I did my oil and filter change yesterday and just want to thank the forum member (can't remember who it was ?.) for their tips about doing it.
Having read their topic and suggestion about doing the oil and filter change, I bought a spare oil filter housing as suggested and a good job I did.
I have only recently bought the van and on closer inspection I don't think it has been too well looked after in the past. For a start, the first time I checked the oil level I had to add 3 + litres of oil to top it up. (not good !!!).
Anyway back to the oil change, the sump plug (13mm) was easy enough to loosen off, but the filter housing would not budge. I tried using a 27 mm socket on the shaped bottom end, but the socket, even though the right size just slipped round. I tried using different filter wrenches and no joy, I even tried using a combination of the filter wrench and the 27 mm socket, but still the housing wasn't for moving at all.
The only way I could remove the old housing was by breaking it and then removing all the pieces, once all this had been cleared away and the seat for the housing cleaned up, it was easy to fit the new filter and spare housing before refilling the oil to level.
Needless to say I have ordered another spare filter housing for next time.
My only complaint here is with the manufacturers themselves, FORD. The plastic filter housing may make sense to them in some way, either by virtue of it's initial cost or the fact that people like me end up having to destroy it in order to remove it when performing routine maintenance and thus needing to buy another. It is a rubbish idea and could be easily improved on.
So, finally, thanks again to the person who suggested buying a spare housing before attempting the oil and filter change, you have saved me a lot of unexpected down time and inconvenience.
