2 Hour, 5 minute Jobs

[tenpolequint]

You must have undertaken one of those five minute jobs that all goes Pete Tong. I thought I would just change the oil on my new Frontera as it probably has not had any care for a few thousand miles. I was right only 2^1/2 litres came out of the sump, obviously there is more in the old filter plus the odd quarter of a litre spilled in the process.
So next take off the old filter which I could reach fine although the fan blades guoged into my arm ... but it would not budge. Ok I thought if I take the engine guard off then it will be easier to reach but I found the guard was held on by t50 torque bolts. I only have t40 and t55  :? . So off round a friends to borrow his set. Then when I tried to undo the bolts I found the previous person to undo the bolts also did not have a T50 torque head and had gouged out one of the bolts making it impossible to undo with the torque bit I had. Out come the mull grips but being a round headed bolt I could not get a bite on it. So I gave up trying to remove the engine guard for now and put it under my already mounting list of things to do.
So I tried to attack the oil filter from above. Not having an oil filter remover I had to use the good old fashioned method of hammering a screwdriver through the oil filter to give some leverage to twist the damn thing off. This was difficult as the fan was in the way but after hammering the screw driver through it would still not twist off, all that happened was my screw driver bent and the filter casing tore. After much cussing I got my sister in law to see if her ex had a filter remover, he did but someone had borrowed it and not returned it and he could not remember who it was(must remember to return those torque bits).
He came round also armed with a screw driver and hammered it through from under neath extremely fiddly. He said its not turning but just before giving up it started to turn. Phew. The thread was fine I think the oil filter never had a film of oil on the face and the rubber seal was sticking to the engine. But 2 hours off flaffing about just for an oil change!

[carbore]

Glad you got there in the end.

I now only use a quality filter remover that is a bar with a round strap that goes round the filter then you turn the bar to tighten the metal strap. I think its a halfords professional one. My elise is very tight especially due to oil cooler etc and its works fine every time.

I have found that old fashioned chain wrinches need too much room to work in, those rubber strap boa things are even worse as they streach.

I would never ever use a scredriver as you cant guarantee where the thras are and modern filters are too soft anyway!

[tenpolequint]

The metal strap can get a tight grip then?

[Disco Matt]

My towbar nearly turned into one of those - one of the lower nuts just didn't want to move. I ended up lifting and lowering the towbar which eventually worked it loose, then carried on with a spanner. The bolt was persuaded out with copious Plusgas and belting the tie-down ring with a hammer!

[TDi90]

its always the case with me. you never know how long the job is going to be.
many a time i have sat in the garage swearing at the landy because a half hour job is taking 3.
take wheel bearing for example.
one side - half an hour caliper comes off lovely shims come off quick new ones in greased bob is my uncle.
t'other side - 3 @!*@!* hours, because the caliper bolt shears, then the shims wont come out, then the new ones wont go in, and when you think your nearing the end and slide it back on the shaft it wont fit, so you take it all apart again and swear some more as to why it wont fit and so on.
a recent one of a collection.

then someone tells you you have used the wrong type of grease  just dont even go there. guess what im doing next week.
R

[Tommo]

Yep, so next time you moan about being ripped off by a local garage just remember how often stuff goes pear shaped!

[Disco Matt]

This is why I tend to pass the more awkward jobs to the local garage - they have things like air impact wrenches and grinders to deal with the problems!  :lol:

[carbore]

The metal strip works great, firstlt I dont the the filter body is round, secondly it has little dents/dots in it that grab on.  That said I have never used it on anything thats not been well maintained (yes, till I go for the SeriesIII as I have not serviced it yet.)

I agree about garrages but I allways end up buying tools, its amazing how you allways need another one. (last was a 115mm grinder as my other one is too big and scares me!)