i own a 2005 dmax, i had the first oil change thrown in for free at the dealership, but now it has 10000 miles on it. It is time to change it again so i drain the oil out, and try to get the filter off, but that thing will not even budge. I put a metal band wrench with the swivel handle on the filter,and bent the handle like a horse shoe, so I go get my strap wrench with a 2 inch strap on it, put a half inch rachet on it, and turn it with all I have, but all that happened is I started to crush the filter. I have changed filters for years and have never had one I could not get off, but this s.o.b. will not even budge:damnit1: . So I called the dealership where I bought it new at, and proceded to get very vocal with them about the grease monkeys that they let wrench on my truck. After about 30 minutes they said they would come to my house and fix it in my driveway tomorrow. Is this very common on a dmax for the filter to be this tight. On all of my other vehicles I can remove it by hand, And if it is just the nature of the beast what type of filter wrench works the best?? thanks:cool:

Is this very common on a dmax for the filter to be this tight. On all of my other vehicles I can remove it by hand, And if it is just the nature of the beast what type of filter wrench works the best?? thanks:cool:

No, it's not common...I have a set of 16" adjustable pliers that I use for stubborn filters...Mine are Blue Point, but I think Sears and OSH carry them...

I like the metal ones that have the handel built in.....seems the strap wrenches squash em. Then try to get the strap as close to the top of the filter as possible

The common joke is that the facotry has a team or gorrilas that put the oil filter on at the factory.....first time can be a pain. But after that it shouldnt be that tight. Nice thing that the dealership took care of you though. Sounds like you had a bad shop monkey but a good dealer overall :)

You could alway redneck it and and tap a screwdriver through it. Get oil everywhere and get it off that way. Had to do that with the first free oil change I got at the stealer. Couldn't get it off with any type of strap wrench, pliers or anything. Screwdriver was my final option.

Had the same problem on my 02 and I know it wasn't put on that tight when the oil was changed. Tried everything including the screwdriver through the side of it. Finally got it off by putting the filter wrench at the very top of the filter. Came right off then. :D

Every time I have tried the screw driver through the side it tears the heck oute the filter and I end up with a mangled sharp filter that still wont come off. Just my experience.

JMO but good wrench up by the top of the filter works the best. Screw driver through the side works if you dont have a wrench that will fit and dont care if you make a mess and the filter isnt super tight though :D

My first oil change the filter was on super tight as well. Never encountered a filter that tight before in my life.:Insane:

In my experience it helps if the engine is warm. Not sure why though.

In my experience it helps if the engine is warm. Not sure why though.
The same reason you run hot water on stubborn jar lids, The metal will expand and hopefuly loosen it tightness.

i own a 2005 dmax, i had the first oil change thrown in for free at the dealership, but now it has 10000 miles on it. It is time to change it again so i drain the oil out, and try to get the filter off, but that thing will not even budge. I put a metal band wrench with the swivel handle on the filter,and bent the handle like a horse shoe, so I go get my strap wrench with a 2 inch strap on it, put a half inch rachet on it, and turn it with all I have, but all that happened is I started to crush the filter. I have changed filters for years and have never had one I could not get off, but this s.o.b. will not even budge:damnit1: . So I called the dealership where I bought it new at, and proceded to get very vocal with them about the grease monkeys that they let wrench on my truck. After about 30 minutes they said they would come to my house and fix it in my driveway tomorrow. Is this very common on a dmax for the filter to be this tight. On all of my other vehicles I can remove it by hand, And if it is just the nature of the beast what type of filter wrench works the best?? thanks:cool:

I had the same issue with mine and bent a few wrenches trying to get it off. Went to Northern Tools and picked up a "channel lock" brand very large looking filter wrench that is designed to work with pipe also. Cost about $20 but took it off like nothing. Wish I did that first before bending my good old trusty oil filter wrenches.

In my experience it helps if the engine is warm. Not sure why though.

Ditto - When doing an oil change I now make sure the I break the filter loose before draining any oil so that I can run it to get it hot (opposed to the usual warming) if the filter is being stubborn. One time I couldn't get a filter off. Got the motor good and hot and the filter came right off.

Righty tighty, lefty loosey,:D

Nothing like a oil change that takes 2 days to make a guy grouchy:mad:

I have never had this problem, fortunately. I change the oil warm. When I put on the new filter, I go hand tight, and then 1/4 turn more. No tighter than that. Go beyond that and all you are accomplishing is squashing the gasket.

Well, well, well... Guess what I did Wednesday, fought with a stubborn oil filter too. I was...shal we say...VERY UPSET. This was the first oil change I did on this truck myself. When I bought the truck new, the dealer gave me FREE oil changes (I paid for filter) for the first 36,000mi.
Now, when I do oil changes, I pull the truck in the garage and let it set over night to let all the oil drain to the pan from the engine. Then the next day, I go to the garage and pull the plug, and let drain for about 2, 3, 4 hours (depending on temp. of the day) to be sure I got the most oil out I can (my days off are usually pretty laid back). I wish the pan had a better shape to it. It looks like it leaves about 1/4 to 1/2 of a quart in the pan. But that is another story. Then, I go back out to the garage and change the filter, reinstall the drain plug and fill with oil.
Tues./Wed. I do my usual routine. So, I go out to the garage to change the filter. I grab the biggest oil wrench that I had, which I have used many times on my '73 240Z. I put on the filter and, nothing. Tried every position, still nothing. Well time to step it up. I put a cheater pipe on it. Still nothing. Then give it one last oomph...bent wrench...KRAP!!!! Ripped a hole in the filter...KRAP!!! Oil running down the wrench...KKRRAAAPPP!!! (good thing I have a dirt floor in the garage, and "krap" was NOT the word I used).
I live in the middle of nowhere with no ride to get a wrench. I almost called the dealer to send a roll back to come and get my truck and take it to the grease gorilla who put the filter on and have him finish the oil change with my filter and oil. So, I decided...Lunch Time.
Went back to the garage and started to look around. AH..HAA...a concrete form spike. Grabbed that and a 5lb sledge. I punched a hole in the bottom of the filter to drain the oil out. Then....well...the pictures tell the rest of the story. And yes, the gasket was squashed prety bad.
Next purchase, BIG A$$ OIL FILTER WRENCH!!!!!!!!


jc

They service department where I get mine changed always tightens it up real good... This is after they didn't tighten it enough and it was dumping oil all over the place on cold days when I would first start it up.

EVERYBODY repeat after me..........Hand tighten until gasket makes contact with the housing, then turn 3/4 to 1 turn more.

well the dealership mobile service truck came today, and it took him 30 mins. to get that tight a** filter off, along with some choice words about some of the service lube techs that put it on. He told me that if one of the techs have a oil filter start to leak they get into some pretty big trouble, so to avoid this they tighten the crap out of the filter, and the next guy gets to deal with it. He changed the oil and filter for free right in my driveway, then he offered me another free oil change at the dealership, that I turned down because thats how I got into this pickle to start with. So instead I asked him to give me the oil and filter,and I would do it next time, so he went to the van and brought me the oil and filter at no cost.overall I am very satisfied with the service I recieved just wish they would hold the grease monkeys accountable for the work they perform

Dam i cant stand tight filters and deal with it on a regular basis. Good thing about being shop forman with the power to order any filters i need i let my mechanics handle it.

well the dealership mobile service truck came today, and it took him 30 mins. to get that tight a** filter off, along with some choice words about some of the service lube techs that put it on. He told me that if one of the techs have a oil filter start to leak they get into some pretty big trouble, so to avoid this they tighten the crap out of the filter, and the next guy gets to deal with it. He changed the oil and filter for free right in my driveway, then he offered me another free oil change at the dealership, that I turned down because thats how I got into this pickle to start with. So instead I asked him to give me the oil and filter,and I would do it next time, so he went to the van and brought me the oil and filter at no cost.overall I am very satisfied with the service I recieved just wish they would hold the grease monkeys accountable for the work they perform

Congrat's - good deal. Wish this dealer was in my area.