If you poke a hole on the top end of the filter, more will drain out when you drain the sump. I suppose you could also poke a hole in the bottom and drain the filter as well.

Good ideas above. It also appears to me that you can take a pc. of sheet metal, bend it semi-circle and stick it under the filter back against the engine, sloping away and direct the oil out and down into drain pan.

Walt Conner

I'll add to what has already been offered, and it's all good.
You can buy that piece of sheet metal at most modern home improvement stores very cheap.
Bend and shape it so you end up with a small lip (like a berm) on the portion that slips up around the base end of the filter. The lower end of the "custom drain funnel" needs to be directed to a catch pan.
Then, carefully punch a vent hole at 12:00 o'clock on the grip end of the filter (where your hand goes).
Then, punch a similar, larger hole at 6:00 o'clock on the same end of filter.
I strongly suggest that you place a paper towel over the filter end BEFORE punching any holes and punch the holes in the filter THROUGH the towel. If you don't follow that advice you and the immediate area will be sprayed by oil.....powered by the punch blows on the filter body.

You think briggs is bad, most kolhers have the filter mounted on top of the molded oil filter adapter. It runs ever where and you really can't stop it. On my biggs vanguard it mounted at 45 degree angle which is not much better than you straight screw on. I just cut a piece of carboard to make a path for it to run in drain tube/pan that I got stuck between the wheel and frame with the wheel cocked over. Then when the carboard get really soaked or I loose it I just make another from the pattern I got etched in my brain from making them for 22 years.

RC's got the answer... Kohlers, B&S, Kawasaki... they all mount the oil filter so it makes a mess when removed. It's the revenge of the engineers.

If rage is your thing then a strategic hole drilled or punched at the bottom end of the oil filter will allow it to drain and mitigate the mess when removed.

I have 100% success sacrificing that Thirst Buster cup on the bench. Cut out the bottom and slice it in half from the top down. Slide it under the casting the filter spins on to just below the filter and crack the filter loose. Let it drain for a couple minutes and then spin it off. When soggy throw it away and use the other half.

The real trick is to get practiced enough so that when you fill the replacement oil filter (you DO fill the filter with oil right, not put it on dry?) you don't spill it making a bigger mess.

I had the same issue with my JD 235 and a Kawasaki engine. Using a large Sunny Delight plastic bottle because it is flexible and has a long neck, cut the bottom and slice in half just before the neck. Slide it under the filter after you've loosened it slightly and remove the filter. Keep it pushed right up against the engine slightly tilted toward your drain bucket. Have a paper towel in hand once you remove the bottle with filter laying in it to catch any drips. I went from a big spill situation to a very clean process.

Similar to what the others use, I use an old license plate (Indiana). It is easy to bend and slip under the block where the oil filter attaches. On the engine drain I use the cut-out side of an empty quart oil container and slip it under the drain location.

I like the soda bottle , cup ideas- but I'm unsure where I would get an Indiana license plate... I use various homemade tin things, small pans, hoses and MTD drain catchers for the most part. Like the roundness of the cups and bottles. Will have to buy a soda.

Failed to mention on my cheap zero turn that has single briggs I just cut hole in the stamped steel frame right under the oil filter/block. (which all the holes they put in don't align with this engine, so I made my own) On that one all I do is loosen little let it drain out into catch can. Don't flood the low lying stamps in the frame now.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Next time I change the filter, I will try a combination of your inputs and report back on my 'success or mess'.....

I think this has been beaten to death, but let me make one more suggesting which combines some of earlier posts. I had same problem with a Toyota diesel pickup with horizontal filter. This is how I solved:

First, break the filter loose with you strap wrench, no more than 1/4 turn so it doesn't leak. Then using a pick punch, punch a hole at 12:00. The internal check valve may inhibit draining, but you'll get some out. If you have a floor or bumper jack, I'd raise the mower slightly to get a little tilt to assist draining.

Next, after you have drained engine and replaced plug, rotate the filter to hole at 6:00 and catch oil which comes out. I would put jack on other side, to tilt mower toward the filter and assist draining.

Now you should be able to spin the filter off with only a couple of ounces remaining, which paper towels can take care of.

As for pre-filling the new filter, I wouldn't worry about it. You can tip the mower over further and pre-fill about halfway, or you can fit dry, remove spark plug, and crank over for 30 seconds or so to distribute oil, and then refire the engine.

I think pre-filling makes sense in some cases. I now have a Ford F350 with a 7.3 diesel and I do pre-fill the filter. However, it rides upside-down and also holds more than 2 quarts of oil, so I come up to pressure much faster after an oil change, than if I start out empty.

The following page from a Kohler factory owner's manual. Take note of replace oil filter as follows #4...

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When they wrote the 'Kohler factory owner's manual' someone forgot step 6b...

"6b. Clean up the oil that spilled all over the engine when you turned the oil filter horizontal to screw it on..."

FYI... I have been filling filters for 20+ years BEFORE installation with NEVER a drop or a drip. IF you "allow a minute or two for the oil to be ABSORBED by the filter material" no oil leaks out unless you take more than two minutes to screw on the filter. If it takes you more than two minutes to screw on the oil filter then quit your job at Jiffy Lube and try another occupation ;-)

Didn't mean quit YOUR job at Jiffy Lube... I was generalizing.

I think the issue is removing the old (partially filled) filter from the engine...not installing a new one.

Many posted great tips in this thread for removing the old filter without making a mess.

Along with the tip I posted was a side note regarding installing new dry filters. I thought that that info was pertinent to the thread.

BTW, Nortons with the spin-on under the center stand really like pre-filled oil filters.

Didn't say it wasn't pertinent to the thread, just that the thread is about taking the old filled filter off. All motors like per-filled filters, cars too. Otherwise as you know your running the motor temporarily without oil pressure to the bearings for a period of time. Guzzi's and Ducs like pre-filled filters too...si?

Yea, the original question was about removing the old filter without making a mess, but much like wax on, wax off that's half the operation cause the OP ain't goin' nowhere until he puts a filter back on and pre-filling the filter is the proper procedure.

As to your Italian inquisition...

Real Ducs have paper elements...

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And real Benellis have paper elements also...

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And real Guzzis have a spin-on inside the sump...

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seen those, how about something new...interesting??

OK, just for you...

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1966 T120C... brand new... uncrated and assembled. Waiting on the accessory head light kit from the dealer... 1966

I have always found instructions #5 & #6 very important also for proper sealing ability , often dry or overtightened filters leak more times than not .

FE galaxieman, your doing a find job changing the oil three times year. that should unsure you have no oil related problems with the briggs engine. Don't get discourged by the mess, changing the oil is far more important than little mess after words. I use degreaser or windex and my pressure washer if it's too bad. I too can't stand dirty greasy equipment or engines.

rcmoser....

Yes, changing oil frequently is good. I actually change the oil every 25 hours of engine time. Every 50 hours, I change the oil filter too. That makes 6 oil changes per year....

We don't often get feedback as to how effective frequent oil changes are in preserving our engines. I recently had to disassemble my 26 hp Briggs Intek V-twin to replace a leaking sump gasket. The engine has been mine since new, with the above oil change schedule. Currently the hour meter reads 751 hours. Below, I will post two pictures of what my 'lower end' looked like when I cracked it open, for the first time, last month (before any cleanup).

In the pictures you can see the sump gasket pieces scattered all over the sump and block. Other than the gasket pieces the 'lower end' is perfectly clean. Not a sign of any gunk or sludge could be found. Now I know why Briggs designed the engine with that oil screen in the bottom of the sump. The purpose of the screen is to prevent pieces of their cheap and poorly applied sump gasket from reaching the oil pump!

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Many years ago, Lauson engines used a screen like that in their oil pump pick up. People did not change their oil, the screen would get clogged with sludge, guess what happens when screen is plugged with sludge. First thing I would do when working on one was pop the screen out and throw it away.

Walt Conner

Thanks walt2002 for the pics, pulling the sump to retrieve the exhaust push rod. 24 hp ELS 133hrs a 05