Oil filter tightness

[Hubjeep]

I wonder how accurate the degree of turn after gasket contact is that is printed on the filter can.

Ex. The 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0L owners manual states to only turn the filter 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn after gasket contact. The ST16 Supertech filter (used in this engine) along with some others says to turn it 2/3 to 1 turn after contact.

Ex. When it comes to the ST3614 used in the 1995 Dodge Neon the filter can instructs 1 additional turn (I only get a little more than 1/2 turn by hand to be quite snug).

BTW, I never use a wrench for installation.

Has anyone ever had a filter thread off from being installed too loose / or too tight that the threads on the engine stripped?

-John

[ October 07, 2003, 10:05 PM: Message edited by: Hubjeep ]

 

[labman]

I never remember any special problems. I see posts here from time to time on filters coming loose, mostly after a quick lube. I also see posts about having trouble getting a filter off. I am remembering 3/4 to a full turn as the instructions. I usually give up a little short of that. I also oil the gasket good and replace the filter after 3 months. Even back when I was using 6 month intervals, I never remember having trouble getting filters off. I have mostly used AC, Fram, Purolator, and now ST. After cutting a Fram open, I never bought another one. I like what I have seen inside the AC's, but can't always find what I need. The ST's are about as good as most, cheaper, and much better than orange.

I hope the threads on the engine are hard enough that the filter would strip first. Usually the filters only have a couple of threads and seem like fairly soft metal.

If you are not having problems, I would stick to what you are doing.

 

[UncleS2]

I've followed the instructions on the filter boxes for as long as I can remember. I figure it's best to err on the snug side, & so have always used the "high side" figure. On Saturday, when I changed my oil(15,000 miles

analysis coming soon!) & put on my first AC-Delco Ultraguard filter, the box flap said 2/3-1 turn after gasket contact. I went the full 1 turn- the filter wrench makes that last 1/4 turn a lot easier!

So far, I've never had any trouble removing a filter that I installed. If I ever do, there's always the good ole 16" Channelocks.

 

[RalphPWood]

I've heard some horror stories. A guy with a big motorhome had his oil filter changed. Out of town a ways his filter dropped off on the road. A large truck I was driving developed a bad noise in the turbo. It was still under warranty.
I have a habit of double checking things. The drain plug was hanging by one thread. I was mostly concerned about the filters. I've seen cases where the filter gasket stuck to the filter mount. The new filter was installed with a new gasket. Two gaskets don't work. The old gasket blew out and the Chevy engine was toast.
The guy noticed the lifters were noisy but didn't notice the oil pressure.

Ralph

 

[Roger]

Never had one not come off for being too tight, but I've had a few leak because they were too loose. So I'm anal about it now. I put a mark on the end of the filter and turn it exactly to the high side recommendation. 3/4 to 1 gets exactly 1 full turn, and so on.

 

[TC]

When I changed out the original, factory-installed filter on my 2002 Mitsubishi engine, I noticed it had a white paint swipe on it, echoing Roger's habit of doing so to ensure proper rotation. If some engine block inlet threads are "coarser" than others (fewer threads per inch) -- and I don't know if this is the case -- then they will require lesser rotation when tightening to achieve the same torque, and the filter manufacturer will take this into account. Some filter mating gaskets have curved tops, and some are flat, some Teflon coated, and some not, so this might influence manufacturers' recommendations on tightening. I read a comment from an experienced light aircraft mechanic who recommended installing teflon grease instead of oil on the gasket since oil was basically useless in preventing bonding. But Wix's (or was it Baldwin's?) website says to use clean oil since grease can cause leaks. (I assume the grease might not completely squeeze out, creating a film which is eventually purged, causing a gap...?) I imagine the longer a filter will be on (such as extended service), the more grease makes sense in lieu of oil. But the old saying still applies: "When in doubt, follow directions."

 

[RavenTai]

I just use hand tight, there is a point where the toque required to get it to turn increases drasticly and it get uncomfortable with one hand, that is where I stop

never a problem with leaks or coming off

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

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Originally posted by RavenTai:
I just use hand tight, there is a point where the toque required to get it to turn increases drasticly and it get uncomfortable with one hand, that is where I stop

never a problem with leaks or coming off

---

Couldn't have said it better. Just hand tighten the thing and forget about it.

 

[Silk]

The confusion comes from the 3 types of seal fitted to spin on filters.There is the square section,D section and P or tadpole seal.

Square section requires 2/3 to 3/4 of a turn after the seal contacts mounting.

The D seal needs 3/4 to one full turn.

P or tadpole seals make metal contact - that is... tight.

Check your seal type before fitting - if you do 2/3 turn on a tadpole it's going to leak for sure.Your mistake,your motor.

 

[Tremo]

When I put on a new filter, I tighten it about as tight as I can with one bare hand. I never have leaks, they never come off (other than when I try to take them off with the wrench, come time to replace).

 

[Ray H]

After spreading a thin film of oil on the exposed gasket's mating surface, I hand tighten the filter enough to assure the gasket has uniformly bottomed in its groove. Then I back off to sloppy loose, and retighten about 1/2 turn after first contact of the gasket to the mounting base on the engine. I've never had any leak, and they're always removable by hand - no small advantage on some engines.

 

[mikep]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Drew99GT:

quote:

---

Originally posted by RavenTai:
I just use hand tight, there is a point where the toque required to get it to turn increases drasticly and it get uncomfortable with one hand, that is where I stop

never a problem with leaks or coming off

---

Couldn't have said it better. Just hand tighten the thing and forget about it.

---

Exactly what I've always done. Never had a problem.

I can't stand when those few times the dealer has changed the filter. Seems as though they use a darn 1/2" torquewrench to tighten the filters.

Mikep

 

[Schmoe]

Hand tight with clinched teeth.

 

[edpoj]

I usually hand tighten then I use a rubber anti- slip jar opener, and it gives me a little more twist on the filter. Just my little trick to make sure its tightened enough.

 

[JohnnyO]

quote:

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Originally posted by Schmoe:
Hand tight with clinched teeth.

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That's my torque spec also.

As tight as I can get it with an oily hand. Never had a problem.

 

[Swift]

Same as Schmoe and some of the others.

 

[pscholte]

I hand tighten until IT WILL NOT TURN. I don't think I am overtightening, but I want them to be secure.

 

[TC]

I always used to go "hand tight" as well, with never a leak and only a few stuck filters. But while at a parts store I noticed that a Bosch filter and STP filter (both made by Champion) had instructions of +3/4 turn and +2/3 turn, respectively. The difference? The Bosch gasket had a rounded surface, while the STP's was flat. This reiterated to me the significance -- and possible importance -- of going by the manufacturers' guidelines. I also noted that doing so netted an additional 1/5 turn or so beyond what I could do by hand, so although I never had leaks (luck involved...?), my filters were technically under-tightened. To reduce the likelihood of sticking, I'll start using grease on the gasket, so in the future I should have no concerns about either leakage or stuck gaskets. Some good peace-of-mind, I guess. (For the record, filter manufacturers recommend using oil and not grease.)