# Messy Oil filter change

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** filters, oil\
**Created:** [September 22, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010 "2007-09-22T21:14:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bigombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bigombre](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bigombre)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010/1 "2007-09-22T21:14:15Z")

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I have a 99 Mazda Protege and my oil filter is hard to reach. Anyway, its above the bottom frame of the car and when I go to change it out after I’ve drained all the old oil, theres always some left in the filter that pours out when I unscrew it and gets everywhere or sits in the frame and drips onto the garage floor for weeks. I know that was a run-on sentence but does anyone know what I’m doing wrong or if there’s a better way to do it? Thanks

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010/2 "2007-09-22T21:26:04Z")

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The cure are called “shop rags”. Use several of them and work quickly…

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**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010/3 "2007-09-22T21:51:03Z")

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Stab a hole in the top, or side, of the filter. Loosen the filter a half turn to let the oil drain into a funnel, or catch-pan. After it drains, remove the filter. Less mess.

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010/4 "2007-09-22T22:25:25Z")

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As I always do, change the oil outdoors and take a hose to the puddles and car frame.

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**Author:** ![bugzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6f9a4e/32.png) [@bugzzy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bugzzy)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010/5 "2007-09-23T00:49:58Z")

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I take a small plastic bag (grocery)and after you loosen it-- put the bag around and up as high you can go-- then finish unscrewing the filter and slowly bring the filter down, grabbing the top with the other hand…

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/messy-oil-filter-change/5010/6 "2007-09-23T05:54:21Z")

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They made the 87 truck the same way. Thank you Mazda. You haven’t changed enough.