Who's the stupid *** engineer that decided the location of the oil filter? I can see the brainstorming session.
Engineer 1: "Here's an idea. Lets locate the oil filter in such a way that the owner couldn't possibly get it offthemselves."
Engineer 2: "Sounds like a novel idea, but where do you suggest we mountit?"
Engineer 1: "I'm gald you asked. We'll mount it in a location that, to the naked eye, makes it look like there is clear access to the filter. But in reality, the frame crossmember and sway bar will prohibit access from underneath."
Engineer 2: "Won't the shadetree mechanic just get it off from the top side?"
Engineer 1: "Aaah. Therein lies the conundrum. We need to make sure that they will have no possible chance of doing that. So the location should be such that the power steering hoses, serpentine belt and fan shroud completely prevent a wrench from turning."
Engineer 2: "Genious! Surely they'll just give up and bring it back to the dealer for a $100 oil and filter change."


We'll F-U Mr. Engineer. it may have taken me 5 hours and 10 bloody knuckles, but I managed to get it off. And just so you can't **** with me in the future, I replaced that tiny Mopar filter with a larger K&N filter with the nut welded to the bottom.

GOOD DAY, SIR!

 

AHHHHHHH FREAKING AWESOME, and I thought all along I was the only one who wanted to kick some engineer right square in the nuts for that grand location job!

 

heh.....you think the 4.7 is bad??? go change oil on the 3.7...you'll love the 4.7 afterwards

 

Oh, and the little sliding board that they installed to catch the oil from the filter is totally useless. The only way to get a wrench on the filter is to remove the sliding board.

 

How about just spend the $17.95 it takes to get the oil changed at the dodge dealer and not get bloody knuckles? I used to do my own, but since I moved I no longer have a good place to do it. Some services are just easier to pay for in my opinion. Red

 

I've changed the oil and filter on my 05 dodge with the 4.7 numerous times without any problems. I know its not the best location for it and engineers have zero common sense but I didnt think it was all that hard. There is only one postion to get your wrench on there and not much room to turn it but its enough. I changed the oil and filter on my wife's 01' Tracker and thatwas a royal pain in the butt. All I could do was touch the filter with my fingers, just touch. My only option was grab the biggest pair of pliers I owned and crush the end of itand twist it off. Man I was hot that day. I could have twist someones head off.

 

I'd rather spend the extra time in my driveway doing it myself than sitting around a dealer service waiting room for 3 hours watching Jerry Springer.

 

Us Mobil 1 guys save a lot doung it ourselves.

 

Why are you guys using a wrench anyway to take these off. I just hand tighten them after they seat as much as I can. Have had zero problems taking them off.

 

I don't know about you, but the filter is the last thing I take off after draining the oil. Inevitably I get some oil on my hands and can't get a grip on the filter. In this particular case, some ******* must have tightened it with a wrench because I had to use liquid wrench to loosen it up.