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Best Oil Filter Wrench...... EVER!

D

djkeev

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
1,223
Location
North Western New Jersey
I had one of these for decades but the spring fatigued and broke off at the attachment point.
This wrench performed without a miss or slip. The harder you turned, the tighter the spring winds itself on the filter body until it breaks loose.

Anyway, after it broke, Like a darn fool, I tossed it and then began looking for a new one........Ah......No!

I now have oil filter wrenches coming out my WaZoo!
I've got the cups, I've got straps, I've got ones with handles that tighten a steel band as you pull, I've got the three fingered ones that tighten as you turn, but NONE of them has ever worked as well as this spring design.

Scarcer than Hens teeth they are.

I finally stumbled upon one on a Web site and ordered one, Performance Tool W272. I only paid $3 from Tool Town USA.

The W272 is the bigger version, I needed the smaller W271 as well (up to 3") again no luck, went to the manufacturers web site but they apparently discontinued it!
Did finally find one at Mid-American Tool, but it's on close out and had to call. I've got two on the way!

Why do the best deigns fade away?!?

I'm set for the rest of my life having sourced these two wrenches. :)
Just thought I'd share the information in case anyone else would like to source the worlds best oil filter wrenches before they are gone forever!

5ECF536E-DB86-46AF-BFC1-40007C7F1D8F-922-0000011A24AD5918.jpg


Dave
 
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fatfillup

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Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
10,271
Location
Finksburg, Md
You ask why good designs fade away. Don't know about others but that wrench, even though it may work great, just looks hokey. Sitting on a shelf at the auto parts store, I would pass right over it unless someone I respected said it was great. If they were sold off the tool truck, and the salesman touted the features, they may have sold better and more folks would know about them. My guess is it wasn't marketed well enough.
 
A

aaronld

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2010
Messages
108
Location
North Arkansas
Wow, Tool Town USA is out of Branson, Missouri. I am going to have to stop by there this weekend and check it out.
 
W

woody 73

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Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
11,540
Location
The Great State Up North
It looks like a nice mouse trap...but the best of the best of the best at least in my eyes was a oil filter wrench from Facom untill mine walked away.:( It had a band on a handle and on the bottom of the handle it had a knob that you turned and the band got tighter; best oil filter wrench in the whole world.
 
G

Gary S

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
2,972
Location
Bismarck, ND
I've never needed anything fancy.
40+ years ago I bought the cup style that grabs the filter from the end by the flat sides. It has worked perfectly for me that long, so I'm not in the market for a new one yet.
 
P

Pumpman1968

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Messages
1,520
Location
Upstate, NY
How long did you search under that car before you found it? I got lucky and opened the box so I knew what to look for. Score another one for GM...plastic plug into a metal cup. Good thing GM doesn't make planes!
 
R

rickhigginshtbr

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Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
1,551
Location
Lower Bucks, PA
I just make sure I buy filters that have a hex on the bottom and use the cup sockets for my vette... my grand am has the replaceable element that I snagged a small 22mm aluminum wrench for.
 
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D

dirtmister16

Banned
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
696
Location
wisconsin
i have a lisle strap wrench, and few of standard band wrenches. never needed anything else, maybe just work on the good stuff?
 
F

fm2176

Well-known member
Joined
May 30, 2011
Messages
456
Location
Down South
I've been using a pair of Matco(I think) oil filter pliers for years. They work well and can grab some awkwardly placed filters.
 
M

metaleltr

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
2,680
Location
Western Ohio
djkeev said:
Yeah, it's funny how we are returning to replaceable elements. Seems the pendulum has swung! Such a mess they are! Hey! That's why the spin on was invented!! ............ Duh!

Dave
Click to expand...

I have changed numerous spin on's and one replaceable element(BMW). Frankly the BMW was easier and cleaner than any spin on element. With a spin on filter there is always a bunch of oil that has to drain out before removal, in the replaceable element the oil had already drained back into the crankcase leaving but a couple small drops to contend with.
 
H

Hammell

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2012
Messages
296
Location
Canada
PCO6 said:
And probably forgets to lubricate the seal. :dunno:
Click to expand...

Yes, that too. Doesnt make it fun for the next guy. Im fairly strong, with the pliers I can get 95 % of filters off, mainly heavy equipment. The worst filter I had to take off (Hitachi hoe) took a 18in pry bar threw it, and a 1 1/2 wrench on the end of that for leverage. Swear words were spoken that day..
 
S

Steve_P

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
5,181
shockwave said:
That is by far the best filter wrench I have used for any spin on oil filter I use the larger one more often for ford trucks unless it is a canister filter where ast works best
Click to expand...

+50 for the Lisle. I have both sizes; they're made in USA, and budget priced. Some cars have limited access and you have no room for the old style strap wrench (which I have but now never use) or pliers, but these always fit and have never failed me.
 
P

PCO6

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Messages
4,573
Location
Newmarket, Ontario
Hammell said:
Yes, that too. Doesnt make it fun for the next guy. Im fairly strong, with the pliers I can get 95 % of filters off, mainly heavy equipment. The worst filter I had to take off (Hitachi hoe) took a 18in pry bar threw it, and a 1 1/2 wrench on the end of that for leverage. Swear words were spoken that day..
Click to expand...
Ha Ha ... that all sounds familiar! :lol:
 
B

BDT/NWMN

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Messages
3,762
Location
Erskine, Mn
djkeev said:
I had one of these for decades but the spring fatigued and broke off at the attachment point.
This wrench performed without a miss or slip. The harder you turned, the tighter the spring winds itself on the filter body until it breaks loose.

Anyway, after it broke, Like a darn fool, I tossed it and then began looking for a new one........Ah......No!

I now have oil filter wrenches coming out my WaZoo!
I've got the cups, I've got straps, I've got ones with handles that tighten a steel band as you pull, I've got the three fingered ones that tighten as you turn, but NONE of them has ever worked as well as this spring design.

Scarcer than Hens teeth they are.

I finally stumbled upon one on a Web site and ordered one, Performance Tool W272. I only paid $3 from Tool Town USA.

The W272 is the bigger version, I needed the smaller W271 as well (up to 3") again no luck, went to the manufacturers web site but they apparently discontinued it!
Did finally find one at Mid-American Tool, but it's on close out and had to call. I've got two on the way!

Why do the best deigns fade away?!?

I'm set for the rest of my life having sourced these two wrenches. :)
Just thought I'd share the information in case anyone else would like to source the worlds best oil filter wrenches before they are gone forever!

5ECF536E-DB86-46AF-BFC1-40007C7F1D8F-922-0000011A24AD5918.jpg


Dave
Click to expand...

Dang you Dave!!!! NOW I'm on a mission for ANOTHER tool that I didn't know about.. I have seven different kinds of filter removal tools, but nothing like that....
Some of the fuel filters on semi trucks end up in cramped quarters... I could use a 12" extension and ratchet on that tool... Hope I can get one the correct size
 
OP
D

djkeev

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
1,223
Location
North Western New Jersey
metaleltr said:
I have changed numerous spin on's and one replaceable element(BMW). Frankly the BMW was easier and cleaner than any spin on element. With a spin on filter there is always a bunch of oil that has to drain out before removal, in the replaceable element the oil had already drained back into the crankcase leaving but a couple small drops to contend with.
Click to expand...


With all due respect, it's not so neat, at least not on the German cars (Mercedes, Audi)
You unscrew the Plastic housing using a 36mm socket and ratchet handle, pull up the cover with the dripping filter (catching the drips with a rag) put the dripping mess on the bench, pull out the old filter with your hands or a rag, deposit it in a container to drain fully, get a pair of needle nose pliers, pull out the old seal in the cover, oil up the new one getting your fingers oily, insert into slot, get pick, pull off old seal from engine oil filter housing, oil new seal and install, slip new filter into cover and seat, screw on cover, get out torque wrench, set to 25Nm, tighten cover, now clean and put away, 1) needle nose pliers, 2) pick, 3) 36mm socket, 4) 1/2-3/4" socket drive adapter, 5) 1/2" drive ratchet, 6) torque wrench, 7) clean up oily mess on bench...........yeah, this is a whole lot easier and neater than a spin on! :rocker:

Dave
 
A

aka Larry

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
8,011
Location
Eastern, NC
djkeev said:
With all due respect, it's not so neat, at least not on the German cars (Mercedes, Audi)
You unscrew the Plastic housing using a 36mm socket and ratchet handle, pull up the cover with the dripping filter (catching the drips with a rag) put the dripping mess on the bench, pull out the old filter with your hands or a rag, deposit it in a container to drain fully, get a pair of needle nose pliers, pull out the old seal in the cover, oil up the new one getting your fingers oily, insert into slot, get pick, pull off old seal from engine oil filter housing, oil new seal and install, slip new filter into cover and seat, screw on cover, get out torque wrench, set to 25Nm, tighten cover, now clean and put away, 1) needle nose pliers, 2) pick, 3) 36mm socket, 4) 1/2-3/4" socket drive adapter, 5) 1/2" drive ratchet, 6) torque wrench, 7) clean up oily mess on bench...........yeah, this is a whole lot easier and neater than a spin on! :rocker:

Dave
Click to expand...

I agree with Dave. The cartridge ******** on my 2.3L Fusion was a huge PITA. I could remove the drain plug on the filter housing and let it drain for an hour and it would still make a mess when the main cover was removed.

Notice I said was a problem, because as soon as the warranty was up I replaced it with a spin on type from an early model Mazda 3. IIRC it was like $80 and involved 2 bolts and a gasket.
 
W

woody 73

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
11,540
Location
The Great State Up North
Apologize for the rant:

Dear Mr./Ms. Japanese Automotive Engineer,

I hope you are sleeping good at night in your cozy bed somewhere in Japan, because I want you to know I am cursing the day you designed the oil filter can in the worst possible place under the hood of the 2007 Highlander.

What in heck were you thinking that day? Did you have some kind of bad argument with your spouse?, did your neighbor yell at you?, did your kids throw up on your oriental rug or worse yet did your Mother-in-law come for a six month visit? I want to know just what you were thinking that very day at your drawing board?

Because I must tell you it just ***** trying to get your arm contorted giving your hand about .0001 inch of room to move let alone fooling around with any special tools.

I only hope that one day you have to change your car oil outside in the snow and your hand gets stuck and you are dying to use the bathroom:wtf:

Sincerely,

Woody
 
X

xurusaibobx

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
365
woody 73 said:
Apologize for the rant:

Dear Mr./Ms. Japanese Automotive Engineer,

I hope you are sleeping good at night in your cozy bed somewhere in Japan, because I want you to know I am cursing the day you designed the oil filter can in the worst possible place under the hood of the 2007 Highlander.

What in heck were you thinking that day? Did you have some kind of bad argument with your spouse?, did your neighbor yell at you?, did your kids throw up on your oriental rug or worse yet did your Mother-in-law come for a six month visit? I want to know just what you were thinking that very day at your drawing board?

Because I must tell you it just ***** trying to get your arm contorted giving your hand about .0001 inch of room to move let alone fooling around with any special tools.

I only hope that one day you have to change your car oil outside in the snow and your hand gets stuck and you are dying to use the bathroom:wtf:

Sincerely,

Woody
Click to expand...


you my friend havent work on a mbenz or a audi they tend to put the filters in even more stupid locations
 
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