[FantomPoncho]

I was out changing the oil and filter on my '66 Lemans and cursed the whole time trying for the umpteenth time to get the filter off without dousing the headers with oil. I figured there's a lot of you guys with the same problem. What kind of things do you do to avoid the oil mess?

One thing I tried was to wrap the filter in a plastic shopping bag, then remove the filter. Let all the oil drip into the bag, wrap up the filter then wrangle the filter out. So far it seems to work ok, not perfect, but ok.

Any other ideas?

[Jeff R]

I agree with several here, plastic bag. I use a kitchen-sized, plastic garbage bag pulled up behind the filter, draped over the headers and down into the drain pan.

[Ron]

I cover the headers with aluminum foil. It works for me.

[FantomPoncho]

BN,
I like the idea of drilling a hole in the filter. Takes a couple a seconds to drill, drain the oil and remove the filter. Good idea!

[Phil Goat Nelson]

I did the remote kit, had to add 5 ft hoses to put the filter on the wheel well cover, sure makes it easy to change oil, with no mess

[Jack Blum]

I use the plastic bag the store give to carry the filter and oil home in. Just wrap it around the filter (after loosining it), the oil and the filter drop right into the bag. No mess at all. But I do have to put a couple of rag for the drips from the adapter.

[6D6GOAT]

at least you can get your oil filter out.

[BN]

Hey guys I forgot to list the most important item, latex gloves. Keeps the hands clean.

[BN]

I've heard of drilling a hole in the filter to drain it before loosening. Sounds like a lot of work though. I use a large ziplok bag and twist it off with that letting the filter and oil fall into bag, not perfect though.

[Murf]

I wrap "tin foil" around the headers before I change the filter. It works pretty well for me.

Later, Murf

[jamaca85]

just get the header dirty, then get some gunk degreaser and spray the header off when done with the oil change

[DiamondJim]

I'm thinking, break the filter loose and then slip on a gallon size zip-lock bag that has the zipper handle...-Jim

[BN]

Learned something new about filling the filter with oil, didn't know to do that.

[gtoformula]

I do the same deal as Murf and wrap the passenger side header with aluminum foil before twisting off the old filter. This way the engine can be run to op temp to remove as much particles as possible. The particles tend to drop into areas of the engine and not flow out with the oil when the engine is cold. Wrap the header with foil, run the engine and then drain. Fill the new oil filter with oil before installing to help the engine prime faster after the oil change. If you get any oil on the header or pipes you might try using spray brake cleaner to hose it off before starting the engine. It won't cut the paint and gets into the crevasses around the pipe collector that you'll never be able to wipe with a rag.

[Ryche400]

Same here. What I really hate is the smoke coming from the header as your driving away. Sometimes it seems like forever before it stops smoking....

[shaker455]

I've never changed the filter without wiping off the mess after...

[DiamondJim]

Bn, The bag is a GREAT idea. So simple,now why didn't I think of that before my last oil shower! -LOL. -Jim

[Jagtec1]

Just bend an old license plate to hang over your headers....works great!

I use that method at work on some poorly designed/located filters.

[wheelspin]

Even using the above methods, I found myself waiting for everything to cool off as the oil thickened . I installed a remote oil filter setup, which is the best technique for taking the hassle out of this task .

Les

[T/A462]

I always put a old rag over the header but I'm going to be doing the plastic bag trick from now on too. I wouldn't have thought about doing that in a 1000 years. LOL. Thanks for the tip.