oil filter split and in bits

Well today I tried to service my first car in thirty years and now I am starting to remember why I stopped my diy

After a few hours of struggling to remove the seized engine undertray I now have hit a possibly more serious problem


Whilst removing the oil filter it split in two and the bottom part disintegrated. I have removed as much oily cardboard pieces and 'plastic' end bits as I can see but don't know if I have got them all.

Any advice on how to proceed or what my options are would be very welcome.

Hope somebody in the forum can please help.

long as you got all out that you can see will be fine

What engine ? Right searched on the other forum and found its a 2006 TD4. My suggestion would be to remove the oil filter housing unless you can be certain that no crap has entered the oil ways.

Went back out this morning and cleaned and 'fished-around' a bit more. I am pretty sure I have most if not all pieces out.

My concern is if some has went down the pipe which is at about 10 o'clock in my pic. I think this goes back to the sump. So anything coming back up that way it would have to pass through the new filter.

Thanks for the advice guys.

@nickcc. Thanks.Had thought of that last night and read up on it. But when I looked in the morning it looks a bit beyond me. I couldn't even see the three bolts which attach it let alone how to get them out

@cremator Hope your right

Must have been a cheap filter or very old as I have never had one fall apart before