Changing Oil Filter

gastip · **Posted:** Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:16 pm

Hi All,

Is there some sort of magic technique for changing the oil filter? I can barely get fingers on it as it is and I think the dealership godzilla-ed the thing on and then welded it.

I'm trying to come at it from the bottom under the front bumper.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Renstock · **Posted:** Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:40 pm

Don't know if this will help mostly because I'm a bit more wiry than average, 6ft and 150lbs.
If I lay on my back, right hand side to the front of the liberty, I can reach up just in front of the sway bar and then over to the oil filter and get a fairly good grip on it. The trick is to reach up starting almost dead center on the nose of the liberty and let some elbow action get you to the filter.
Good luck.

SchnellRS · **Posted:** Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:03 pm

I had the same problem with mine at the first oil change. So I chickened out and went to a quiky lube pace. The didn't crank it on as tight as the dealer and also gave me tips on an oil filter wrench purchase. If you've got the engine mounted fan (like mine) for trailoring it's made even more difficult. So get yourself a swivel handled filter wrench, good light and prepare to get dirty.

Ken

gastip · **Posted:** Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:03 pm

Thanks for the help guys. I tried a regular oil filter wrench with no lovin'. I'll look into the swivel arm type.

It sounds like I'm using the same technique to get to it, but my meaty sausage-like arms prevent me from getting to it.

Jinxman · **Posted:** Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:55 pm

If worst comes to worst,

pound a screwdriver into it and turn....That's what I had to end up doing.

MESSY!! But it worked and you only have to do it once!!!

white04kj · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:06 am

I usually go at it from above, but I've got pretty skinny arms. When I replaced the Mopar filter I had to use one of the swivel-arm wrenches, but I replaced it with one of the Fram filters with the textured grip at the bottom. Now I don't even bother with the wrench - you'd be surprised at how much that helps in pulling the filter when you change the oil. Plus I didn't put it on as tight as the factory one.

the1jferg · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:42 am

I had to do the screwdriver thing first time, when I put a wrench on it, it crushed. Way too tight.

ShoreRenegade · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:01 am

Get an oil filter wrench. One of the best <$5 purchases I ever made. After you get it off the first time, just don't tighten it as much. You can also smear some oil around the rim of the filter before you put it back on. That will make it much easier to get off next time. The KJ's filter is in a very tricky spot, I have to admit.

Guest · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:09 am

Jinxman wrote:

If worst comes to worst,

pound a screwdriver into it and turn....That's what I had to end up doing.

MESSY!! But it worked and you only have to do it once!!!

I did that once on an old CJ-5 I had just bought. It did not work and you can imagine the mess I had. It took forever to get the shreaded can out of there...

I bet that oil filter hadn't been changed in 5 years or more!!!

The CJ-5 was owned by a lady who won it in a divorce just to spite her husband, then she let it sit in a concrete block garage and rot. I finally came along who nows how many years later and got it for $1800 - guess I got what I paid for...

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:54 am

gastip wrote:

Thanks for the help guys. I tried a regular oil filter wrench with no lovin'. I'll look into the swivel arm type.

It sounds like I'm using the same technique to get to it, but my meaty sausage-like arms prevent me from getting to it.

The first time I changed the oil, I had to put a nail through the side of the cup wrench into the filter so it would grab. worked great.

JeeperCreeper · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:29 pm

How many quarts of oil does the 3.7l take?

1calkid · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:56 pm

First time I did mine, I had to use channel locks and removed the serpentine belt. got it off and haven't needed a wrench of any type since. I don't crank it on. I just put on a bit of new oil on the seal and hand tighten it up just a good snug. Fill it with 5 quarts of Mobil 1 and I am off and running again.

Guyute1210 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:42 pm

JeeperCreeper wrote:

How many quarts of oil does the 3.7l take?

A little over 5 qts.

Renegade363 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:16 pm

Thanks for this info
I'm going to change my oil on friday

Albert · **Posted:** Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:54 am

I never did my first oil change as it was free at the dealer. Since that first change I've had no problem.......................But I know that I have been told with the first oil change it is a real bear to get the filter off. At the factory they really torque it on.....................then they tell you in their manual to only hand tighten it????????????

JeeperCreeper · **Posted:** Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:33 pm

I did a oil change for the first time on my Liberty yesterday. I got at the filter form above without having to take the belt off.

gastip · **Posted:** Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:10 pm

I'll try taking the belt off. The fram textured grips are great. That's what I use when I do it myself and I don't crank it down and I use the new oil on the seal trick.

Once on my old explorer, jiffy lube had cranked an oil filter down so hard that when I finally got it off, the rubber seal came off and stayed seated on the truck. I then put the new filter on over the old seal without noticing it. My oil gauge flipped out when I started driving.

That was the last time I let anyone change my oil. This is my first oil change on the Liberty.

ShoreRenegade · **Posted:** Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:15 pm

[quote="gastip"]Once on my old explorer, jiffy lube had cranked an oil filter down so hard that when I finally got it off, the rubber seal came off and stayed seated on the truck. I then put the new filter on over the old seal without noticing it. My oil gauge flipped out when I started driving.quote]

That happens ALL the time. I've heard that exact story several times. In many cases it wasn't until the oil ran out and the engine seized before the owner found the problem. Like you said, better to do it yourself.

pearl-drum-man · **Joined:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:09 am **Posts:** 4

white04kj wrote:

I usually go at it from above, but I've got pretty skinny arms. When I replaced the Mopar filter I had to use one of the swivel-arm wrenches, but I replaced it with one of the Fram filters with the textured grip at the bottom. Now I don't even bother with the wrench - you'd be surprised at how much that helps in pulling the filter when you change the oil. Plus I didn't put it on as tight as the factory one.

I've used the Fram a couple times on my TJ and they are very easy to get off, however after reading some negative info about their quality, I no longer use them.

pearl-drum-man · **Joined:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:09 am **Posts:** 4

Will be doing my first change on the KJ soon so I'll be interested as to how it much of a hassel it is. I have the adjustable filter wrench so that may help. As for putting a new filter on, I always wet the gasket and just hand tighten, never have had a problem getting one off with that technique.

Changing Oil Filter

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