Done this more times than I can count.
BTW love that the Toyota filters already come preluded. One less thing to mess with.
BTW love that the Toyota filters already come preluded. One less thing to mess with.
Oil filter gasket.....Oh no you didn't!
- Thread starter Urshurak776
- Start date
I've always used the old oil, never once had an issue. I literally don't even smear it with my finger, I just "kiss" the new filter to the old filter to get a little oil onto the o-ring then screw it on. I don't pre-fill filters either unless they are very large. If your engine blows up from a few seconds of the car building oil pressure (which happens if you have a failed ADBV anyway) the engine wasn't long for this world to begin with.
I will say that on a brand new engine, or one that has been sitting for years, I'll crank it over for a few seconds to build oil pressure before starting just because the oil film isn't on the internal parts yet.
I will say that on a brand new engine, or one that has been sitting for years, I'll crank it over for a few seconds to build oil pressure before starting just because the oil film isn't on the internal parts yet.
Yep, absolutely, do what works for you. Quicklube shops around the country don't even go this far and the engines still outlast the rest of the vehicle.
IMO, the main reason I would suggest wiping down the mating surface is to verify (double-check) the gasket or a piece of the gasket isn't stuck on and preventing a good seal. So long as that isn't the case, I don't even think it's necessary.
Yeah.. can of worms talking about this, but if I take a spin-off filter off it's going in the trash. Not worth the risk of hoping the gasket properly seals after being recompressed the second time.
Good practice for sure. I do always look to make sure the gasket isn’t there and even with the residual “dirty” oil left on the flange it’s clear to see it’s free from debris.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2024
- Messages
- 226
I literally rub the gaskets of the new and old filters against each other 
So, I'm SUCH a hypocrite. Changed sons oil last weekend and was thinking about this thread. So, cracked open the new jug of oil and spread it on the new filter gasket.........maybe even added some oil to it. That's all I'm saying.....
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2009
- Messages
- 10,258
Technically it's going to go through the filter first before it gets to the center tube. I usually just spill a little on the gasket when pre filling and then spread it evenly around the gasket.
I do the same.
Or, you can have old removed filter facing its opening up, allows to check whether O-ring is still there, and then put new filter's O-ring against old one to transfer some oil, no need to dip fingers into oil and rub it onto new filter.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
I've done dirty old and new over the years. It's not like this is a moving part and we need to worry the oil is up to the task. 
S2000 has a torque spec since they can and have backed off when only hand tight
that's because of the filter gasket design though. Note this is a P-style gasket with a raised bead trapped in a steel gland. By design, this style of filter has metal-on-metal contact, almost exactly the same as an O-ring face seal on a hydraulic hose (SAE J1453).
This ^^ works just like this:
Contrast that with the more traditional gasket design of the standard Honda oil filter. The gasket has a lot more protrusion and will NOT produce metal-on-metal contact when correctly installed:
Ah, thats why these are so hard to get off at times! Thanks!
An obvious approach would be to apply grease to a filter gasket to ensure it doesn't bond, but filter manufacturers advise against grease and recommend oil, based on the belief that some greases can degrade the rubber. But generally use SOMETHING on the gasket -- I've had to spike filters with a screwdriver twice in decades past to remove, and you'd have thought the filters were welded in place. And I have fuzzy memories of some filters with Teflon coated gaskets??
