I recently did my first oil change. I followed some of the Forum's instruction; which were very helpfull. When I took out the oil filter, about 6 1/2 inches of the plastic shaft remained in the engine. I don't know if it was broken before or not. I left it in there and replaced the filter and screwed the remainining shaft accordingly. It has been fine. I have since bought a new oil filter assembly and will install it soon. My question is: how hard is it to get the old remaining shaft out of the engine without doing any more damage to it.

 

wow, it should just pull out....someone must have forced in there or forced it out...couldn't imagine one breaking like that, but there you go....you have one...

 

Really only one reason for that to happen...you did not get the filter seated completely into the housing before you reinstalled it the last time. When you reinstalled it,you screwed the top back on, the filter bottomed out in the housing allowing the center to be twisted off as you tightened the cap.
Most of the better filters now come with a line on the filter that allows you to see if is completely seated before you reinstall it.
The broken off portion should pull right out of the housing.

 

Are you sure that it is 'broken' off.....I was under the impression that the shaft just snaps into the cap. I could be entirely wrong on this and I will look at it more closely on my next oil change. It just seems awfully intricate for that whole shaft and cap to be molded as one piece.

 

It probably got broken when you were taking it off. Maybe you used too much force pulling it off or something.

_______________________
car parts

 

The oil filter is technically 2 pieces and the shaft does come off, not easily though.

I can't imagine how it ended up coming off though.

 

There's one listed on ebay today, 10/18/08. Don't know how to make a link to it, but search chrysler crossfire and itemize by "newly listed" and look for 10/18/08.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-08...d=p3911.c0.m14

 

Show off! j/k

 

Na showing off would be hiding it in a pretty link like this:

Filter-Tube

 

I think I would check with a Mercedes dealer if you have one close...I don't think they are that expensive.