Can extreme cold ( 0 to -20 ) for 2 - 4 days cause an engine oil filter to become loose and seep / leak oil ?

[odie]

Some vehicle owner sites state they've had this occur . Anyone here had this experience ?

 

[bullwinkle]

Only on cartridge oil filters, when the o ring wasn’t replaced on the housing, Ford 6.0 PSD. Guess the ring got a little too stiff from the cold.

 

[odie]

These are spin on metal oil filters . Metal does constrict . So the CAN could ? I suppose the gasket may as well .

 

[Hall]

Some vehicle owner sites state they've had this occur

Let me guess, these claims are from people that live in Florida, Texas, etc who don't routinely deal with cold temperatures. Even in SW Ohio, we get sub-zero temperatures most winters and our cars don't get loose oil filters from it.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Only if it was already too loose. That's my guess anyways...

 

[Eddie]

Difficult to accept IF the filter was installed with the recommended 3/4 turn after first contact.

 

[JavierH19]

Only if it was barely tight enough to begin with but this isn't an issue or youd be hearing way more of it.

 

[Sayjac]

.....

 

[tcp71]

Funny, millions of cars here in Canada run those temperatures and much lower for months at a time. There is no plague of torn or leaking filters or gaskets.

 

[Klutch9]

Only on cartridge oil filters, when the o ring wasn’t replaced on the housing, Ford 6.0 PSD. Guess the ring got a little too stiff from the cold.

Happened on my Kia van a couple winters ago too in the extreme cold. Now I replace those o-rings every single time!

 

[eljefino]

A (standard, screw-on) filter is flimsy but its baseplate is not. There's no way this would happen.

 

[odie]

Funny, millions of cars here in Canada run those temperatures and much lower for months at a time. There is no plague of torn or leaking filters or gaskets.

Most don't check their filters .

 

[odie]

Difficult to accept IF the filter was installed with the recommended 3/4 turn after first contact.

The filters were 3/4+ of a turn .

 

[methusaleh]

Funny, millions of cars here in Canada run those temperatures and much lower for months at a time. There is no plague of torn or leaking filters or gaskets.

Ditto here in northern Vermont.

Probably only seen three days over 15 degrees Fahrenheit during the past month, with most days being around 10 and nights around 5 below. Several nights 20 to 25 below and that’s before wind chill!

I’ve done oil changes on two of my vehicles during that time and have noted nothing unusual. Nor in years past.

 

[JMJNet]

You need to ask these owners to see if they go to the fast oil change shop?

 

[nicholas]

Some vehicle owner sites state they've had this occur . Anyone here had this experience ?

Never experienced this living in subzero for over 4 decades.
My filters are always on tight.

 

[Hall]

Most don't check their filters .

....because they're not leaking "from cold" temperatures.

 

[Hall]

Now I replace those o-rings every single time!

Don't cartridge filters come with replacement o-rings ?

 

[Klutch9]

Don't cartridge filters come with replacement o-rings ?

They do, but I used to skip replacing them sometimes because I didn’t feel like swapping them out.

 

[dnewton3]

It is the friction-generated force between the gasket and metal that actually retains the filter. The CoF between block and gasket and canister are equalizing. The clamping force generated by the helical threads causes the gasket to compress, and the pores of the gasket grip against the micro-pores and ridges in the metals.

Now, if the filter was poorly installed, such that gasket was ever-so-barely compressed, and then the cold caused the gasket to shrink and loosen the grip on the metal block, that might be an issue. But that's a matter of poor installation and not the filter's fault.