I'm planning an oil change in the near future and was wondering if I could remove the oil filter by hand.

Will I need a wrench or tool? If so, what do you guys use?

Thanks!

 

Depends on how tight the filter was installed. They are not supposed to be tightened that much, but some people do. You may need a filter wrench.

 

Adam is right, they aren't supposed to be super tight, sometimes ya get lucky. If you get can't find a wrench and get desperate, a shade tree method is to drive a screw driver through the filter from one side to the other on the end furthest from the engine. Kind of makes the filter into a T-Handle so you can get some leverage. I would recommend a filter wrench, but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Just be careful and if the engine is warm, watch out for the headers!

 

Thanks guys !

I will let you know how it turns out. Lucky or stab method.

 

I recently performed a full oil and filter change, personally I needed to use a filter removal tool to do mine. I tried doing it by hand and almost ended up busting my wrist doing it cos it had been grollied on and had rusted in place due to winter riding lol. I also recommend replacing with a K&N oil filter because they now fit a 17mm sort of bolt thing on top so you can use a spanner/socket to put it on and get it off. Saving having to use the cowboy method of sticking a screw driver through it when you don't have a filter removal tool lol. You wanna be careful of using the cowboy method cos it's possible that the filter may be grollied on and even rusted on just like mine was. So if its been too tightly put on the screw driver may just cut through the filter as you attempt to take it off, depending on how old and strong your filter is.