I decided to try and do the first oil change on my 4.7L Toyota Tundra myself, since I used to do them on my Xterra all the time. Everything was going along fine until it came time for me to remove the oil filter. This bitch is stuck good. I have tried everything I can think of to remove it and nothing is working. Oil filter wrenches, even the old screwdriver thru the filter trick....nothing. I'm too the point now where the filter is starting to crush, which i'm sure will make future attempts even harder.

I'm not sure what to do and i'm beyond frustrated. I can't even give up and take the truck to the garage, cause it has no oil in it and a destroyed filter that won't hold anything.

Can anyone help?

Sounds like a dry filter gasket.

I would try and continune with the screwdriver.
grab the filter and the screwdriver with a set of channel locks and twist it off.
the filter will get destroyed but your pretty much there now.
I have had to cut the end off the filters and stuff a peice of wood inside to stop the filter from crushing any more.

and only once, I had to chisel the filter base off the block

Once off lube the new filter gasket with oil and only turn 1/4 past hand tight,.. MAX

Good luck,
I have the factory sockets for the filters, they fit a little tighter than the aftermarkets.
worth the price though

Well just when I had lost all hope, I went down to Harbor Freight (glad one of those finally opened here in town) and picked up a Locking Oil Filter Wrench. It did the trick and I was able to complete the oil change. Thanks for your help!

Glad it worked out

Glad that worked out and you got it off Micah..


I had that happen once on my Xterra. I had to use the screw driver method as well to get it off. I had to totally mutulate it. But now I use one of those strap wrenches with good results.

I did puncture it first with a claw hammer trying to get it to spin. I had to try 3 different filter clamps. I finally found one small enough to do the job. lol

For future reference...I had a stuck filter once. My Dad and I cut the can off the filter after I had crushed it (carefully so you don't cut the adapter off the engine) and used a punch in the holes on the end of the filter. Carefully, and with a big enough punch (don't get greedy and carried away here) you can tap the filter end cap off the threaded adapter on the engine. This is pretty much a last resort though...