Oil Filter Wrench for my Miata?
Dave Nicholson
Not only are the filters hard to reach, but they seem to be a smaller
diameter than the standard ones.
Andy L.
to wiggle your arm through to get leverage, or go through the wheel well.
Aradia
: Dave Nicholson wrote:
: > Does anyone know where I can find an Oil Filter Wrench for my Miata?
: >
: > Not only are the filters hard to reach, but they seem to be a smaller
: > diameter than the standard ones.
:
: I change my filter without the use of a wrench. You just have
: to wiggle your arm through to get leverage, or go through the wheel well.
Saturday I changed Juliette's oil for the first time (bonding moment!).
Heck, I didn't even have Nikita long enough, so Juliette was also my first
Miata oil change. Needless to say, I was scared shitless by all the horror
stories about getting to the oil filter. *chuckle*
I found it much easier to simply reach in with my hand instead of trying
to get the wrench in, and luckily the filter was only hand-tight (yay!).
Though it was some weird non-Mazda thing. Oh well. =) I had her up on
ramps, so the wheels were straight, but I easily slid my arm behind the
passenger wheel to get to the filter. Ok, sure, it drooled all over the
engine. So sue me. But dammit, I got it out and a new one back on. =D
Of course, if you REALLY need a wrench, go to Dealer Alt (www.dlralt.com)
and get one from Bill and Teri. (No affiliation, et cetera =)
-- Sean...
RIP, Nikita red'90
Juliette red'90
--------------------------- ara...@teleport.com ---------------------------
"You call this religion? You shoot each other in the head...
Is it worth your holy mission, when you're counting all your dead?"
-- GrimSkunk
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leon van Dommelen
>Does anyone know where I can find an Oil Filter Wrench for my Miata?
>
>Not only are the filters hard to reach, but they seem to be a smaller
>diameter than the standard ones.
Mazda has a tool that fits on a ratchet wrench. Try
www.roebuckmazda.com
Leon
--
Leon van Dommelen, Human Bozo, the scratched 96 Sebring Miata
------------------- Have Miata, wish I could travel -----------------
REMOVE THE "z"s -> domm...@zmiata.net www.eng.fsu.edu/~dommelen
IrmoSC2
put duct tape on the old filter to improve my grip. It also provides a cooler
surface if you've warmed up the oil for changing. Stick the tape on in a
"scrunched up" manner (better hand grip) completely around the perimeter of the
filter; and do it before putting hands on the filter .. the tape will adhere
better.
H.U.W.
'91 Red 'B'
Columbia, SC
Kevin Rem
> I found it much easier to simply reach in with my hand instead of trying
> to get the wrench in, and luckily the filter was only hand-tight (yay!).
Unless it is your first change. First time I "tried" to change the oil
on my '99 I couldn't get the filter off. Finally gave up and took it to
the corner lube place... I guess the factory got a deal on impact
wrenches. <g> After about 45 minutes they finally got it off. I made
sure they put the new one on hand tight :^).
Kevin - missing Kermit
P.S. We need to develop a Miata "patch". It's been a week without my
baby and I'm really starting to fiend...
--
I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in
the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.
--Frank Sinatra
Erase "REMOVETHIS" from address to reply.
garth libre
Mazda oil filter that has been properly tightened. The correct tightening
routine is not "hand tight" or "plenty tight" but 7/8 of a turn after the
rubber gasket first touches the mounting surface. That is after it just
barely touches. My grip is strong enough to cause physical pain for ham
handed monsters during frequent macho moron work contests, in other words my
grip is strong. I do mechanics, lift weights and kayak long distances. You
simply can not remove a hot filter that has so tightened. Please do yourself
a favor and get a 5 dollar wrench that fits the end of your socket wrench.
It works well, is cheap, and should end all duct tape type disscussions
here.
Leon van Dommelen <domm...@zmiata.net> wrote in message
news:37c911aa...@206.214.99.7...
IrmoSC2
wrench prior to my first change. The local stores were out of that size, so I
went ahead without it and have never gone back for that wrench. True, the
filter is quite snug, but under steady hand torque it begins to creep.. and
voila! No "ham fists" here... just a wimpy engineer :)
Mr. Duct Tape
'91 red "B"
BHotaling
with the filter. Well, one person's correct is silly to another. I've never
tightened any Miata filter beyond hand tight and by now I think I can say I've
done close to 50 or so. They come off with some minor grunting by hand. And
as for the thing being too hot to touch...here's an idea... wait til it cools a
bit! Sometimes in our efforts to be perfect we can border on the absurb.
<smile, it's Thursday>
Bob in Orlando
Frank Sawin
It's always best to drain the oil when it's hot from the engine having been
run. Supposedly the contaminants are suspended in the oil. It's always more
challenging also. The oil filter wrench or socket helps keep your hands off
the filter. I guess it just depends on what you are comfortable with, the main
thing is to change the oil and the filter at 3,000 - 5,000 mile intervals.
Frank
Aradia
: Bob,
I drained the oil when it was VERY hot. Couldn't touch the oil pan because
it was so hot. I let the drain plug drop in the oil, then fished it out
later with needle-nose pliers and wiped it off on a shop towel. No big
deal. For the filter, I used a shop towel (the really thick blue paper
towels), folded it up into fourths, and had no problems holding the
filter. Tightened it until the gasket came into contact, then went around
1/2 to 3/4 past (maybe more?), until it was just tight enough that it took
a bit of work to unscrew again (I tightened it, then tried untightening it
to make sure you could still get it off by hand, then tightened it back
up).
BHotaling
>run. Supposedly the contaminants are suspended in the oil. It's always more
>challenging also. The oil filter wrench or socket helps keep your hands off
>the filter.
*fully agree...I was being a bit over critical but I was laughing so hard. I'm
an old fart, I've been changing oil for a lotta' years...even worked as a
mechanic for 6 years at one stretch...and sorta' do now. And I can't disagree
that suspension is more likely in hot oil but the oil will be plenty warm by
the time the filter cools to the touch...and yes, shop rags and needle nose
plyers are beautiful things too :)
Realistically, at the rates we change oil...at least as attested and
recommended here...unless we get a major meltdown of some sort, there's not
going to be much metal to be found during a Miata oil change...we are talking
Miatas?
Be well, and don't get burned! <smile>
Bob in Orlando
ALYSONSDAD
storm drain? Put in 3 liter Pepsi bottles and give to the garbage man?
Jim Carr
>
>Kinda on the same theme, how do you get rid of your used oil? Pour it down
>the storm drain? Put in 3 liter Pepsi bottles and give to the garbage man?
Neither. Take it to an oil recycling station.
Note that the water that goes into a storm drain either (1) goes
directly into some local body of water without any treatment or
(2) is combined with sewage and sent to the sewage treatment plant.
Putting materials like oil into either of these places is bad.
Although your landfill may be designed to handle oil, why bury
it when it can be turned back into petrochemical products?
--
James A. Carr <j...@scri.fsu.edu> | Commercial e-mail is _NOT_
http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~jac/ | desired to this or any address
Supercomputer Computations Res. Inst. | that resolves to my account
Florida State, Tallahassee FL 32306 | for any reason at any time.
Dave Christian
The first time I changed my oil, I got under the hood and tried
to get the filter off by hand.
No luck. Plus, it was a tight fit and my arm was getting scaped up
pretty good.
I got my oil filter "remover" (sort of a wrap-around piece of metal
with a socket attachment on it) and tried that. My filter was too
small.
I got in the car and went to Pep Boys and bought an attachment that
fit on the top of the filter. Came back, tried it, but the filter
was too small.
Back to Pep Boys for another device. Tried it, no luck. Took it
back, got refund.
I went back to my original tool and had a "little" success, but it
basically crushed the filter, but didn't remove it.
Now what!
I was TICKED! I had been at it for, honestly, 3+ hours.
In frustration, I jammed my hand through the wires and such, grabbed
that damn filter, and started turning.
Off it came!
My wife said "Congratulations Hercules!"
I held up the oil filter, with oil and blood running down my arm
(I had cut myself in 2 places with my vigor) and declared Victory!
Ugh.
In article <7q399o$iva$1...@gaddy.interpath.net>, doo...@dooksucks.com
says...
> know what? in 220k miles over 8 years and two vehicles, i've never once
> used a filter wrench and never once had a leak. yes, i use my hands.
>
> kjt
>
> garth libre <rabb...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
> news:7q34e4$ipm$1...@nntp8.atl.mindspring.net...
--
Dave Christian
Go ahead a spam me. I'll just knock you off like
the other 89!
Dennis Brown
ALYSONSDAD <alyso...@aol.com> wrote:
>Kinda on the same theme, how do you get rid of your used oil? Pour it down the
>storm drain? Put in 3 liter Pepsi bottles and give to the garbage man?
Some auto stores, like Advance Auto, will take it for free--just go in and
dump it in their container. Also, our local dump has a huge container for
used oil, and it's also free.
Next question, what to do with coolant? I haven't found anyone who takes
it. Someone told me that it's easily cleaned out of water at sewage
treatment plants, BUT, I have a well (so if I dumped it down the drain it
would definitely pollute the groundwater), and I'm not inclined to
believe that I would just dump it into city wastewater anyway...
--
Dennis Brown brownde @ cs.unc.edu
1997 Chevy S-10 Sportside (sport brown) 1990 Mazda Miata (red of course)
1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula WS6 (yellow) 1980 Chevy Monza (primer)
See my boring cars page at ns2.apmtech.com/dbrown/personal/carstuff
Nothing I say is officially endorsed by UNC. Hooray for alumni accounts!
dookie
Jim Carr
Whatever you do, do not put it anywhere that animals can get at
it. They will drink it because it is sweet, and it will kill them.
I don't recall if they collect it separately during our biannual
"toxic waste days", but they take batteries and other goodies so
they probably have a way to handle it.