If anyone (Art) wants to expand their oil filter wrench collection this may be the ticket for $6.00 and tax, and pickup. The thing uses an overkill 3/4" drive but I think I can make gripper teeth, a chisel type mod, to bite into the filter and use with a hand grip. Negative reviews, slips and too big. More positive reviews but here is a good one, "looks good but I have not used it yet".

BTY, I have not used a tool to remove an oil filter that I have put on, for many years. This is for the kid's cars, if I can make my mods.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02820523000P?sid=IAx20050830x000545&PID=1225267&aff=Y

Tom

so...being a nooooobeee (still!) and...having never changed oil in my life (which I'm planning to remedy shortly, lol) - what do y'all recommend as the best to use for Volvo (specifically '88 240)??
I ordered Mann filters. Have used Valvoline (10/40) since I bought car (98-99 ish). Should I switch to synthetic oil? Do I need to do anything special to switch to synthetic?

I have an '86 245 and an '86 SAAB 900 T, both of which I have stuck with Valvoline 10w40 with a 3K mile change interval for te last 20 years! I personally cannot justify any benefit to switching to synethic. However, these have become "secondary" or "thirdary"(?) cars in our household and see less than 1000 miles per year. It really makes you question than old "3,0000 mile or 3 months" oil change regimen of my youth. Ifm you drive a lo, maybe it might make more sense. Our more mordern cars I have switched to synthetic, My wife drives A LOT for work/kids and there is no way I could keep up, so I use the 15k exended service synthetic and change it every 7k. MY Car came that way, as part of the manufacurer's specification, cheapskate "included service" (we'll only have to chage your oil twice during the coverage period).. Not that I bought it while it still had any kind of service coverage, I just stuck with the recommended oil. It's supposed to be changed every 15K, I change every 7K.

I'll come clean (hangs head low). After trying all of my assortment of filter wrenches I went looking for the pliers-type filter wrench illustrated in Art's photo. Found a pair that did not have a bend and saw this contraption. It was on sale at the time and with my Craftsman Club membership discount it was indeed around $6.00 (wouldn't have spent any more on it as I was skeptical of the design, afraid of crushing the filter).

Results were mixed on it's utility. When I attempted to use it in the confined space of the B21FT it was frustrating to use. By the time I got the thing (let's call it a cam wrench for simplicity) onto the filter, twisted the ratchet enough to tighten the cam wrench onto the filter, I was out of space. Subsequent attempts to turn the ratchet only resulted in the cam wrench loosening just enough to have to start all over. I consider it a $6.00 lesson learned. It did work great on one of my motorcycles but I had to hold the cam wrench in place once tightened in order to twist the filter off. Two handed tools are not in my most favored list.

If anyone wants to try this they are welcome to mine, just pay shipping. ---rick

3/8" square drive, or 3/4" end wrench. I like the 3/8" drive.
--
john

Hi Tom,

By the time I followed the link http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02820523000P?sid=IAx20050830x000545&PID=1225267&aff=Y it looked more like thirteen dollars, but as an idea, probably worth every penny. To someone else, of course, as like you, I have no need to augment my oil filter wrench collection since becoming 240-centric.

For those who don't get the "art" connection, I think this is the "collection" you recalled:


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.

i liked the concept but didn't see what drives it

"didn't see what drives it"

An over sized 3/4 breaker bar or ratchet on the nut thing on the opposite side, not shown. Looks like the the silver gizmo on the left side of Art's photo. It drives the gears to tighten the three grippers. If you need that much force it would crush the oil filter, or bend the gripper arms. Guaranteed for life though.

Tom