GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I had to crush my oil filter with a pipe wrench to get it off my vibe's engine... I swear if I ever meet the guy/gal who put that on - I'm going to twist 'em in half.So, to bring a little humor back into my night... what do you think your factory oil filter was put on with?

Oh and to make my night purrrrrfectly sh**y...We have problems with ground squirrels in my area, they look like chipmunks - but much more destructive. Anyway, every hole I find in my yard I drop a spoonfull of "revenge" poison down. It's been very effective.However, tonight I was looking for my channel locks to get my damn oil filter off and spent quite a bit of time in my work shop (which is full of junk from a rummage sale - still). and as I'm moving things around, I get the whiff of death. Something died in my workshop, I guess that would explain the flies last month YUCK!Well, I finally get to the back of the room and locate my small craftsman tool box with my plumbing stuff in it. (All my car /home tools are in a big red locable roll around tool chest.)And the lid was open. The ground squirrel decided to get revenge on me and died in my toolbox. By the time I found him/her he was a pile of goo and bones, all over my channel locks, wrenches, and tape measure.After holding back the initial feeling to toss my lunch, I thought to myself... I wonder if sears will replace this? At least my workshop is airing out now... I found a small hole in the back where they had dug/chewed through the wall.Now I just double up the dose!

I vote that those asshats who put mine on used the f'in impact, man... Did the first oil change on mine at 1500 miles. I thought, "oh, the filter is in a decent location, so I may not have too much trouble getting that thing off..." Um, how wrong was I. Couldn't get any of the oil filter wrenches we had to work.This was like midnight in a town where everything closed prior to 6. So, I ended up having to drive 30 minutes to find a Wal*Mart and get the damn oil filter socket. Came right off with that, but wouldn't budge with anything else.

I think they had a Gorilla with an impact wrench. I don't even remember what it took to get the thing off, but I remember it wasn't easy at all.

Mine was soo tight that the filter wrench wasn't really doing much of anything. So I had to wrap a towel in between the filter and the wrench, that's when it came loose.

Had to crush mine with a large wrench to get enough grip to turn the filter. About tore my arm out of the socket trying to get it with my bare hands.

forget the filter how about the drain plug...

I took mine to my local mechanic. That was nearly 3 years ago now!

No problems here.... I used one of these suckers. Came right off. (removed)

Attached files

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »No problems here.... I used one of these suckers. Came right off. (removed) Ha ha ha, yeah - that's the way to go.

I have a steel pipe with a slot in the top end of it.And I use a 1" wide leather belt.the other end has a small hole to place a screw driver or 3/8" extention in it for leverage.I have yet to find a oil filter this can't loosen."And old trucker showed me one he made, back in the 90's to remove those big fuel filters on the semi's"I made one within a few days and have used it numerous times sense.

Mine was pretty tight..but as I forgot to bring my grip wrench (you know, the ones they have on TV with the rubber strap?) and didn't feel like shelling out cash for a wrench... I stabbed a screwdriver through the filter and used that to twist it off...worked darn well, too!I punched a hole in the bottom to drain it before I did that, of course.. The new filter is the K&N, so it has the bump so I can use one of the sockets I have..

Thats why I take mine to a service station. They get to deal with that crap, not me.

Quote, originally posted by redlava »Thats why I take mine to a service station. They get to deal with that crap, not me. Where's the adventure in letting Chuck the grease monkey (removed) and moan about your car? It's true though, I should have negotiated with the dealer for a couple of free oil changes... then I would have someone local to cuss out when the oil filter takes an act of God to remove.I have to say, the dead squirrel in my toolbox sucked worse than getting the fsckin' filter off...

Wife's Vibe just hit 2500 miles and I did her oil change... again, needed channel locks to get the damn filter off.Looks like the gasket Toyota filters have on them are just a cheap O-ring and don't compress like the rubber gaskets in most filters. This would make them more prone to leak if they were installed without the use of air tools.

I take mine back to the dealer for oil changes. The salesman through in four free oil changes if I bought the car. I am due for my second one now. Binary, I have a problem with Grey Squirrels here. But a good pellet gun keeps them in check. More fun too. And no goo.

I changed my oil for the first time at 800 miles; when I went over to Toyota to buy filters and washers, I noticed they had oil filter ratchet adapters on display right next to them. Anyway, I skipped on the Toyo adapter but noted the diameter size and then went to Walmart, where they can be had for $5. Works like a charm...

I don't think they put the customary coating of oil on the filter sealing gasket. That makes all the difference. I'll find out soon enough. Doing my 1st oil change within the next week or so.

I havent changed mine yet, but I am not looking forward now. I will get the screwdriver ready to stab through the filter when I do.

I had to use a filter wrench on mine then switched to the ones from FRAM that have the grip strip on top and have never had to use a wrench since and never had a leak.

Mine was so tight that when I stabbed a screwdriver through it, the screwdriver ripped through the metal when I tried to turn the filter. It was the longest oil change I ever performed and my throat was raw from screaming profanities. Luckily I live in the country or somebody would have phoned the cops.

Mine came right off. I had to go get a new filter wrench . mine were all too big. Easiest first time oil change I ever had.

I have no idea. Dealer gave me 9 free oil changes when I bought 'er. Only used one so far.

A 100ft lb impact gun . It was a bear to get off!!!

I did like digger, go the filter socket-Walmart- Easy, but impossible without.

any vehicle due for its first oil change is a *****.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »any vehicle due for its first oil change is a *****.Nuh-uh! Mine was pretty easy, I just handed them the keys and said, "here, change the oil!" I learned a valuable lesson from the Vibe, and chose to not bother doing this myself this time around. It's worth it to me so I can be a lazy bum, being lazy comes first, money comes second. I'll continue with letting them deal with it. But anyway, yes, a lot of truth to that statement. If it isn't the oil filter hell, you still have to deal with the surprises of how the oil is going to run out everywhere when you remove that filter. It takes a couple o' changes to get a good "system" down sometimes.

BY THE HAND OF GOD.....MY GOD that thing was hard to get off....my 06' had 1900 miles and I wanted the break-in oiloutta there....YOU WANNA KNOW HOW LONG I WAS DOWN THERE!?!no you dont.....i actually punctured it with a screwdriver tried to turn itthat way but the oil filter just started tearing apart.....finally with a vice grips and screwdriver and some "PLEASE GOD"did that thing come off....i mean DAYUM!!

Mine was a bit tight, but I got it off with not too much of a struggle.

You guy's weren't kidding, the filter was a bi*** to remove. I used a socket style wrench to remove it and had to apply so much force that the wrench got stuck to the filter. I had to pry it out with a screwdriver after it drained. I replaced it with a K/N Gold filter and Castrol Syntec 5W30.

36 inch long pipe wrench......

I just took my hand, griped it and took my left arm and put it around my wrist. Its known as the "monkey grip" and did that. It wasn't as hard as you guys made it sound like. And, im not even that big of a guy.dan

I have a few ideasCan't forget Green LanternThe Filters Must Be Tighten, yaaahoooyaaa!

Quote, originally posted by J-freakie »I just took my hand, griped it and took my left arm and put it around my wrist. Its known as the "monkey grip" and did that. It wasn't as hard as you guys made it sound like. And, im not even that big of a guy.danHrm, are you sure that was your first oil change? I'm no slouch and I spent many years turning wrenches... but then again, maybe my desk job is making me a wuss...

= no problems...

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind » = no problems... That's exactly what worked on my first one.