Long OCI and Leaky Filter

[dsmith41]

I've got a 1995 Ranger 2.3L 2WD that I have just gone 11k miles on Pennzoil Ultra. I don't normally go that long but I've been busy lately, the weather has been terrible and I drive 80 miles a day just to work and back alone. The miles add up fast.

I really think the PU should be able to handle that long of an OCI but the Motorcraft FL-1A filter I worry wasn't quite up to the task. The bottom of the oil pan had a wet oily residue on it and it led right up to the filter. Could the long OCI cause the filter to leak a little?

I should say, I added no oil to the fill over 11k miles and it was only a half quart below full on the dipstick. Also, I always put a little oil film on the filter gasket before screwing it on. The engine just rolled over 100k yesterday. And lastly, I don't plan on getting a UOA done this time around.

 

[ChrisD46]

Was the oil filter on tight ? It's possible it could have loosened some over the 11K OCI .

If your engine was in good shape and most of your miles were h'way miles I would not be concerned with Ultra and an 11K OCI . I just would not want to run that type of OCI on a regular basis unless at minimum I had a higher end filter such as M1 or K&N ...

 

[tig1]

I have been doing 10K OCIs for a very long time and never had a filter leak. I have been using MC filters for a few years now and never had one of them leak either. Perhaps you didn't tighten it enough.

 

[spk2000]

Recently had an amsoil filter start leaking at about 15,000 miles. It looked terrible like it had overheated with the paint. I cannot confirm a failure but I was ready to change the oil when I found it was leaking. Took some pictures not post them yet. Took it to walmart along with oil to dispose of the filter.

 

[fdcg27]

Have you tried turning the filter to see that it's on tightly?
It could be a seam leak, also, not just the base gasket.
Motocrafts are known to be good quality filters, so I'd run one as long as you have.
You may have just gotten a bad one.
Finally, is it possible that you didn't get the base gasket off when you removed the last oil filter?
This will cause leaks, although usually worse.

 

[The Critic]

How tight did you tighten the filter?

I've found that going 1 full-turn after the gasket contacts the block, has not resulted in any leaks. Sometimes I go a bit more than 1 full-turn, if I am able to get there with hand-tightening.

 

[john_pifer]

I've heard that the filter can spring a leak if its over-tightened, due to expansion with the heat. Never seen it happen, though.

I would say most people probably over-tighten. You shouldn't need a wrench to remove it.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: john_pifer
I've heard that the filter can spring a leak if its over-tightened, due to expansion with the heat. Never seen it happen, though.

I would say most people probably over-tighten. You shouldn't need a wrench to remove it.


I would not say so. All of the filters that I've tightened to 3/4 - 1 full-turn per the filter mfg's instructions are NOT removable by hand.

I've done a couple oil changes lately where the dealer or quick lube must have severely under tightened the filter - as the filter was barely more than finger tight.

 

[147_Grain]

On my extended drain OCI's with Amsoil, I've always tightened the (Amsoil) filter an extra 3/8 to 1/2 turn to prevent oil leaks. (The rubber seal / gasket on oil filters tend to shrink over time, creating a small leak.)

 

[fdcg27]

I have to agree with Critic on this.
I always hand tighten canister filters, and I put them on very tightly.
I can sometimes get them off without a wrench, but usually end up using one, unless the filter is in a really easy to grip location and has a grippy coating, like the old AAP Total Grip or the P1.
I've only seen one base gasket leak in all the years I've been changing oil, and that was with a Purolator Classic on our Forester last summer.
It wasn't overtightened either, since anyone familiar with this oil filter installation knows that this would be impossible to do by hand.
I'd certainly change a leaking filter at once, since the leak could quickly get worse, and the oil pump will quickly empty the sump through a fairly small leak.
The driver would likely have no warning and might get it shut down in time, but might not.