Broken nut on oil filter cap

[SpiceyP]

Heya,
I broke the nut off my VE's oil filter cap today while trying to bust the bastard loose. I wasn't the last one who serviced it, I guess they did it up way too tight.

I went out and got a chain wrench and the rubber style strap wrench from Repco, but couldn't find the oil filter cup wrench the right size (seems it's out of stock a lot online as well).
I had already pre-emptively bought a new cap to replace this one as I'd already rounded off some of the edges with a 12 pt socket (now I know better..) before using a 6 point + breaker bar, when it snapped off.

I can't start the engine to heat it up anymore obviously but I did try that before it snapped, it made no difference.
It's also pretty tight to get the chain wrench on it because of a wiring loom (?) that's up pretty tight against it, though it can be done.

I'm open to suggestions! I'd rather not chip it off piece-by-piece because I'm worried about metal fragments entering the engine.

 

[losh1971]

Can you get a heat gun in there without melting wires. I had to use one on my balancer a while back and it made a massive difference.

 

[J_D 2.0]

Heya,
I broke the nut off my VE's oil filter cap today while trying to bust the bastard loose. I wasn't the last one who serviced it, I guess they did it up way too tight.

I went out and got a chain wrench and the rubber style strap wrench from Repco, but couldn't find the oil filter cup wrench the right size (seems it's out of stock a lot online as well).
I had already pre-emptively bought a new cap to replace this one as I'd already rounded off some of the edges with a 12 pt socket (now I know better..) before using a 6 point + breaker bar, when it snapped off.

I can't start the engine to heat it up anymore obviously but I did try that before it snapped, it made no difference.
It's also pretty tight to get the chain wrench on it because of a wiring loom (?) that's up pretty tight against it, though it can be done.

I'm open to suggestions! I'd rather not chip it off piece-by-piece because I'm worried about metal fragments entering the engine.

A stillson wrench (pipe wrench) might be your best bet. Alternatively you might need to replace the whole housing assembly.


https://sydneytools.com.au/category/hand-tools/wrenches/pipe-wrenches


https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2564538...hxbo5rcsxq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[SpiceyP]

Can you get a heat gun in there without melting wires. I had to use one on my balancer a while back and it made a massive difference.

I think it would be difficult cos there's some kind of plastic-wrapped wiring loom right next to it, plus the base of the airbox (I'll take a pic tomorrow when it's light) - also I'm a bit worried about the exposed oil filter being a fire risk since there's a hole opening into it now or maybe that's not an issue?

A stillson wrench (pipe wrench) might be your best bet. Alternatively you might need to replace the whole housing assembly.

I'll look into that, thanks - was hoping to avoid having to replace the whole assembly, is there some kind of gasket / seal that needs replacing with the housing or does it just bolt straight on?

 

[J_D 2.0]

is there some kind of gasket / seal that needs replacing with the housing or does it just bolt straight on?

I’ve never had to replace the whole housing so no idea. I always did my own services on my old SV6 so never had the problem of it being over tightened.

 

[losh1971]

I think it would be difficult cos there's some kind of plastic-wrapped wiring loom right next to it, plus the base of the airbox (I'll take a pic tomorrow when it's light) - also I'm a bit worried about the exposed oil filter being a fire risk since there's a hole opening into it now or maybe that's not an issue?

Heat gun should not set oil on fire. At least I can't it doing that, that would require a flame.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Yeah try a heat gun. Otherwise, you need to remove the filter housing. It’s not too bad of a job.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Well. You need to replace the filter housing and the filter cap.

It’s **** like this that affirms to me that often, we can do a better job of simple tasks ourselves.

Hamfistedness really bugs me.

 

[losh1971]

And unfortunately this is not the first time I have read of this happening.

 

[SpiceyP]

Well. You need to replace the filter housing and the filter cap.

It’s **** like this that affirms to me that often, we can do a better job of simple tasks ourselves.

Hamfistedness really bugs me.

Just out of curiosity, I'll definitely need to replace the filter housing as well? There's no way to get it off without that?
Or is it the risk of metal going down into the housing?

And unfortunately this is not the first time I have read of this happening.

Honestly I was not surprised by this at all, I had read up about it before trying it and new it was a risk but was hoping to get by unscathed lol.