*RESOLVED* Oil Filter Housing REALLY BAD

Anything else I can try before towing to the shop?

The bottom plug was crossthreaded and leaking oil, noticed when I got to work. Went and got a replacement metal housing thinking it would be an easy swap. The toyota filter wrench broke the tabs on the housing immediately, strap wrench did absolutely nothing, so I drilled through to use a punch as leverage. The housing broke off. I’m extremely frustrated with myself and this situation.

Last oil change was well over 2 months ago. Housing drain plug must have been slowly unthreading cause it was the source of the leak.

Anything else i can try? Otherwise I’m going to tow it to a truck shop

 

You did try to turn it the correct way didn't you? There is no reason it should be that tight.

 

Can you use the punch and a hammer to tap on the tabs to turn it? The impact might help get it moving.
Second thing I would try to just keep breaking all the plastic housing until it comes out. Once you split the threaded section it will come off. Then replace with a metal one.

 

Yes, I second guess myself every time to make sure of it.

 

any chances of damaging anything else?

 

I'd agree on tapping tangentially to the housing with a sharp screwdriver/punch and a hammer.

You can damage the threads if you go bananas destroying/breaking what you have left in there. I'd be careful.

Out of curiosity, did you do the most recent oil change?

 

No, just stick the punch as far up and in on the tabs to have the least chance of breaking it off. Couple taps on one, move to the next one in line, couple taps, repeat until it spins off. Like using the back of a can opener to tap the lid free on a tight jar.

 

Use a dremel to carefully grind off the lip that makes contact with the metal housing. Do not go full depth. Plastic only. Leave enough that you can chip it off with you hand.

Once that lip is gone, it should unscrew.

 

sorry, meant to say that I already tried that and broke the tabs. I meant is there harm in trying to split the housing? Dont wanna damage the metal threads

 

I'm guessing you don't have the filter tool to remove this properly? It should still be able to grab onto the little tabs (multiple at a time) to remove this (and prevent this from happening..).

 

You already broke all of them, all the way down? In that case a flat tip screw driver might be able to bite into the remnants of the plastic tabs enough to start turning it when tapping.

 

OP said the Toyota filter wrench broke the tabs immediately... I'm wondering who cranked down on this the last time. Must've used the big wrench.

 

Ahh, I looked.. and missed that part. I guess nvm then.

 

Take a screw driver (large flat blade or the like) and put it against the flat part of the tab that's left and tap it with a mallet... don't go all hulk on it, but if you start tapping it in a counter clockwise direction (when looking up at it) it should loosen up and start turning off... don't use anything metal to break it up or you will damage the aluminum threads.

 

Old fashioned pipe wrench will do the trick

 

This is crap that would happen to me! 15 minute oil change turns into a two day ordeal!
I like the idea of dremeling the lip off and tapping it off. If the fails, start chiseling the plastic crap off.

 

Also, make sure you don't have this metal tab stuck up against one of the remaining tabs, it won't turn if it's stuck.. Sometimes those cheap oil filter housing wrenches pushes this tab IN towards the tabs rather than the tool pushing them OUT like they are supposed to.

 

If you're going to do that I'd use something like a dowel instead of a flathead. Less risk of just cracking those tabs off when you hit it with the mallet.

At this point I'd just go with @tonered's reccomendation. A few minutes with a dremel on the shoulder should loosen it up depending how mangled the threads are.

Edit:

I see you got it out. Good thing you can get a new one in.

 

Ended up getting it by continuing to break the plastic flange where it meets the metal housing until it cracked and came out. Thanks guys!