STUCK OIL FILTER...at my absolute wits end

Hey everyone. Finally got the GRiSO out last weekend while we had some decent weather. After a blissful second ride I’ve ever had on the bike (purchased early December) I decided I’d change out the oil since there was no service record of the last time it was changed and I had the oil nice and warm. I previously bought motul 10w60 and a high flow oil filter on amazon so I was ready to go. Pulled the drain plug out and began working on the taking out the old filter. It is a 14 sided filter and I bought a few different size cap socket wrenches with 3/8 drive. The “b” size cap wrench seemed to fit perfectly but it kept slipping. Stuffed some folded tape and wrapped a bit of high grit sand paper into the cap wrench to get a tight grip and that slipped too. Bought a universal 3 claw wrench and that was a complete flop because the thing wouldn’t turn a grip at all. Then got a spring loaded vice grip wrench but that won’t fit in the small space between the filter well and filter. I then tried the screw driver method and that was a complete disaster. The thing is on so tight that that while torquing the screw driver it just started ripping up the filter wall..cheap prices of crap. LONG story short I am all out of ideas. I don’t have a stand or anyway to get the bike elevated higher either so that’s adding an element too. ANY IDEAS OUT THERE???? I’m literally tortured by this thing and since all the oil is out and the stuck filter is ripped to shit I can’t start it up to bring it anywhere. I’ll take anything at this point; I just want the damn thing off!!!

Oh you mean like this ...
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I dropped the sump, which wasn't hard & then could get some channel locks on the filter.

I was thinking that. Anything special I should know before I drop the sump? Is there a gasket which will need to be replaced once it comes off? Also, there are 4 screws around the filter itself so some other thread said the filter needed to be out in order to drop the sump. Thanks for the quick reply btw!

yeah replace the gasket. If the bike has the upper spacer that is removable, replace that gasket too ($10 or so) - only held on by 4 screws. If only one gasket, worth about $10. Worth it for peace of mind.

Note to self - don't over tighten the new filter; prefill before fitting; oil the mating surface. Oh yeah and don't over tighten the new filter.

And make sure the gasket of the old filter is off before installing the new one!

Thanks all. I was sort of hoping to not take the sump off but it doesn’t seem that big of a deal. 14 outer m16 hex bolts and 4 of the same in the filter well is all it takes? It looks like the oil cooler hose is attached but maybe it’s just attached in/around the spacer. I’m inclined to leave the spacer alone if I don’t need to touch it ( can the sump pan come off without the spacer coming off?)

Yes it can, but there have been problems with the spacer gasket causing loss of oil pressure. For the sake of $10 or so and an extra 10 minutes, well worth it for peace of mind.

I have cleaned the filter and wrench nearly oil free and glued it complete with SuperGlue around together. It worked quite good, the cleaning of wrench was done afterwards with hot air pistol. That was my last Idea after the above shown high flow 14 edge Filter didn't moved a bit...

Seems to be quite common...
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I punched two holes in it and used an angle grinder key.

I once saw on a TV show a mechanic weld a large nut onto the filter base to shift it. I stick to HiFlo filters which I know my filter socket will fit but have managed to move a filter with a slightly oversize socket lined with emery paper for extra grip.
Makes you wonder if some mechanics put oil filters on with windy guns because they are that tight.

Hi  i am a retired tractor mechanic. What i do is put 1" sand paper in my filter wrench drive it on and remove. Works every time

I could get a grip on the filter alright but it was ripping like a soda can when you twisted it.

The gasket on the filter was bone dry which is why it struck on

I tried the sand paper in the socket wrench already. It was snug on there too because I had to hit it a few times with the rubber mallet. Bastard still slipped. I’m gonna try some gorilla glue with the same socket, let it dry overnight and see if that works. If it doesn’t work I’m dropping the sump. I’ll need to order a new pan gasket online which is why I lm resulting to this last

Screw it!

Th good thing about forums such as this you still learn things. Self tappers and a badly fitting socket, I would never have thought of that one. The guy in the vid did make the point about sticking to the correct filter for a sunken filter housing and I agree on using HiFlo.

LBC Tenni wrote:

Screw it!

I’ve had to do this in the past. Try some Silicon Grease on the gasket instead of the old engine oil method. It helps a lot

If you don't over tighten the damn thing, you won't have that issue.

Aren’t you supposed to tighten it until the rattle gun stops chirping

Well I finally got the bugger. I took best fitting socket cap wrench and filled it with Gorilia Glue and let it dry overnight. Came off pretty easily. It’s obvious the person who did the last oil change didn’t oil the rim of the filter as the rubber gasket was completely torn once it came off. Hopefully with a heat gun I’ll be able to recover the cap wrench. As usual, thanks for the tips everyone....it’s such a great guzzi community!

Great News! Nothing more frustrating than what should be an easy job being so complicated. I have to admit, I don't think I would ever have thought to glue the socket cap to the filter. The ghetto has some experienced and creative folks for sure.

I have a similar problem.
Brand new oil filter too. Last time i changed the oil i torqued it up as per instructions although i may have reduced the torque rating as it is lubed, you should drop something like 25%. Got the last filter off, put new filter on, torque to 18-20nm......oops filter housing now spinning.
can't do up, can't undo either. so taking into account the 25% off due to being lubed, should have torqued to 15nm max!!

My first thoughts are, punch hole in filter to drain out preloaded oil, cut bottom out of filter, try vise grip on centre shaft of filter. Failing that,make special tool to locate in filter top holes for rotating filter.

Drop the sump off so it's exposed and easy to tackle. Don't forget that besides the peripheral bolts around the sump there are four up in the filter *Pit*.

Don't torque oil filters. A firm nip-up by hand is all that's required.

If it feels tight, it probably is too tight!

I always, after pre-filling and lubing the gasket, spin it in by hand til it hits. Then 3/4-1 full turn BY HAND.