Can't get oil filter off. Help?

I have the K&N oil filter and both kind of wrenches that fit over the filter. Niether will unloosen the oil filter.

K&N has that little bolt on the nose of the filter, but I have twisted that hollow piece of metal (it's not a real bolt) off.

I'm currently drilling into the filter as close to the nose as possible.
I've made the entry hole but no luck getting the exit hole.

I just love the idea that I may be drilling holes at some critical engine part that sticks down into the filter!

Can anyone offer some advice?

Good News! I went to the other side of the bike and drilled the exit hole in from the outside!
then, i put the thickest screwdriver shaft through both holes and turn.... done!

Wow... I didn't think I'd put that on nearly that tight last time... I remember thinking.... don't over tighten!.... and
still it was a fight today.


StratTuner's garage ... "home of the three-hour oil change!"

Use a beefy phillips screwdriver and a hammer. Bash it through the filter can near the end away from the engine, and use it as a lever to loosen the filter.

Looks like we posted at the same time.

Possible reasons it was so tight:
Gasket was not oiled before you installed that filter,
You turned it quite a lot further/tighter than you were supposed to,
The gasket material on those is particularly 'sticky' or 'grabby.'

I don't know about that last one. I've only used K&N oil filters 1 or 2 times in my life.

Hmmm.... makes me look bad...but....
it just occurred to me.... the manual says you should run the engine for 3 minutes BEFORE changing the oil...
that could be it... didn't do that.

That's just to heat the oil so it'll drain faster. I don't think it would make any difference in getting the filter off. My last one ended up totally destroyed and my dad had to do it because I just can't get enough force on the thing. Even with an oil filter wrench it takes way more to get the thing off than it does to put it on.

I almost had to impale my last filter on a philips, but I would rather have to do that than deal with a filter put on too loose. I love the nut on the K&N filters, and I buy them just for that.

buckshot said:

I almost had to impale my last filter on a philips, but I would rather have to do that than deal with a filter put on too loose. I love the nut on the K&N filters, and I buy them just for that.

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I notice that the "nut" on the K&N at the nose also has a hole drilled through it. I'll try running a thin screwdriver through that next time before destroying that faux nut with vice grips.

StratTuner said:

Good News! I went to the other side of the bike and drilled the exit hole in from the outside!
then, i put the thickest screwdriver shaft through both holes and turn.... done!

Wow... I didn't think I'd put that on nearly that tight last time... I remember thinking.... don't over tighten!.... and
still it was a fight today.


StratTuner's garage ... "home of the three-hour oil change!"

Click to expand...

Yup, that's how it's done.

Had one that I crushed completely with a strap wrench before, surefire way to get them off is to drive a spike (screw driver) through them for leverage. No need to be gentle with the old oil filters.

Make sure to lube up the gasket on the new one before you put it on.

StratTuner said:

I notice that the "nut" on the K&N at the nose also has a hole drilled through it. I'll try running a thin screwdriver through that next time before destroying that faux nut with vice grips.

Click to expand...

That little hole is for lock-wiring the filter to a solid point on the vehicle so it can't back off.



An extremely common practice in aviation. I've never felt the need to bother with lock-wiring parts on my bikes, aside from the grips on my WR. If you want to take advantage of what K&N has provided you, go for it. You can find lock-wire twisting pliers for around $20 from most online bike stores, and they should have the wire too. Though the best wire comes from aviation sources. Aircraft Spruce comes to mind, and .032 wire is the size you'd want.

anglachel said:

Yup, that's how it's done.
Make sure to lube up the gasket on the new one before you put it on.

Click to expand...

Don't I know it! One of the first K&N filters had a defective gasket (part missing) that the mechanic didn't catch.
He didn't see it because he didn't take the O-ring out, examine it, and coat it with oil.
My NC sprayed oil in big puddles and left a trail of oil all over the place! (ruined the back tire...lost almost all traction)

Now, I take the ring out, inspect it carefully, coat it, and put it back.....EVERY Time!

You can always use the screwdriver trick. http://nc700-forum.com/forum/how-tos/3778-oil-change.html