What's with every oil filter that I take off, after not being applied by myself, is torque' to f**k. Had a right game changing the sps filter. Two hands as tight as you can get it, always works for me and comes of a treat, no leaks...was a Ducati oem filter though. That goes with sump plugs too. So what's the secret of torque' the nuts out of them when putting them on?! Last owner certainly had his Weetabix.
Oil filters will get tight over time If you put oil on the seal and tighten one hand tight you will most often need a tool or puncture it with a screwdriver to remove, that's why the K&N filters have the hex socket head on the bottom to assist removal.
My thoughts is most get done in garages. As they don't want an irate customer coming back with it weeping they over tighten. I do as you do and check for drips after the 1st ride.
^^^ What he said - I always do the car and as it's awkward to get to I usually have to use a strap wrench to crack it off but sometimes I get enough purchase with a single hand
If it's really tight, the K&N filter doesn't help that much as the "nut" is pressed into and formed out of the weak steel body of the filter and simply tears if you put a lot of pressure on it.
Or long-nosed pliers for serious emergencies I don't recall who makes the filters for K&N but it's a fairly run of the mill manufacturer, so the filters themselves are nothing special. Mahle filters seem to have the best reputation.
There a Ducati tool that fits around the edges of the OEM oil filter that makes it easy to get them off. Laser Tools makes an equivalent you can buy for not much money.
I normally just put a jubilee Clip round and give it a tap. This bugger was on so tight the side filter was distorting from the base.
I have that one, only problem that if the filter is too tight, it just chews the filter up and rounds off the hex. That's how tight the last owner had it.
