A quick service I thought tonight - its done 10K since I did a big service on it, and I got an air filter, some plugs, oil, and an oil filter a few weeks ago so I thought I would make a go of it tonight.

Did the air filter in 5 mins, incl cleaning the airbox. Dropped the oil after a quick 5 min spin in the car round the block. Came to the oil filter - I got the usual belt removal tool (tried by hand first but no luck), and tried to release it for 10 mins. Absolutely nothing, I then tried a mole wrench, on the bolt at the end of the filter, nothing, its rock solid. I then tried another wrench, and a hammer - and still nothing, despite trying for 30 mins.

The garage I use have put this one on dead tough. I gave the chap a ring and he said fill it with oil and run it for 10 mins, and then see if I could slacken it off after - still nothing. He said he will look at it seeing as they fitted it last time, for nothing. Though I still end up wasting 3.5 litres of oil! Anyone had this problem before? :(

Are you turning it the right way :P

hmmm, wonder if the original fitter lost the rubber seal and used some sort of sealant that's now baked on.

Occasionally I've tried (successfully) using the desperate last way out: push a large screwdriver right through the filter. Gives good leverage.

Caution: Not to close to the engine! The short pipe going into the filter may be damaged. And of course, should it fail you'll need to tow the car to a garage (no oil pressure anymore)

Good call mate. I've never known a filter not come off after the "big f*ck-off screwdriver through it" treatment. It's a last resort though, cos it's messy, never mind the scenario if it fails to shift the filter.

How tight do you guys put the oil filters on when renewing? I put mine on quite tightish as at the time I believed a leak was coming from there (becoming worried it won't come off when I want it to now). I did oil the rubber seal though. Haynes says to do it hand tight only, but I think the filter itself said to put it on tightly and check for leaks with engine running.

I normally oil the rubber seal first then screw up hand tight until the filter mates up to the filter housing, then give it one-quarter turn tight, run the engine and check for leaks/tighten up 1/8 turn at a time if necessary.

I follow the same procedure as JRHartley, have never had any problem with leaks afterwards: Hand tight + 1/4 turn or so. Never use a removal tool when tightening! The rubber seal may get damaged.

Yes I do the same - however the garage did it last time (!) so god knows what treatment they gave it! hehe.

I m turning anticlockwise - towards the alternator, I trust thats right!?

My dad suggested the hammer and screw driver through the filter - though I wasn't keen as I need the car for meetings etc. And yep I would have to get towed to a garage to get the rest of it off if that didn't work out!

Cheers for your advice.

I've used a screwdriver before but i'd only recommend it as a last resort, in fact recommend is the wrong word really.

yeah, they should only be hand tight when you fit a new one...

you could also try a big **** off pair of water pump pliers on it... the screwdriver trick should be your last resort

Hand tight only, but the rubber seal should be oiled first so it tightens easily.

Screwdriver through it may loosen it, but it's not guaranteed. The filter bodies are made of very thin steel these days, and the screwdriver may just rip a big hole before it turns the filter.

The best tool I have is a chain wrench with a 1/2" drive socket in a hex nut on the chain. As you turn the nut, it winds the chain round it and tightens more and more on the filter body. A filter that I spent nearly an hour on with all the previous methods came off ridiculously easily using this tool. About £10 from Halfords. Pic attached.

Hand tight only, but the rubber seal should be oiled first so it tightens easily.

Screwdriver through it may loosen it, but it's not guaranteed. The filter bodies are made of very thin steel these days, and the screwdriver may just rip a big hole before it turns the filter.

The best tool I have is a chain wrench with a 1/2" drive socket in a hex nut on the chain. As you turn the nut, it winds the chain round it and tightens more and more on the filter body. A filter that I spent nearly an hour on with all the previous methods came off ridiculously easily using this tool. About £10 from Halfords. Pic attached.

Thanks for that - I have been trying all sorts of methods after starting with my dad's belt version of that. None have worked, luckily at the moment it isn't leaking, and I am going to let the garage sort it as they fitted it last.

Mind you I might consider that as a purchase in the future.

I had lots of success when chainging my oil filter last time using the big f-off screw driver method... tried every other way of getting it off but it was on ther real tight... so out came the big flat head... had it off in seconds...

But as said above... use this method with caution!!!

Good luck.