OIL FILTER BOLT OVERTIGHTENED

A DIRT WHEELS FAN WRITES: “I recently purchased a wrecked ’07 Honda Rubicon. I am slowly restoring it using some new parts and a lot of salvage parts. My problem, that I can’t solve is how to remove the oil filter when then previous owner over tightened the oil filter bolt and possibly used a 12 point socket and rounded off the hex on the oil filter bolt. And to make matters even worse, as you probably already know, the oil filter bolt sets up inside the oil filter cover recess so I can’t readily access the bolt with vice grips. My question to you Boss is, given the condition of what I have, what is the preferred method to remove the oil filter bolt and cover to change the oil filter?” – Roy Thompson, Nelsonville, OH

OUR PRO ANSWER: Well, there are three ways to go about remedying your problem and all of them will require damaging some components along the way. But, that oil filter bolt has to come out one way or another. Step 1 is to find a socket that will now tightly fit over the damaged hex of the oil filter bolt and then use a hammer to beat it onto the damaged hex. Now try to spin the bolt loose with a socket wrench. If that doesn’t work and the socket just slips we go on to Step 2. Step 2 involves using a small ball peen hammer to break the protective wall of the oil filter cover to gain access to the side of the oil filter bolt. Now try to spin loose the oil filter bolt with a small pipe wrench hoping you can get a good enough purchase on the damaged hex head. If you can then great! You only need to replace the oil filter bolt, P/N 15420-HN2-000. If you couldn’t get a good enough purchase or the oil filter bolt is still too tight to remove, then there is always Step 3! Step 3 involves a cold chisel and a hammer to shatter the oil filter cover. Once the oil filter cover is shattered, the tension is relieved from the oil filter bolt and generally you can spin the oil filter bolt out with your fingers! Step 3 will of course necessitate the replacement of the Oil Filter Cover, P/N 15411-HN2-000. Note that there is never a good way to repair stupidity.

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