raikkonen

Performing my first change. 1971 911t. Does the filter loosen when turned away from me or towards me (loosen towards the front of the car or the back?) Any hints for loosening the thing? It's a Mahle, and it's only been on for a year. Thanks.

911 Rod

It would be a cruel joke if it turned clockwise for removal.
Turn counter-clockwise.
Should come off by hand. If not, use a rubber strap wrench, a chain wrench or a universal oil filter wrench. Push comes to shove you poke a screwdriver through it.
Hand tighten to put new one back on.

Allen70SSan Diego

Here's my 2 cents worth. I agree with the counterclockwise rotation, looking down toward the base, to remove. Last year the shop apparently had a gorilla install the Mahle filter in my 70S. My "universal oil filter wrench" wasn't close enough tolerance to remove it (the wrench slipped to the next flat unter the high torque). I had to use about a foot long "cheater tube" on my chain wrench handle to remove the filter. Note that you can't change your mind later if you use the screwdriver-through-the-filter approach.

kplackmeyer

Sounds like when it was put on it didn't get a thin film of fresh oil put on the gasket....

theiceman

..exactly .

lefty loosy righty tighty .... it sure can be a bear , especially if you get oil on your hands, I think the rubber strap is the safest way to go ...

raikkonen

Thanks everyone. Since my home tools are limited, I ended up driving a screwdriver through it w/ a mallet (!), and used the screwdriver to wrench it loose. It actually worked really well and came off smoothly. Thank God. As a side note, I was amazed at how much oil there was in the tank and how incredibly fast it came out. (the sump was far less dramatic!)

rbcsaver

A many years ago (15-20?), I purchased a Klein Tool called a "Grip-It," which is a strap/handle type of removal tool that I have used on all my vehicles/tractors to remove oil filters. Recently, the strap had finally worn out and I tracked down the manufacturer through the web. The result was it has a lifetime warranty, no receipts or questions, mailed it back to them and had a brand new one in a week or so. You have to love quality tools and manufacturers that support their products. All disclaimers, just a very happy customer. http://www.kleintools.com/


Regarding the screw driver technique, a friend of mine's 21+ yr old college age son couldn't remove his non-P car's filter and in a desperate attempt tried the screw driver technique, which also failed, so he thought he would drive to Walmart. You know the result. Dad ended up buying a new motor for his truck.
regards,
Steve

KC911

BTDT the first time I tried to remove mine after purchasing several years ago. None of my oil filter wrenches worked (including a rubber strap type), and the screwdriver was just ripping the filter apart without getting it loose. My solution, a pair of "Big Azz" channel lock pliers that could get a grip and remove the mangled mess of a filter (after all my other failed attempts). Since then (with me installing the filters), your basic oil filter wrench works fine. I'm glad you won!

Keith
'88 CE coupe

Jay Gratton

Glad t hear the screw driver worked. It really would have been bad if that didn't work. Then what do you do?

Glad it worked out.

911 Rod

Duct tape of course!!!!

KC911

BIG AZZ Channel locks

Peter Zimmermann

Keith's "Big Azz" channel locks were our tool of choice at the shop. They are an easy tool to use, and have plenty of leverage. We ran across numerous filters installed by others that had been put on way to tight, and the big pliers never failed us. The new filter should be installed by hand, with a thin layer of clean oil on the gasket. All of my mechanics had filter wrenches, for the most part they were never used on 911s, mainly 944s, etc. A filter wrench did come in handy for doing a minor service (oil & filter + safety inspection) on a '70s vintage car with aftermarket A/C. Access was a problem, and it took longer to move the A/C compressor off to the side than to do the service!

Edgy01

Welcome to 911 ownership and oil changes.

What I like to use for oil changes is my own modified 5-gallon paint bucket cut down so that it can get beneath the car when it's jacked up a bit and ket not spill anything. I then scribbed the inside of it to reflect numbers of quarts. here is virtually nothing in the engine compared to the oil reservoir, so always be prepared for that massive deluge. Let the bolt(s) go,--fish them out later with a magnet.

GothingNC

I had a B**** of a time removing the oil filter from my Jetta GLI.
Very tight space under the car andmy cup filter removal wrench kept slipping.

I tried the belt wrench, no luck except for the breaker bar smacking me in the forehead

Screw driver,no luck.

I ended up pucnhing a few large nailed into the sideof the filter and tapping the side of nails with a large hammer till it loosened up.

Cup oil filter removal tool worked fine on the Porsche.

John

theiceman

the first time I filled my car ( read overfilled of course ) I decided to just quickly take off the oil tank plug for a brief second to let the excess out . This was in winter at the time thinking the oil would be thicker.. no problem right ... ? needless to say the feeling of oil deluging out of the tank and down your arm inside your winter jacket is quite the feeling .... :-)