from high school and how if you saw words like "always" or "never" you knew it was a sign for a false statement?
I had a '93 S-10 blazer with the 4.3v6 (vortec? 200horse) engine and hand tightening was all a guy could do without a cap-type-filter socket +extension +ratchet setup. It leaked to beat hell everytime unless it -felt tight- with the ratchet.
And as far as getting them loose.... I've never had a problem so far and I tighten the crap out of them when compared to what you describe, I make them feel snug.
Back when I drove a company pickup I helped with the 3000 mile service, usually greasing and checking the tires for nails tho. ;)
Alvin in AZ ps- my record was 2 nails in two tires and 3 nails in one tire and all those at once with -no- flat :)
Don't try that on a 7.3; the filter is large and a filter wrench is the only way to get it tight enough.
Certainly don't overtighten it, at any rate.
I thought it was supposed to be hand-tight then back up 1/4 turn.
I hand tighten the filter as much as I can. Sometimes I then check with the wrench to ensure it is snug, but I don't pull hard on it. Then when I take it off the next time I often crush it with the force I apply to the wrench (which isn't really a whole lot of force). I haven't had a leak on my vehicles following this procedure.
-D
Same here except- Your snug is snugger than my snug. ;) I've never had any crush to get them off (that i put on). Only time I've had trouble is with old junkers we got from who knows where, that'd been sitting for who knows how long. :)
Alvin in AZ (100% atheist! :)
That is actually the first one that does NOT need a wrench. Being big, it is more than easy to get tight enough by hand. We have 4 of them. Never a leak when tightened by hand.
If you have to USE a wrench to get them off then it's way too tight. I service a fleet of 35 trucks and have not used a filter wrench since the first go round with me putting them on 7 years ago.
One important thing to remember is to put a thin film of grease (oil in a pinch) on the rubber gasket. Grease most certainly lets them off easier.
I guess it depends on the person. I can't get the thing tight enough by hand, and the one time I let somebody else do it it damn near fell off next time I went to change the oil.
BUT the main question is, Was it leaking?
You should certainly know what you're talking about there but I don't chance it for ease later. Never have. Just paranoid? :)
But there was one vehicle (the '93 S10) that absolutely would not seal up without being extra-tight. BTDT it was a pain in the neck that way. Couldn't get to the sucker from the side at all, ended up having to get a "filter socket" for each brand of filter I used too.
The first oil change... I had to drive it to town leaking to get a 3/8 drive "filter socket" too, it sucked. :(
The spark plugs were easy... went at 'em from the fender wells. :)
The auto transmission pan couldn't be removed without loosening and moving a cross-member unless I used a dremel (with a carbide burr) to remove a part of the cross-member! ;)
Alvin in AZ
Nope. Would I have been sol if it had? Yep. I don't appreciate taking such a chance, walking 30 miles in the cold and wind just isn't my thing.
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