a tad better is RC car motor spray/nitro cleaner. they literally leave no smell or residue behind where as brake cleaner leaves behind stench.. :ugh:

but i too use brake cleaner to wipe up my drain pan.

Thank you.

uhh... i seriously do NOT use a torque wrench for my filter nor plug. lol

ive used it on my diff and tranny plugs..

I use it on the drain plug... too easy for me not to use it. But how would you use it on the oil filter? I know the K&N has the nut on the end you could use, but I don't use K&N filters.

i think you just tighten it snug and make a click noise in your mouth. :ugh:

Don't most specify something like hand tight then 1/2 a turn more?

That sounds about right. I know with the oil filters, I tighten until it is almost too difficult to remove by hand. That way I know it's not going to rattle loose. I have been stuck with a torqued on filter and no wrench. It's not fun having to jam a screw driver through the filter to get it off.

Drain plugs are the same, but with tools. Just tight enough to need a little torque to take them off. It's not necessary to put them at 80 ft/lbs.

yah, snug, but not super tight. that comes from experience though.

That occured on my first oil change, the factory had over tightened it then quart a turn. I only every just hand tighten.

Very messy.

I had this problem on every NEW car I've ever bought.

4988 mi. on the NEW Z, so I'll find out when I change the oil; as soon as I get a set of low ramps.

BTW- Anyone selling low ramps aroung the NY area?

I had to use a pair of large channel locks the first two changes on the Z (last dealer serviced filter and my first DIY filter). I now know exactly how much to hand tighten: not too much :ugh: :icon17:

yah, it's not like its going to vibrate off the engine once it's snug. :icon17:

That sounds more like they mated it up to the surface without lubing the o-ring first. You can put a filter on tight with a 1/4 turn and have to plasma cut it off if someone didn't lube the mating surfaces first.

I am on my 10 billionth oil change (HD apprentice) and it is STILL something that drives me batshi+ crazy lol

Hand tighten the oil filter and for removal, nothing does a better job than using oil filter pliers. Its teeth with firmly grasp the filter and loosen with ease.

That's very possible. How do you feel about filling the filter with oil before putting it on the car? On the new Focus, the filter faces downwards, so it was quite easy to do the pre-fill, but with these sideways mounted filters, I don't know how to do it without making a mess. So I usually don't...

Back when I had my first car, I would let Walmart do the oil changes. They once "gifted" me a filter wrench. When I got home after a change, I noticed that the hood was bulging oddly on one side. When I opened it up, there was a filter wrench just sitting there :tup:. I think my father has it now, I'm not sure.