Well according to the oil sticker on the windshield I was due for an oil change. Having purchased the Avant back in March the oil sticker indicated that the oil was changed recently. Brought 6 quarts of 20w40 Castrol Oil and I have previously ordered the BOSCH oil filter when I order a bunch of stuff for the Audi.

Jack the car up, removed the belly pan and drain the oil from the pan. Now to loosen the oil filter and install a new filter. Chris sake the oil filter must have been put on with an impact wrench. The oil wrench that I had was slipping so I went and purchased another oil filter wrench that was a strap type of wrench. The strap wrench was caving in the side of the oil filter so I decided not to proceed any further. I will purchase another oil filter tool tomorrow at harbor freight, a filter tool that is plier and vise grip combine. I know that you can use a screw driver to punch out the sides and use it as a lever to twist the oil filter off but that will leave a big mess and the last time I use that method I still ended up taking 2 hours to remove the filter.

And this is why I do my own wrenching instead of bringing the car in.

 

Used a pair of big a$$ channel locks to twist my old one off. Same issues as yours with strap wrench AND not wanting to make a mess with the screw driver approach. Squished/dented the old filter pretty good but it stayed intact.

 

I have used the screwdriver method. If you do it right it doesn't get TOO messy... (this was done on a filter that i did NOT put on myself, grrr)

And seriously, the most important thing when putting on a new filter: put some oil on the rim/ring and for the love of all things holy HAND TIGHTEN IT. The seals expand when hot and leaking won't be an issue - torquing it down only makes you frustrated later.

 

Touch plus 3/4 to 1 turn. That is all you need.

 

The filter from the express place wasn't the same size as the BOSCH filter that I ordered. The filter is about 3-5/8" is diameter and the Bosch is a lot smaller. Maybe that is why someone crank the filter on so it wouldn't leak.

I wonder if those 15 minutes oil change franchises bother with a stuck oil filter since replacing a stuck oil filter can cost them a lot of time. Would they just change the oil and not the filter or charge extra for a stuck filter even if they were the last one to do the oil change.

 

That is one of the reasons that I don't take my Audi to one of those places. Don't get me wrong, I take my Honda to one everytime. But the difference is that our cars involve more steps to do the task right. (ie belly pan removal for oil change, intake air snorkel removal for filter inspection and etc.) More steps involved, more chances of pea brain employees screwing something up. I just don't like that eerie feeling on back of my neck that some dopey dumb high school kid forgot something...

I am the only dopey douche who should be forgetting stuff on my car.

 

"6 quarts of 20w40 Castrol Oil "

6 quarts might be not enough.

What the heck is 20w40?!?

 

I ran into the same oil filter problem with my daughter's VW, so I told her to go to one of the cheep oil change specialists and when they were done come back. She showed up about an hour later and said everything went OK.

I looked at the car and saw that they had not replaced the filter so we went back. At first the guy insisted that they changed the filter, but when I showed him the marks that I had put on it "before she went for the oil change" he said that they must have forgotten to do the filter and offered put a new one on. He gave me a hard time when I insisted that they change the filter and the oil again. He changed his mind when I asked for the number of his corperate office.

When they were done -I watched to make sure they did it right - I told them that I wanted our money back because of the lost time etc. Again he started complaining but when I asked for the corporate number again he relented and gave us our money back. We went home and I put a good filter on.

Moral of the story - if it's stuck have someone else do it.

 

Thanks for response and the advice NH.

 

I don't like 15 minute oil changes because there is no way you can get a decent drain in a speed thing. When I change my oil I pull the plug, let it drain for awhile, then jack up the passenger side to tilt the case. I get a seriously good drain and I do it because I don't see the point of putting expensive new oil in if you are leaving some gross in the bottom.