Berlingo oil filter problem

[jmoon]

I have a 2003 Berlingo 1.4 petrol engine and am changing the oil filter. On this model, the oil filter is a paper and plastic cartridge with a plastic locator stick projecting from one end. It is contained within a cover.

I have unscrewed the cover and expected to withdraw the cartridge and locator. However, it will not come out: something is holding it in. Both cartridge and spacer are loose and rotate freely. Is there some trick to freeing them?

I am nervous of using force without knowing what I am doing as I am 15 miles from the nearest town and I do not want to be stranded!

[Citroenmad]

Is there some trick to freeing them?

Yes, pull very hard!

Dont be too careful with it, you should only break the filter if the worst should happen, but ive never broken one. They are just clipped into the top of the filter housing, the bit you have removed.

[CitroJim]

I've often wondered the nature of the narcotic substance the designer of that particular item was on at the time.

Either that or he was best mates with the designer of the Xantia heater matrix elbow...

[jmoon]

Thanks for those replies. They were helpful.
On the subject of design, what do you think of the dipstick on the 1.4 petrol engine? By the time you have pulled the thin flexible wire dipstick out of its convoluted housing, it is coated with so much oil you cannot see where the oil level is!

[spider]

I don't think the dipstick is as good as the earlier ones, they changed them to all-plastic affairs...

Regarding the filter in the housing, this was changed from the spin-on cartridge to the plastic housing to mainly accommodate the cat (as you`ll see the cat is now a lot higher up) and there was not sensible space for the conventional filter anymore.

I can't remember the year of the change of the dipstick and filter although they did not occur at exactly the same time. 'x' plate petrol TU's have the plastic filter normally, so I would guess around 2000. Dipsticks later poss 2002 ish.

Disclaimer: I'm working totally from memory here.

[Citroenmad]

The plastic dipsticks are a very stupid idea.

I replaced a Saxo one (has the plastic filter housing but old dipstick - 2000 Y reg) with the new plastic dipstick, as the dealer couldnt get me the right metal one, which had snapped. The plastic one is a right pain to get in and out. Though i think there was a new tube made as well as the dipstick.