Torque Wrench Socket Too Big for Oil Filter

[TheAv8r]

Hey all,

New Mooney owner here doing his first Mooney oil change... man it's been an adventure. I followed several suggestions and did the cut PVC pipe under the filter attaching to the accessory housing idea and it... didn't work well. There was not enough room to get it right under the accessory housing, only some of the way so oil went everywhere... anyways, I digress! 

Got the oil drained, my mess cleaned up (thank you mineral oil) and the new filter on, only my torque wrench + 1" socket is about 1/2" too big to fit between the filter and the firewall. It's almost just right, it's literally the size of the connection on the filter that messes it up. Do they make a 1/2" drive 1" short socket that works or is there another pro-tip here to be able to torque the filter on correctly?

Thanks!

Edited November 9, 2021 by jacenbourne

[RoundTwo]

Get a cheap socket and grind it to fit? Harbor Freight is great for tools you can modify guilt free.

R2

[Ragsf15e]

3 hours ago, jacenbourne said:

Hey all,

New Mooney owner here doing his first Mooney oil change... man it's been an adventure. I followed several suggestions and did the cut PVC pipe under the filter attaching to the accessory housing idea and it... didn't work well. There was not enough room to get it right under the accessory housing, only some of the way so oil went everywhere... anyways, I digress! 

Got the oil drained, my mess cleaned up (thank you mineral oil) and the new filter on, only my torque wrench + 1" socket is about 1/2" too big to fit between the filter and the firewall. It's almost just right, it's literally the size of the connection on the filter that messes it up. Do they make a 1/2" drive 1" short socket that works or is there another pro-tip here to be able to torque the filter on correctly?

Thanks!

Instead of cut pvc, my mechanic uses a piece of 90 degree bent aluminum, maybe 3 feet long.  It’s thin and relatively flexible so you can manipulate it a bit to get it under the filter.  Sides are maybe an inch or 2 wide. No mess!

Edited November 9, 2021 by Ragsf15e

[RLCarter]

It’s tight back there, get either one of these and your be fine, as far as the modified PVC pipe to drain the oil filter, I’ve got one that fits under the filter and doesn’t miss a drop….

 

[TheAv8r]

21 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

It’s tight back there, get either one of these and your be fine, as far as the modified PVC pipe to drain the oil filter, I’ve got one that fits under the filter and doesn’t miss a drop….

 

What’s that second one? Some kind of adapter?

[Guest]

Another variation on the torque adapter.

[DonMuncy]

2 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Another variation on the torque adapter.

That is kinda neat that they put the formula on the wrench, to save having to go look it up.

[0TreeLemur]

I bought a shallow socket that fits between the filter and firewall when installed on a 1/2 drive torque wrench.   Also, the 3" PVC pipe cut in half works well for me.  It just won't stay there.   I use some clamps and a bit of hope & magic to get it to stay there and catch every drop.

[TheAv8r]

8 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I bought a shallow socket that fits between the filter and firewall when installed on a 1/2 drive torque wrench.   Also, the 3" PVC pipe cut in half works well for me.  It just won't stay there.   I use some clamps and a bit of hope & magic to get it to stay there and catch every drop.

Do you know which shallow socket you bought and where you found it? I've been looking for exactly that, they make them for car oil filters but those are in mm and the size isn't quite right for the 1". That would be ideal as I only need about 1/2" less and I'd have it...

[EricJ]

I use a 1" crow's foot on a torque wrench.   If you are careful to torque it with the crow's foot at 90 degrees to the torque wrench, you don't have to make an adjustment of the applied torque.   Otherwise you can calculate the difference for whatever length it adds.

[MikeOH]

I sprung for the nice click torque wrench; $85 for a nice tool designed specifically for this task is totally worth it, and lost in the rounding in aviation terms.

For removing the filter without a mess I first break the filter loose a few turns, then punch holes in the top side with a screwdriver, then put a thick zip-loc bag over the filter and pull it tight past the oil filter adaptor.  At that point I rotate the filter 180 and most of the oil drains neatly into the the bag. After that I spin the filter the rest of the way off while in the bag. Slip the bag off the adaptor with filter in it.

[TheAv8r]

12 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I use a 1" crow's foot on a torque wrench.   If you are careful to torque it with the crow's foot at 90 degrees to the torque wrench, you don't have to make an adjustment of the applied torque.   Otherwise you can calculate the difference for whatever length it adds.

Ahhhh why didn't I think of that... perfect solution. Just ordered one, thank you!

Thanks for all the tips on catching the oil. I fought with it a few times trying to get the PVC pipe closer under the accessory casing with no luck but might try the bag method next time. For now... mineral oil and rag time

[Hank]

Find someone building a plane, get a piece of scrap aluminum about 4" x 36", bend it into a trough. Insert between hoses on the right side (or buy an 8' piece of drip edge at the Big Box store, and cut it to the length that you prefer). See presentation here, ignoring that I put cowl replacement and test flight in the wrong order:

 

 

I bought an inexpensive wrench set from a truckload tool sale at the Elks Club, and the 1" combination wrench works perfectly. The filter gives instructions on how far to turn it after contact is made. 

Both are simple, inexpensive and effective. 

The glass is neither half full nor half empty--the glass is just too big. Get a smaller glass . . . .

 

[larryb]

I don’t do the torque method. I use the 3/4 turn past hand tight method.

[ArtVandelay]

I have yet to see a mechanic use a torque wrench, and they all over tighten it.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ArtVandelay said:

I have yet to see a mechanic use a torque wrench, and they all over tighten it.

You’re overdue for a visit to my shop.  We torque them all it’s why we charge more!

Clarence

[Guest]

7 hours ago, jacenbourne said:

Ahhhh why didn't I think of that... perfect solution. Just ordered one, thank you!

Thanks for all the tips on catching the oil. I fought with it a few times trying to get the PVC pipe closer under the accessory casing with no luck but might try the bag method next time. For now... mineral oil and rag time

Try buying a 3/8” drive torque wrench instead of the 1/2” it’s just too large.  If you can’t buy a short socket, find someone with a lathe and shorten the socket.

Clarence

[LANCECASPER]

9 hours ago, jacenbourne said:

For now... mineral oil and rag time

Hopefully you're using mineral spirits and not mineral oil. 

https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/mineral-oil-for-constipation

[TheAv8r]

4 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Try buying a 3/8” drive torque wrench instead of the 1/2” it’s just too large.  If you can’t buy a short socket, find someone with a lathe and shorten the socket.

Clarence

Thanks, I'll add this to the list. The car oil filter sockets they make are perfect, they just don't make a 1" one.

4 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Hopefully you're using mineral spirits and not mineral oil. 

https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/mineral-oil-for-constipation

Hah - good catch!!  Yes, Mineral Spirits...

[jaylw314]

If you're okay just using the 3/4 turn method (which I think is probably more accurate anyway), a thin 1" ratcheting box wrench is probably the easiest way to get the filter on/off

[RLCarter]

Here is what I have, fits under the filter just fine, 1 1/4” thin wall PVC, 30” long and straight, length can be longer, I install it from the pilot side

[Skates97]

14 hours ago, larryb said:

I don’t do the torque method. I use the 3/4 turn past hand tight method.

I do the same. Once hand tight I put a little mark at the top (12 o'clock position) with a sharpie and turn it until it is at the 9 o'clock position.

For removing I let the oil drain, and then stuff a couple old rags under the filter and once it is loose spin it off quick and turn it up. I normally only have a little get on the rags. In five years I've only been burned once with oil dripping all over everything.

For a wrench I use this one, doesn't look like Amazon has it anymore but I'm sure it can be found at a lot of places.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HBDW6G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[M20F-1968]

FYI:  I recently hired an A&P mechanic to reinstall my prop.  He brought with him a Snap-On torque wrench which have interchangeable heads. 

I looked into this further and the range needed for many of our needs (such as installing a Hartzell Prop with 3/4" bolts) in a QC2I75.

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Torque-Wrench-Bodies-Adjustable/Adjustable-Torque-Wrench-Body/QC2I75

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Open-End-Heads%2C-inches/3-4"-Square-Drive-Open-End-Head%2C-J-Shank/QJO24A

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Open-End-Heads%2C-inches/1"-Square-Drive-Open-End-Head%2C-J-Shank/QJO32A

The heads are a standard 2 1/2" long so no extra math needed.  For installing my prop, I found a this Snap-On wrench in great shape, within specifications, on e-bay for less than $100 and the 3/4" head for $50.  

I am not saying that you need this to put on an oil filter, but I was unaware of these torque wrenches with interchangeable heads.  

Also, I have a Snap-On 3/8" Drive torque wrench which I use for oil filter changes and other jobs.   It is another e-bay find for about $100.00 and was in new condition.  Part No.  QD2FR75B  

https://shop.snapon.com/product/US-Torque-Instruments%3A-Dual-Scale-(ft-lb-N•m)/3-8"-Drive-SAE-Adjustable-Click-Type-Flex-Head-Torque-Wrench-(5-75-ft-lb)/QD2FR75B

They take some time to find but are out there.

John Breda

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[Immelman]

I guess I'm just crazy. I install the filter with my hands (dry, and I have a decent grip). Safety it. Run up, leak check, done.. Never had a leak, and they are always somewhat difficult to remove.

[ArtVandelay]

I guess I'm just crazy. I install the filter with my hands (dry, and I have a decent grip). Safety it. Run up, leak check, done.. Never had a leak, and they are always somewhat difficult to remove.

Use some silicone grease (DC4) on the gasket, I always have trouble when someone else puts it on, and have had to use 2 wrenches because I was afraid of tearing up the nut end since it’s not solid metal.