What Size Oil Filter Wrench Do I Need

Do y'all know that every car needs an oil filter to keep the engine functional and durable? This item is small, merely it keeps your car engine alive and reliable.

If you're new to car engines, you can detect this component besides the car engine cake. Even though it appears idle, an oil filter protects your engine from impurities in engine oils.

Maybe you lot didn't know, but engine oils are usually filled with dirt and debris that can damage your automobile engine bearings. When that happens, there'll be low oil pressure on your engine, which is very bad.

Information technology destroys the motorcar engine and makes your life miserable. You may spend a lot trying to fix the engine or even have to replace it entirely. That's how important an oil filter is to your car.

At present, the question is, how do you make certain that your oil filter works all the fourth dimension? By changing it from fourth dimension using an oil filter wrench. Right at present, in that location are unlike types and sizes of oil filter wrenches in the market.

Information technology gets disruptive when you desire to pick one for your oil filter. Let's see how we tin can change all that by showing y'all to choose the best fit.

Contents

What Is an Oil Filter Wrench and What Does It Do?
The Different Sizes of Oil Filter Wrenches
1. The 3/4"
2. The 13/sixteen"
3. The 7/8"
4. The one-Inch
5. The 15/16"
How to Choose the Right Size Oil Filter Wrench
Type of Oil Filter Wrenches
1. Metal ring oil filter wrench
2. End Cap/ Socket filter wrench
3. Chain Loop oil filter wrench
4. Claw Wrench
5. Strap Oil filter wrench
6. Pliers
How to Choose the Correct Oil Filter Wrench
Conclusion

What Is an Oil Filter Wrench and What Does It Do?

An oil filter wrench is a special type of adjustable wrench used to loosen and tighten the tiptop of an motorcar's oil filter cartridge. This allows for removal and replacement of an old or clogged filter with a new 1, assuasive the engine to again filter its own oil supply properly. Oil filter wrenches tin almost always exist institute gratis at auto part stores such as Kmart, Advance Auto Parts, Autozone, Pep Boys and other similar businesses that sell car parts. Well-nigh modern automobiles crave that this device come in several different sizes to fit on various types of filters that they may use. Nevertheless, most will have at least three separate sizes on hand, commonly designated "small", "medium" and "large". Although there are only three chief sizes, other measurements are also used to designate the circumference of the filter.

Oil filters need to be replaced every few grand miles depending on how oftentimes you drive your car and how hard it is driven. If oil runs dirty or if there is any sign that something may be incorrect with the oil supply inside of your engine, then it's time to supercede your electric current oil filter with a new one. Some newer cars will have both an "inline" oil filter besides equally a cartridge style filter for specific areas of different vehicle engines such as timing belts, transmissions and auxiliary motor components. These cases require both a special wrench and a special socket to remove them from their housing location. However, most automobiles only use cartridge style filters which may be removed and replaced as needed.

The Unlike Sizes of Oil Filter Wrenches

The 3/4"

These wrenches work with standard four-sided spin on oil filters only, not the bypass filters that are used with our Ford engines. For Ford trucks, the 5/viii" wrench is ofttimes also big to fit around the small filter canister. The all-time size for this vehicle is unremarkably the 3/4". If you have a Ford truck or SUV older than 1998, at that place is a very proficient chance your oil filter falls into this category.

The xiii/16"

The next size upwardly is the xiii/16". They are used more oft on some of our GM vehicles. The oil filter canister is commonly more squared off than with a Ford or Dodge, so they use this larger size more than. This wrench will fit around about filters, even some of the larger chapters ones, as well known as Loftier Flow.

The 7/viii"

Side by side upwards is the seven/8" wrench which fits around even the larger chapters filters like our Dodge trucks, and some of the V8 engines that used them such as our classic Corvette's and Viper engine. Fords also utilize this size but it isn't every bit common. Many minor cars will require either a 5/8" or vii/8" wrench.

The i-Inch

The ane-inch size is used generally on engines with larger oil filter canisters, such as some of our V6's and V8'southward that have the filters mounted on top of the engine away from the front. The Buick 3800 series engines are a mutual example along with some 4.6L, 5.4L and half dozen.8L Ford engines also. You tin can see in the photo that this wrench is super large compared to the balance of them, and then it has a lot of leverage when yous are using it on these filters.

The 15/xvi"

The concluding size is the 15/16" which is used on most of our Chrysler products including some Dodges with V8'south, 4.7L V8's up to 2011 models with VVT (variable valve timing) in engines like our new Hemi trucks. It isn't very common merely I've included it for reference here in example you happen across an application where you need one of these wrenches for this type filter.

Of course there are many other oil filter types out there similar the spin on (backside engine), cartridge blazon (front of engine) which uses a unlike style of wrench, and some other unconventional models. I haven't included any pictures hither but they are pretty easy to find on Google or Bing if needed.

How to Choose the Right Size Oil Filter Wrench

We've all been there...struggling to remove an oil filter for what seems like hours, just to find out that your wrench isn't the right size. I ever found it to be much easier when I had a 2nd person helping me, especially if they are taller than you. You tin can accept them hold the wrench in place while you lot work the oil filter off with your hands.

It tin can be very frustrating to get the right wrench for the job. Some people spend countless hours at their local machine parts shop, trying to find just the right tool, only to settle on something that may or may non piece of work. I ended up having to brand my own...and information technology works perfectly every fourth dimension.

The first thing to practice is go online and find a picture of your exact oil filter. Yous can typically find them past searching "<YOUR VEHICLE> oil filter".For example, AC Delco PF2127 oil filter, which happens to be used on the Chevrolet Corvette C6.

You lot may think you have a wrench that fits, but information technology is best to compare your current filter wrench to the online picture show. This will ensure that yous get an oil filter wrench that properly fits your filter and make removal much easier in the future. As you can run into in the prototype beneath, I was able to find a wrench (top) that fits perfectly.

Since you are doing this for time to come reference, I would suggest printing the epitome of your specific filter out so you can easily refer to it when trying to purchase an oil filter wrench in the future. If all else fails, you should be able to find the correct size by contacting your local motorcar parts shop or mechanic.

Type of Oil Filter Wrenches

Car engines don't come with a one-size-fits-all oil filter. Each machine has its ain unique filter, depending on the manufacturer as well. That'south why y'all volition never use i type of oil filter wrench for every kind of car.

When it comes to wrenches, hither're the bachelor types in the industry.

ane. Metal band oil filter wrench

This type of wrench has a potent metal band fastened to both of its ends to the handle. This band is what you place around the oil filter and plow the handle in an anticlockwise direction. The tension from the turning will crusade the wrench to grip the oil filter for an effortless extraction.

The design of this wrench makes information technology a expert choice for oil filters in tough or complicated spots. With its handle and pivoting adjustment hinge, it makes oil filter replacements easy.

2. Finish Cap/ Socket filter wrench

End Cap/ Socket filter wrench — Finish Cap/ Socket filter wrench

The shape of this oil filter wrench is like that of a socket. Information technology uses a plastic or metal loving cup to get the job done. All you lot need to do is to place the cap on the stop to your oil filter to engage the knurling.

Then use the wrench to loosen the oil filter. The types of filters compatible with this type of wrench are those found in the engines of BMW cars and Volkswagen Grouping.

3. Chain Loop oil filter wrench

Just like the name implies, this wrench works with the loop of the chain, which y'all'll place effectually an oil filter. Once you've done that, you turn the bar in an anticlockwise direction.

This will make the chain wrap around the oil filter. Afterwards, you can utilize an adaptable spanner or socket wrench to plough the bar the aforementioned way you did before to finally remove the filter.

4. Claw Wrench

This is another type of wrench in the market. It has 3 geared metallic prongs, twin jaw plates, and 2 clamping legs. It also has a 3/8 inches ratchet driver, which is turned anticlockwise to attain a hard clench on the filter body. If you have tight filters, this is the wrench to use.

Moreover, if the position of the filter is more complicated than what the chain and strap wrench can remove, employ this hook wrench. It works better where others fail.

five. Strap Oil filter wrench

This type of wrench fits large vehicles such as pickup trucks, SUVs, and others. These cars use wide oil filters, and strap wrenches make it easy to remove the filters anytime.

6. Pliers

These pliers are designed with a double handle that allows users to remove oil filters without stress. The pliers are made with strong steel to ensure extra immovability.

These tools come in different sizes ranging from 3 inches to 5/8 inches. These pliers are suitable for different oil filter sizes from ii inches-15/sixteen or 3-v/8 inches. If the oil filters are large upwardly to iv-1/2 or v-three/iv inches, yous can become larger pliers for them.

How to Choose the Correct Oil Filter Wrench

At that place are 3 things to consider when yous want to choose the right size of an oil filter wrench.

The model of your motorcar
The size of the filter
The space around it in the car engine
How tight the oil filter is in its position

Some cars have a specific model of wrench that works for its oil filter. It is simpler to expect for that model, particularly if yous need a wrench for i particular car. Simply if yous have many cars and you want a wrench for all, you might demand to get a universal wrench.

Some of the wrenches in that category include the strap wrench, hinge-grip wrench, or pliers. Also, don't forget to get an adjustable wrench because you tin fix information technology to fit every size of the oil filter.

When it comes to size, it'southward piece of cake to decide the right size if you lot're using a socket or cup wrench. The simplest method is to become the oil filter specification and look for the right size for it. Once you become the information, you can buy the size to match information technology. But if you can't find the specifications, do the following:

Count the number of flutes on the cap of your oil filter
Mensurate your oil filter from one edge to the other edge
Get the oil filter cap wrench that has the same number of flutes only allow the inner bore of the cap be bigger than the oil filter cap.

That'southward for determining the size of the wrench if you lot're using a socket wrench blazon. Equally for oil filters in cramped spaces, employ a socket wrench too or a spider-blazon of a wrench. Only if space is not a problem, get whatsoever wrench you have and get the job done.

Elementary tips to getting the right sizes

Try different types of oil filter wrenches to decide the all-time fit.
Choose a universal oil filter wrench if you have more than one vehicle.
Adaptable wrenches are suitable for most types of oil filters.

Conclusion

If you lot desire your vehicle to role all the time, the engine must be in perfect status. 1 of the means to be certain of that is by keeping the engine oil gratuitous from impurities.

Since your oil filter does that for yous, make certain that you modify it from time to time to avert issues. With the right oil filter wrench, you can do it without a mechanic.

Nosotros've shown you the types available and how to go the correct size for your oil filter. Make certain you ever change your oil filter to go on your vehicle fully operational.