How many people here prefill their filter?

OffOrWFO · Jul 28, 2004

I'd do a poll if I could but we don't have that option.
I'm wondering how many people prefill their oil filters before they put them on?
I've had several friends watch me do this and the usual reaction is "why, I've never seen anybody do that before"
I let my engines drain overnight if I can, so I know that the engine is running dry ~ 5 seconds if I don't prefill the filter. Also it seems like a good idea to wet the paper media in the filter before you throw 80 psi of cold oil at it.

[ July 29, 2004, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: Dan4510 ]

doubleclutch · Jul 28, 2004

I prefill mine, FL400S, FL820S, lawn tractor, and farm tractor, horizontal or verticle. I get as much in the filter as possible without risking some spilling out during installation.

MAJA · Jul 28, 2004

I prefill the filter on my 1995 Chevy 2500 truck with a 350 V-8. On this engine, you can fill the filter 7/8 full and still put it on, as it is installed vertically at the back of the engine. Just make sure your hands arent slippery, or you accidently bump your arm against a hot exhaust pipe, causing you to drop it, splashing oil over everything. Of course, this has never happened to me..........

T-Keith · Jul 28, 2004

I do it on all the cars that I can. I even fill my in-pan even though you can only fill it 1/4 full.

It's a great idea with no drawbacks. Heck, you have to lube the gasket, which is easier to do when your pouring the oil in it anyway.

-T

pacers1994 · Jul 28, 2004

I prefill the filter on my 1998 Explorer 4.0 V6. It eliminates the clatter that I was getting when I first started up after changing the oil. Big filter. I can get nearly a quart in there.

elwaylite · Jul 28, 2004

Ive always half filled mine and rubbed oil on the gasket when changing myself.

rpn453 · Jul 29, 2004

Pre-filling the filter should be done whenever possible (so yes, I do it when I can).

quote:

Also it seems like a good idea to wet the paper media in the filter before you throw 80 psi of cold oil at it.

The filter media will never see even close to 80psi across it because of the bypass valve.

labman · Jul 29, 2004

I prefill mine several times. If you just pour some oil in and slap it on, you have oil inside the media, but the greater volume outside the media is still empty. Try it next time, fill it clear full and let it set a few minutes. The oil level will drop. I take the filter out and fill it with oil before I pick up the wrench for oil plug. As I go through draining the oil and removing the old filter, I keep adding a little more oil. By the time I am ready to put the filter on, it is about 2/3 full and holding. It sets at about 4 o'clock. I can get it on without spilling much.

This topic keeps coming up, and nobody else seems to really fill their filter like I do. I first heard of prefill on a TV show that was on Saturday mornings in the late 80's. It was PBS, but not those idiots on NPR now. My son and I watched it together.

CincyGTS · Jul 29, 2004

I've always prefilled the filters on every car that I've changed the oil on (when I can, meaning where the filter isn't upside down, etc, in which case I 'wet' the filter).

An obvious eception is my wife's 2002 Alero with the 2.2 Ecotec, I have just been replacing them without wetting the fitter with oil first.

mountravlr · Jul 29, 2004

I pre-fill the filter and let it sit over night in the house, and top it off the next day before installation.

T-Keith · Jul 29, 2004

Ok some people go to a little extremes, but yes I fill the filter. That doesn't neccesarily mean I let it sit overnight, just pour it in, watch it go down and continue until it's full. Not really that big of deal, the idea is to save the engine from having to fill the filter before it gets oil, not to make sure every last drop of oil gets in the filter.

Another point for those who are this picky. Do you remove the plug AND the filter at the same time. I've found that removing the filter lets a bunch more oil flow into the pan. If you replace the plug before removing the filter, this oil stays in your pan.

-T

cryptokid · Jul 29, 2004

i prefill all of my oil filters.

i have found that even on horizontal oil filters you can still get 60-75% full if you hold the filter vertical next to the filter mount, and tip it horizontal quickly thread it on.

its funny that when my dad and uncle saw me doing this they at first thought i was crazy but after we talked about it they now think it is a good idea and prefill their own filters now.

brianl703 · Jul 29, 2004

I replace the filter, then I drain the oil.

The reason for that is that I sometimes get the newspaper I lay on the ground under the filter messy with oil as I drag the drain pan full of oil forward (filter is in front, drain plug in rear).

If I've already changed the filter, it is no big deal since I'm done at that point, and I can just roll up the newspaper and dispose of it.

Darryl · Jul 29, 2004

On my 2 vehicles ('03 Accord 2.4/'99 Dakota 3.9) trying to fill the filters before installing would be very messy due to the mounting angles and the various braces I have to get the filter around.

So, on dry they go, and I don't give it a 2nd thought!

Darryl

Palut · Jul 29, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Darryl:
On my 2 vehicles ('03 Accord 2.4/'99 Dakota 3.9) trying to fill the filters before installing would be very messy due to the mounting angles and the various braces I have to get the filter around.

So, on dry they go, and I don't give it a 2nd thought!

Darryl

Same here! Both of my Accords have insane filter mounting positions. Prefilling the filter would create a huge mess!

OffOrWFO · Jul 29, 2004

Thanks for all the responses.
I totally understand not prefilling your filter if it mounts upside down. Although you could probably pour a couple oz in it with out creating a mess.
Labman
I too fill my filter multiple times and usually put about 3/4 of a Qt in a 1Qt filter.

I doubt if prefilling makes much difference if you change your oil in the normal 1/2 hour. I often pull the plug on my weekend toys and don't get around to refilling till the next day or later, so a lot of the oil that is on the bearings etc. has run off.

Blokey · Jul 29, 2004

I always do it, it always seemed to be a good practice, however I understand there is some debate about whether it really helps build up oil pressure quicker on the first start up; I can't imagine it taking longer if the oil filter is pre-filled.

timzak · Jul 29, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Darryl:
On my 2 vehicles ('03 Accord 2.4/'99 Dakota 3.9) trying to fill the filters before installing would be very messy due to the mounting angles and the various braces I have to get the filter around.

On my '03 Accord 2.4 I can fill the filter about 1/2 full before installing it. The filter mounts horizontally, so it's not too hard to get it on half-full without spilling any. Just keep it vertical as you push it up (with left hand) through the various braces, then use your right arm/hand to snake around the braces via the front passenger wheel well for support as you tilt the filter to screw it on. Try it, it's surprisingly easy to reach the filter from the passenger wheel well. Heck, it's possible to grab the filter and screw it off without getting under the car and without raising the car on jacks. Would make for a nasty, expensive practical joke...

rgl · Jul 29, 2004

quote:

I first heard of prefill on a TV show that was on Saturday mornings in the late 80's

Last Chance Garage? That was a pretty good show.

Patman · Jul 29, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by labman:
I prefill mine several times. If you just pour some oil in and slap it on, you have oil inside the media, but the greater volume outside the media is still empty. Try it next time, fill it clear full and let it set a few minutes. The oil level will drop. I take the filter out and fill it with oil before I pick up the wrench for oil plug. As I go through draining the oil and removing the old filter, I keep adding a little more oil. By the time I am ready to put the filter on, it is about 2/3 full and holding. It sets at about 4 o'clock. I can get it on without spilling much.

This topic keeps coming up, and nobody else seems to really fill their filter like I do.

I do it like you do as well. In fact I started doing this long before BITOG, I probably started doing this around 1991 (I started changing my own oil in 1988)

How many people here prefill their filter?

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