First shot at changing oil

[Accel Junky]

Just did mine. A complete mess despite my best efforts to keep it clean.

I was able to barely fit my ubiquitous 20-150 ft-lb Craftsman torque wrench with a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter and the Amazon filter wrench on to torque the filter. There were quite a few rotations after hand tight before it clicked...kind of unnerving. Getting the wrench off was a challenge (almost thought it was stuck) with that chassis brace or whatever that is that is running directly behind the end of the filter.

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[tom185]

Is there a cutoff date for this? Mine was built 05/17.

Any GT350 built after 2/17 have the new canister-style oil filter.

 

[SVTinAR]

Just did mine. A complete mess despite my best efforts to keep it clean.

I was able to barely fit my ubiquitous 20-150 ft-lb Craftsman torque wrench with a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter and the Amazon filter wrench on to torque the filter. There were quite a few rotations after hand tight before it clicked...kind of unnerving. Getting the wrench off was a challenge (almost thought it was stuck) with that chassis brace or whatever that is that is running directly behind the end of the filter.

Congratulations. You fared better than I did except I managed to control my mess pretty well. I stuck some newspapers up there around the filter to direct any dripping oil down, through the opening and into a pan which worked fine. Did manage to drop the pan plug into my oil container however and have to fish around in hot oil to fish it out.

I've not ever had a real need for a 3/8 inch torque wrench - I've always relied on a 1/2 and a 1/4 for anything I needed. But as of this afternoon I now have a 3/8 inch torque wrench (and the amazon filter socket) to add to my tool collection. The Ford socket is going back in the supplement box and closet. I'll double check my filter this week but I'm thinking it's more likely to be on too tight rather than not tight enough - we'll see.

 

[Accel Junky]

Congratulations. You fared better than I did except I managed to control my mess pretty well. I stuck some newspapers up there around the filter to direct any dripping oil down, through the opening and into a pan which worked fine. Did manage to drop the pan plug into my oil container however and have to fish around in hot oil to fish it out.

I've not ever had a real need for a 3/8 inch torque wrench - I've always relied on a 1/2 and a 1/4 for anything I needed. But as of this afternoon I now have a 3/8 inch torque wrench (and the amazon filter socket) to add to my tool collection. The Ford socket is going back in the supplement box and closet. I'll double check my filter this week but I'm thinking it's more likely to be on too tight rather than not tight enough - we'll see.

I tried the gallon Ziplock bag trick around the filter but there was a ton of oil coming out of there and that quickly backfired on me. I'll have to try the other trick next time to funnel the oil downward instead. It is times like these that I really want that lift I've been dreaming of...

I should probably get one of those 3/8" torque wrenches. I guess that would be a smaller torque range which is probably better for the 16-18 ft lbs that the filter requires anyways.

 

[SVTinAR]

I tried the gallon Ziplock bag trick around the filter but there was a ton of oil coming out of there and that quickly backfired on me. I'll have to try the other trick next time to funnel the oil downward instead. It is times like these that I really want that lift I've been dreaming of...

I should probably get one of those 3/8" torque wrenches. I guess that would be a smaller torque range which is probably better for the 16-18 ft lbs that the filter requires anyways.

Yes, most of them seem to start at 10 ft lbs but I did see one that started at 5. I bought one that starts at 10 since it seemed to be a popular item and good reviews.

Did you pull the filter after draining the pan? If pulled before draining the pan I think a lot more oil will come out. I had a little oil come down from the filter but not a lot - pretty much like every other car I change oil on that has a filter mounted at an angle.

 

[Accel Junky]

Yes, most of them seem to start at 10 ft lbs but I did see one that started at 5. I bought one that starts at 10 since it seemed to be a popular item and good reviews.

Did you pull the filter after draining the pan? If pulled before draining the pan I think a lot more oil will come out. I had a little oil come down from the filter but not a lot - pretty much like every other car I change oil on that has a filter mounted at an angle.

Pulled after. I had the oil filler cap open during draining and during the filter removal as well. Maybe I got unlucky :frusty:

 

[Destro]

Just changed the oil for the first time.
Turns out I have the canister (yay)
Easy to access it from the side behind the wheel. Still opened the access door, that's where the oil will spill when pulling the filter cap off.
The oil drain plug is trippy. Never used one like that before.
Super easy. My arms are tired though from filling it with TEN quarts!

Note: I'll need to get a funnel with a longer neck on it, the oil fill hole is at a 45 degree angle making a short neck funnel a bit sketchy to use.
Need to pick up a 27mm 6 point socket. I only had a 12 point and it tends to slip when tightening the filter.
Probably mentioned before, but the tiny gasket that comes with the filter is not used on the GT350 or GT350R. It is for the Ecoboost engine. Apparently several Mustangs, AND the F150 share this canister filter. Probably a few others as well.

 

[shelbyman]

I don't know what drive hole you're talking about in the filter wrench. Is this not the same wrench you received in your Ford Supplement?

My god what was Ford thinking about in designing this filter wrench?:rant: Whats the point of the hex on it anyway when you can just put a square hole for a torque wrench in it??? Much better off using the one talked about in another thread on here. I got it and it worked fine...think it might be for a BMW Just another piece to be sold with the car whenever that happens.

 

[shelbyman]

I tried the gallon Ziplock bag trick around the filter but there was a ton of oil coming out of there and that quickly backfired on me. I'll have to try the other trick next time to funnel the oil downward instead. It is times like these that I really want that lift I've been dreaming of...

I should probably get one of those 3/8" torque wrenches. I guess that would be a smaller torque range which is probably better for the 16-18 ft lbs that the filter requires anyways.

You can also try one of the green moldable soft plastic funnel tools to direct the oil where you want it. I'm going to use it on mine next oil change.

 

[JAJ]

My god what was Ford thinking about in designing this filter wrench?:rant: Whats the point of the hex on it anyway when you can just put a square hole for a torque wrench in it??? Much better off using the one talked about in another thread on here. I got it and it worked fine...think it might be for a BMW Just another piece to be sold with the car whenever that happens.

This is probably what they were thinking about:

My AST M0219 from 2006 has a 3/8" drive and my AST M0219 from Ford in 2017 doesn't.

 

[SVTinAR]

Got under there and checked the oil filter torque this afternoon with the Amazon filter socket and 3/8 inch torque wrench. Plenty of room with a 3/8 inch wrench and the after market socket with a 3/8 inch drive in it. The torque wrench clicked over at 18 ft-lbs and then I felt the filter slightly move right after - so I must have managed to get it real close with my box end wrench on the Ford socket. So, good to go.

I had the same issue with a stubby funnel. I discovered I could set an empty oil container on it's side (opening to the upper side) just outboard of the engine head cover and it sat there fine and held the funnel up in position. But a longer funnel is no doubt a better option.

 

[JT1]

I agree.

I'm an engineer too and been changing my own oil since the 60s, rebuilt/restored a couple of old muscle cars including all body work and paint, most mechanical work, R&R and rebuilt a Torqueflite and Muncie transmissions just this year - never pay anyone to do anything I can do myself. So this isn't exactly a new rodeo for me.

Maybe I didn't articulate my rant to well in my original post but when I received this nice oil filter socket in a fancy box from Ford along with instructions to use it tighten the filter to 16-18 lbs-ft torque - I actually expected there was some way to do that with the nice pretty, cobra engraved filter socket.

I would be curious if a single owner can tell me they managed to change their filter with that Ford supplied filter socket and a torque wrench without removing the entire front belly pan? Anyone? And if so - how? I would really have appreciated it.

My new Amazon filter socket and a 3/8 inch torque wrench (never had a need for a 3/8 inch one before) are due too arrive tomorrow although I've tightened and torqued enough fasteners to feel it's on there pretty close to spec.

I had no problem with the factory supplied oil filter adapter and my torque wrench, did it on a lift, no belly pan removal. I might have gone in from under the fender though not the trap door, I honestly forget. But if it had been a PITA, I'm sure I'd remember how I did it.

Edit: It's coming back to me, I think I put the Ford thing on from under the fender, then put my torque wrench with the correct size socket on it through the trap door. See attached for why I'm not too concerned about the correct torque anymore, even though I did do it "right". And, is being an engineer a pre requisite for owning this car? lol.

 

[SVTinAR]

I had no problem with the factory supplied oil filter adapter and my torque wrench, did it on a lift, no belly pan removal. I might have gone in from under the fender though not the trap door, I honestly forget. But if it had been a PITA, I'm sure I'd remember how I did it.

Edit: It's coming back to me, I think I put the Ford thing on from under the fender, then put my torque wrench with the correct size socket on it through the trap door. See attached for why I'm not too concerned about the correct torque anymore, even though I did do it "right". And, is being an engineer a pre requisite for owning this car? lol.

Well, that's no 1 for the Ford socket.

No, being an engineer isn't a pre-requisite for owning the car - I guess we just tended to agree the Ford socket is sort of a crappy design if they are so serious about achieving a precise torque figure.

I wonder if any Ford mechanics actually use the thing?

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