i have been changing oil in my car and before that my parents cars for about 35yrs ,i must have changed the oil on a car about 100 times without issue until the other day , i had changed the oil in my car and after i was done did my usual leak inspection and all looked good , the next day on the way home from work i was stopped at a light and saw smoke pouring out from under the car , i pulled over crawled underneath and the bottom of the car was covered with oil from the filter area , the filter was on tight , so i thought 'is this the wrong filter? , is it defective?? , either way i need to get to a parts store before i moved the car , so i got a filter, a wrench 5 qts of oil and a pan doing this along a busy street in los angeles ,when i got the old filter off , there was my problem the gasket from the old filter stuck to the gasket on the new filter creating an imperfect seal ! these are the kind things you hear and read about and say 'how could anybody be so stupid'! i had blown out 3 of the 4 qts of oil and a few blocks more of driving the motor would have been toast , i was very lucky , it is one of those mistake you only make once
near disaster
- Thread starter matt greenberg
- Start date
- Status
Matt,
That happens more than I care to think about. I have read of several doing that. Now, I check my FF very carefully when I remove it. Thanks for sharing and glad that you caught it in time.
Also:
That happens more than I care to think about. I have read of several doing that. Now, I check my FF very carefully when I remove it. Thanks for sharing and glad that you caught it in time.
Also:
The exact same thing happed on my 4.0 Jeep. It managed to dump 5+ quarts all over my yard in less than 30 seconds!
I've used WIX exclusively for the last year and have more issues with sticking gaskets.
I've used WIX exclusively for the last year and have more issues with sticking gaskets.
The filter doesn't create the problem. The mechanic does!
The problem starts by not checking the old filter for its o-ring(oops, sh!t happens).
The problem continues by not cleaning or wiping down the filter mount(and we wonder why we have Si in UOAs).
The problem gets worse by not lubing the new o-ring on the new filter(silicone grease far better than motor oil).
And, the problem is compounded by the incorrectly torqued oil filter. Good picture here: http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=003075;p=1
The problem starts by not checking the old filter for its o-ring(oops, sh!t happens).
The problem continues by not cleaning or wiping down the filter mount(and we wonder why we have Si in UOAs).
The problem gets worse by not lubing the new o-ring on the new filter(silicone grease far better than motor oil).
And, the problem is compounded by the incorrectly torqued oil filter. Good picture here: http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=003075;p=1
I took my 1997 Explorer to a muffler joint that does oil changes...had my oil changed and drove home...my home phone rang and it was the manager...said they noticed me leaving a stream of oil as I left but couldnt catch me...asked me to come back so they could make it right. Went back and they cleaned the underside of my SUV, refilled my crankcase with new oil and apologized. Just shows to go ya that it can happen anytime. And, no, I have not gone back and never will...the kid who changed my oil looked like he was about 15.
the story above remidns me of the last time i use the quick lube place. been taking two cars there for over 75K miles on each vehicle and the last time he starts it. i always stand out front so i can "watch" well it starts and "ticks" a lot. so i react by making a noise like "ewww" dont laugh you know what i mean. immediately the guy goes "they all do that" well they never have for 3 years and all the other changes. then the owner of the business the one under it starts hollering cut it off. well to make a long story short he didnt double gasket or nothing as he was looking perplexed and laid the filter down in the cathc pan i seen two holes in the side if the filter. looked like a big snake bite. so he put new filter on and they topped it off and it didnt rattle the next start up. that was the last time i went. now i do my own and use better ingredients. aint it funny how quickly they'll lie to you.
i really dont see how a do it your selfer could double gasket one though. oh wait i just remembered he said "in Los Angeles" enough said.
just joking. it would be easy to do if your not careful.
i really dont see how a do it your selfer could double gasket one though. oh wait i just remembered he said "in Los Angeles" enough said.
just joking. it would be easy to do if your not careful.
iain , the orginial filter was an oem hyundai, and the new filter was a ' pureone' ,the 2 rings seemed melt together under the heat and pressure
My only near-experience was with a Baldwin. I got it off easy enough, but noticed immediately, the gasket falling off the filter, as I poured the oil into the receptor.
I always make sure to fill the filter, and lube the gasket before I spin 'er on...
Matt,
Just one of those things we all know, but occasionally forget to check.
Glad to hear you at least got off cheap & didn't destroy your engine.
Just one of those things we all know, but occasionally forget to check.
We've all done it my friend, no harm done.
I always make it a point to clean the housing where the oil filter goes to insure nothing is there.
70's MOPAR small block, Valiant, kind of tight working the old filter out/new filter in between the torsion bar and floor pan. I always wipe the gasket seating area with a clean paper towel, and then take my index finger and check it 360* (lightly, its HOT. Just to prevent occurences like this.
Not to be an ahole, but I thought it SOP to always wipe after dumping
?
So are you saying you just forgot or you never wipe the seal surface?
So are you saying you just forgot or you never wipe the seal surface?
unDummy has it right..
Amazingly people ( and mechanics) change their oil filter numerous times and never have a problem. But when they do, then they remember they should have checked..
Funny that those picture diagrams on the filter tell you to wipe the mounting base. Which will help determine that the base is free from bits of old gasket material or the old o-ring/gasket itself.
Amazingly people ( and mechanics) change their oil filter numerous times and never have a problem. But when they do, then they remember they should have checked..
Funny that those picture diagrams on the filter tell you to wipe the mounting base. Which will help determine that the base is free from bits of old gasket material or the old o-ring/gasket itself.
Don't feel bad, I got in a hurry a few years ago when changing my own oil, and dumped 4 quarts of nice fresh pennzoil all over my driveway because I forgot to install the drain plug!
Been there too. I've been changing oil since long before the Beatles came over! One moment of inattention or distraction and...opps! I nearly cooked my wifes then two year old V-6 Buick the same way, about two decades ago. That was the first time, and the last time I missed a check for the used oil filter gasket! On balance, where the filter was, was just about impossible to see, but I didn't feel it when I wiped the mating surface off. To compound the error, I didn't notice that it was missing from the old filter either!
To err is human. To forgive is, err...stupid! We all make mistakes, so don't beat yourself up too much.
To err is human. To forgive is, err...stupid! We all make mistakes, so don't beat yourself up too much.
That's why you should always take your car to a dealer for oil changes. The lot boy needs some experience, before he becomes a real mechanic. He can also practice reading the words on the oil filter boxes, other labels around the lube rack.
I remember an oil filter that just would not quite seal. No double gasket. Very slight bit of oil from the mateing area. Not really a leak, but a slight seep that would leave a drip of oil on the driveway overnight.
Turned out to be part of a Fram plastic by-pass valve that had blown apart on the prior filter that ended up between the O ring and the mounting flange. Up until then, I thought that Fram filters were "tolerable".
Turned out to be part of a Fram plastic by-pass valve that had blown apart on the prior filter that ended up between the O ring and the mounting flange. Up until then, I thought that Fram filters were "tolerable".
I have seen the issue with Motorcraft, AC Delco, Fram, Mopar, K&N, Mobil1, Pennzoil, Purolator, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. and some have been the ones I have put on buy hand after cleaning the filter mount, lubing the filter gasket, and what not. Yup, got to look I don't care who makes the filter.
The tiem that got me though was when I changed the oil did not look at the mount and but checked the filter and te gasket came off with the filter. So who'd of thunk that the gasket from 2 oil changes agao was still there at it finally popped. Boy was I confused and what a mess. about 4 quarts out of 7 on the floor.
Ah well.
The tiem that got me though was when I changed the oil did not look at the mount and but checked the filter and te gasket came off with the filter. So who'd of thunk that the gasket from 2 oil changes agao was still there at it finally popped. Boy was I confused and what a mess. about 4 quarts out of 7 on the floor.
Ah well.
- Status
