Which oil filter wrench should I choose?

Where there is room around the filter, a strap wrench turns it without crushing the canister. For a harder grip use the chain pattern, and where there is no side access, the three-leg pattern that grips the end.

Can I use a screwdriver as a pry bar?

No. The blade bends and both the tool and the work suffer. Grooved and bent-nose pry bars are listed here in several lengths.

Are grease gun spares available?

Yes -- spare nozzles and rubber hoses are listed in the spare parts section.

What is a magnetic pick-up spring for?

Recovering bolts, nuts and small parts dropped into spaces you cannot reach, such as an engine bay; the flexible body works round corners.

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Service Tools

Service tools are purpose-made for parts a general-purpose wrench cannot grip: oil filter wrenches, pry bars, spark plug sockets, grease guns and similar removal aids. Using the right one is the shortest way to take a part off without damaging what surrounds it.

Oil filter wrenches

Four patterns are listed, and the choice follows the access. A strap wrench squeezes the canister in a band and turns it without crushing it -- the cleanest method where there is room around the filter. A chain wrench grips harder but marks. A three-leg pattern grips the end of the filter and works where there is no side access.

Put a tray underneath before it comes off, and check the old seal has not stayed on the block -- that is what causes the double-gasket failure on refitting.

Pry bars, oilers, grease guns and the rest

A pry bar separates and lifts parts that have stuck; grooved and bent-nose patterns are listed in several lengths. A pry bar is not a screwdriver and a screwdriver is not a pry bar -- a bent screwdriver blade ruins both the job and the tool.

A flexible-spout oiler reaches lubrication points in tight gaps. A grease gun feeds bearings and joints through their nipples, and spare nozzles and hoses are listed here too. A magnetic pick-up spring is the fastest way to recover a dropped bolt from a space you cannot reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which oil filter wrench should I choose?
Where there is room around the filter, a strap wrench turns it without crushing the canister. For a harder grip use the chain pattern, and where there is no side access, the three-leg pattern that grips the end.
Can I use a screwdriver as a pry bar?
No. The blade bends and both the tool and the work suffer. Grooved and bent-nose pry bars are listed here in several lengths.
Are grease gun spares available?
Yes -- spare nozzles and rubber hoses are listed in the spare parts section.
What is a magnetic pick-up spring for?
Recovering bolts, nuts and small parts dropped into spaces you cannot reach, such as an engine bay; the flexible body works round corners.