K&N filter leak on Honda Civic

[JPowers]

A while ago my oil pan had some oil seepage so I decided to have the gasket replaced at which point I gave my mechanic an oversize K&N filter to install at the same time. When I did my next oil change I tried to remove the filter with a 3/8 ratchet and 1" socket but it wouldn't budge. I ended up using a breaker bar to remove the thing and the top of the filter actually dented from the force needed to remove it! (By the way, this same mechanic put my drain plug in finger tight, but that's another story.)

For a while there has been a slight burning oil smell in my car while at a stop coming through the vents and I couldn't find the source anywhere.

Recently I did an oil change and not being one who likes to estimate how tight to make something, I found that the factory service manual has torque specs so that's what I did. After that I smelled more oil than normal, so I checked it and the filter is leaking! I tried to tighten it more, but it wouldn't budge.

Is it more likely that the mechanic damaged the base on the block where the filter seals or that the torque specifications don't apply to the K&N and I actually over tightened it?

I was thinking of trying an OEM filter to see if it would seal, but Honda apparently now has these miniature filters, which I don't want so now I don't know what I should do. Any recommendtions would really be appreciated, thanks!

 

[digitaldrifter91]

what year is ur honda? now they have miniture filters? what u mean?

so it was a drop in k & n filter? or was it a cone?

 

[TC]

I believe the K&N's are made by Champion -- at least they used to be. You believe the problem is at the gasket mating surface. A second possibility is that the filter's leaking at the rolled seam adjacent to the gasket. Champion makes some good filters (K&N, Mobil and Bosch, to name a few), so I'm not trying to slam them. But since you've had potential problems with a bad gasket or seam, I'd simply try a different premium (non-Champion) brand and see what happens, while first running your finger along the block's mating surface for inspection. Maybe try a Wix/Napa Gold, Purolator PureOne, one of the Japanese-made Honda filters (Honda uses US, Canadian, and Japanese suppliers), or whatever tickles your fancy. Your problem might be immediately solved. Follow the filter manufacturer's recommendation in regards to tightening (see the recent "Filter Tightening" thread in the "Oil Filter" section).

 

[JPowers]

digitaldrifter91, it's not an air filter, but an oil filter. Like TC said, it's just a Champion Labs filter built to K&N's specifications. My car is a '99. I guess "miniature" was an exaggeration, but they are smaller. They seem to be well made, though. Look at this thread, there is a picture of a Fram beside the new filter if you scroll down:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000974#000000

I decided to get some S2000 filters instead thanks to the information in that thread!

Part number 15400-PCX-004, and I found them online for $5.89, which isn't bad at all so I bought 10 of them!

TC, You may be right about the leak around the rolled seam. After I wiped up the mess from the leak I ran my fingernail around the bottom of the seam and there was oil but this could have just dripped down.

Anyway, I don't need K&N anymore now that Honda sells good filters again! If anyone's interested, the wrench to fit the S2000 filter was $16.24.

 

[digitaldrifter91]

quote:

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digitaldrifter91, it's not an air filter, but an oil filter. Like TC said, it's just a Champion Labs filter built to K&N's specifications

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im sorry. i posted this late last night, had no idea it was an oil filter. gee now i get it...

 

[47HO]

Are you sure that the gasket from the old filter isn't stuck to the mating surface?

 

[TC]

Hey, glad you found some awesome Honda filters, JPowers. Some of these filter dissasembly websites and posts have done a great service about exposing the good, bad, and the ugly on Honda-approved filters.

I've pasted a comment from Russ Knize's filter article which may or may not have relevance to your K&N filter. His comments are about the Mobil 1, but they're both made by Champion. "Though I have never had problems, I have received feedback from a few people that these filters (Mobil 1) may leak at the base. It seems that the seal between the backplate and can may burst under high pressure (at startup). These were on Ford engine applications." Keep in mind that these comments are several years old -- I would hope that Mobil 1 has resolved any concerns by now, but the observations on your K&N filter revisit this issue.

 

[JPowers]

No, there's no gasket on the mating surface. I checked it again today and it was dry, but it's only been a day or so. I'm sure it will be fun to remove once I do an oil change since I really tightened it down!

I'm going to just leave it on there considering I paid almost $10 for it.

I agree with you TC. These guys that take the time and money to cut these filters open don't get enough credit. It's amazing how powerful the internet can be. In my opinion Mobil 1 changed from their tri-synthetic formula to the much better supersyn and Honda came out with better quality filters because of people who exposed their weaknesses. I believe I was the first person to point out that Bosch premium filters no longer use a spring bypass in them. I now see that the latest Prelude filter test discourages the use of them because of this. I'd like to think that I had something to do with this, but who knows?

Maybe Champion will change back?

 

[sbc350gearhead]

quote:

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Originally posted by JPowers:
I believe I was the first person to point out that Bosch premium filters no longer use a spring bypass in them. I now see that the latest Prelude filter test discourages the use of them because of this. I'd like to think that I had something to do with this, but who knows?

Maybe Champion will change back? [/QB]

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I believe that champion does whatever the buyer wants them to. I bet if we all placed an order of 10000 filters, then champion would build them to our specs.

Now wouldn't that be grand.

 

[JPowers]

quote:

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I believe that champion does whatever the buyer wants them to. I bet if we all placed an order of 10000 filters, then champion would build them to our specs. Now wouldn't that be grand.

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Sounds good! Let's get a group buy going. So you're in for 10,000?