I have like almost everythign working on this montero. It has come time to do the 1st oil change. the preivous owner put the filter on rediculiouly tight. It is such a tight area to get to already and it being tight I had to mangle the filter to get it off. I did not know if yall have some easier solution to easily get the filter off and espeically so that it is not dripping all over stuff below. I was thinking about geting an oil filter relocater kit for it to make it easier. Do yall have any thoughts about this?

Hey, if you use one of those dual filter kits, think about getting it powder coated. We used to use them a lot on VW dune buggies (they only hold 2 1/2 quarts stock) and there was always oil everywhere, but we could never figure out where it was from. One of the guys had his powder-coated and that solved it. The way it was explained to me is the aluminum was porous enough to allow oil to seep thru it. I didn't believe it, but Al's car didn't have the film of oil all over it like the rest of us. FWIW. Also, always believe more oil is better.

Some people drop the "bash plate" to do it change the filter. I don't.
The filter only needs to be hand tight. One reason I don't let anyone do this. I use a plastic bag around the filter. It catches 75% of the mess. I also put a tarp under the car, then drive it a mile or two when I'm finished to get rid of any oil I've missed.

If they sit in the same position (on passside) like the gen 2 take a spring loaded punch or something and punch a small hole in the center of the filter the atmapheric <---- i spell that right <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> pressure will suck the oil out of the filter and wont drip. I just reach thru the fender well on mine since i have a body lift.

I have had my issues with oil filters too. I remember my Mitsubishi Eclipse; it was in car show conditions.
Took it to one of those Wiggly Lube and the dumb <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" /> ,(pardon my French), took the old filter off and left the gasket in place, his fault because he changed the oil before, he screwed the new filter in and when he cranked the engine oil exploded everywhere with a force that I have never seen.

They had to pressure wash the underneath of the car thoroughly for at least an hour. I mean, oil was everywhere and you had to see their service bay <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> by the time the pulled the car out of there the engine had spilled all of its liquid guts in that bunker. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

Never the less, I do the oil changes on all of my toys, push lawn mower included, <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> and the best tool I have found to remove the oil filter is this one:


take the little red things off and it doesn't matter how stubborn the oil filter is, this thing put such a monkey grip on it that you can flip the car upside down if your bicep and you arthritis lets you. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Javy