PADZZ

My truck is sitting here with no oil in it except for what's in the filter....I can NOT get this fricking thing off.....no room for leverage, no room for a wrench...now, I'm not the weakest person in the world..bench 330 lbs weighing only 180...man they cranked this thing on. Any suggestions? I'm stuck in my own driveway . There's no room to get both my hands in there....I don't want to just change the oil and not the filter....but that may be what I'm forced to do. :'( :'(<br>

Commatoze

If you have another set of wheels, get to an auto parts place Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc, and buy a four dollar strap wrench, the kind with the 1/2&quot; square tube. Bring the strap up under the can to the very top. Take up the slack, and attach your 1/2&quot; ratchet and use some kind of a breaker bar. A piece of black iron pipe over the handle worked for me. Grunt! It'll come loose. The extension handle is the key for leverage.

Tom Hybiske

pappyman

I use a nylon band strap wrench that takes a 1/2&quot; drive...postion it at the top of the filter (strongest part) then use a long extension and a 1/2&quot; breaker bar and maybe a cheater on the end and lay under the truck and break it loose...some of these filter get real tight and are a bear to break loose...good luck

Commatoze guess we where typing at the same time :

BRDIESEL

Hold the PHONE. You need to buy a cup filter to change it on an 03. You access it from the bottom with the cup filter,<br>extension and rachet. The new filters are fluted on the bottom<br>and the cup fits on the end like most filters. There is no room to use the old band style on the 03`s :'(

PADZZ

Thanks for the quick replies <br><br>BRDIESEL...that's what I was thinking....There is simply no room for any kind of strap wrench up there....I've tried two seperate wrenches...Now I have to wait for the wife to get home from lunch before I can go to the store.<br>Also, any torque specs for either the filter or the drain plug? The plug seemed pretty loose on there.<br> On another note-these things sure do take alot of oil. I'll be using Rotella for her 1st change...5,100 miles. Go to Rotella synthetic at 10K..sound about right?

BRDIESEL

I use the Valvoline Cummins Blue ;D <br>I`m not sure of torque specs on the drain plug but the filters are 3/4 turn after contact with seal.<br>I do it by feel. Snung on both and recheck for leaks after 25 miles.

Mr.Goat

PADZZ<br><br> My mechanic had a time getting my filter off. He worked at it from below with various types of filter wrenchs, and what ever extensions he could slip over the handles.<br> I swear some smart at the cummins plant is putting them on with a 4' pipe wrench. Good Luck, and watch your knuckles. Pete

PADZZ

Wow...what an ordeal. Finally got it done, after 3 trips into town. Don't know what they were thinking with that filter. Atleast next time it'll be a breeze. I used about 18&quot; :worth of extensions and my torque wrench for leverage.

BRDIESEL

Hey PADZZ.<br>What oil filter did you use and what was the part number ???

ICEBOX

I couldn't get my filter off either using a fluted filter socket. I also couldn't get a good grip on it using a strap wrench from underneath the truck. So, I reached in behind the right front wheel through the slit in the inner plastic fender and applied the strap wrench. From this angle I had plenty of leverage and the filter broke loose. When I re-installed the new filter I made sure I only turned it 3/4 after the seal made contact. Hopefully, the next oil change is a lot easier.

PADZZ

BRDIESEL...it was a Mopar, same model number that was on the truck...what ever that was. I figure it it was good enough to put on it in the 1st place, it was good enough to use during an oil change.

BRDIESEL

;D Thanks. I used them 50% of the time on my 96 and they worked just fine. Later ;D

ffemt1271

the '03 fleetguard stratapore oil filter is #16035<br>the '03 fleetguard fuel filter/water separator is #fs19579<br><br>go to wal-mart and get a 4$ 4-in-1 filter wrench--works great

ramman21921

Bought my filter wrench from western auto which is an adjustable filter wrench which comes apart and is able to wrap around filter and has three adjustable notches to lock in too! Had no problem on my first oil change or any other time. 8)

jcar

Changed my oil twice now. I removed the 4&quot; air supply hose from the air cleaner to the turbo. It takes almost two min. Loosten the two hose clamps - 1 on air cleaner and 1 on turbo. Comes off and installs real easy. I use oil filter pliers but there is plenty of room to use anything. I use the fleetguard filter with smooth sides.<br><br>John