Oil change Fiasco! Emergency!

[TylerH860]

Yes, I'm dumb enough to screw up an oil change.

So, start the car, no oil pressure, and I hear a squirting noise. I shut the car off and see oil gushing from the oil filter housing. Stupid me forgot to replace the o-ring, and so I went to remove the lid, and it wouldn't budge. I jammed, pulled, done everything I can possibly think of and it won't budge.

Any ideas? I talked to my indy and he can't do anything for me until Monday.

[TMAllison]

Tap it up/off with a rubber mallet or screw driver handle???

[chetwesley]

I don't understand - the nuts come off, but the cap won't pull up when you tug on it?

I've had a hard time pulling the cap off before due to either suction from a seal with the oil inside, or just because of the weight of the oil in the filter... but usually a good pull with my fingers prying up around the rim of the lid will do it.

Maybe there is more oil than usual in there, or a sort of seal formed with the rim due to the lack of o ring causing a vacuum making it hard to pull off.

[TylerH860]

Originally Posted by chetwesley

I don't understand - the nuts come off, but the cap won't pull up when you tug on it?

Yes, pulling with all my might. Prying with various devices, chiseling with a flat screw driver and hammer... No dice. I'm infuriated.

[kerry]

Start it up. Pressure should push it off. Cover it with a big rag or towel. Can't make that much more of a mess than you already have.

[TylerH860]

Originally Posted by kerry

Start it up. Pressure should push it off. Cover it with a big rag or towel. Can't make that much more of a mess than you already have.

Highly doubtful that the oil pump can exert more force than I can, plus with the amount of oil leaking out, I seriously doubt its creating any kind of pressure to push up on it.

Rubber mallet where? Has nobody ever had this problem?

[bgkast]

Originally Posted by TylerH860

Highly doubtful that the oil pump can exert more force than I can, plus with the amount of oil leaking out, I seriously doubt its creating any kind of pressure to push up on it.

Rubber mallet where? Has nobody ever had this problem?

I don't know about that....100 plus PSI of pressire times how many square inches for that lid. That is a lot of force!

[bgkast]

Rubber mallet

[funola]

Hey Tyler, you have a knack for baptizing every diesel with engine oil don't ya ?

Try loosening the 2 nuts to where they cover the stud threads, then tap on the nuts with a hammer. If that doesn't work, tap all around the side of the cover. Without the o-ring, you may have wedged the cover into the housing.

[TylerH860]

Originally Posted by funola

Hey Tyler, you have a knack for baptizing every diesel with engine oil don't ya ?

Try loosening the 2 nuts to where hey cover the stud threads, then tap on the nuts with a hammer. If that doesn't work, tap all around the side of the cover. Without the o-ring, you may have wedged the cover into the housing.

The old o-ring should still be there. I'll give it a shot.

[funola]

Originally Posted by TylerH860

The old o-ring should still be there. I'll give it a shot.

If it doesn't work, try to hook an edge of the cover with a short flat blade screwdriver and tap screwdriver with hammer.

[Hatterasguy]

Sounds like something is bent or jammed. I'd let your indy look at it, if you keep hammering it your probably going to need a new lid. They are just cas aluminum, ie they don't bend they crack.

Maybe without the O ring the shaft went in a bit to deep and got stuck?

[turbobenz]

hammer a flat head screw driver in the side from alternating angles

[daw_two]

Originally Posted by funola

Hey Tyler, you have a knack for baptizing every diesel with engine oil don't ya ?

Try loosening the 2 nuts to where they cover the stud threads, then tap on the nuts with a hammer. If that doesn't work, tap all around the side of the cover. Without the o-ring, you may have wedged the cover into the housing.

Tyler --- Did you sleep last night? Or were you tossing and turning thinking about the oil filter?

I have a question, though, about Trigger's issue: Is the filter "lid" squarely on? Are the screw studs in the center of holes? I've had one filter lid (or cover) that was very hard to get off. I had to use a rubber mallet on it to break the "seal".


I do like the comments of funola from above. And Jimmy's comments about your next car named Valdez --- oh, that would be a perfect name for a big 300SDL.


Good Luck and if you need some cheering or other words of encouragement, do give me a ring.

[Squabble]

Tyler, I called up a couple of "your people" to help. This guy will be right over....