Oversized filter = low oil pressure at startup?

[Horatio]

Hey all. I put an oversized Wix filter from NAPA on my '99 Civic and since that switch I've noticed that the car sometimes takes longer to start and the oil pressure light came on at startup just now. (I've never actually noticed that light before). I haven't had a chance to install my oil pressure guage yet to check out what the actual pressure is and I don't have any numbers to compare it to anyway but here's my issue;

does the oversized filter cause a low oil pressure at startup and is that a problem?

Thanks!

Greg

 

[sbc350gearhead]

Well......it may take longer to pressurize the filter, depending on the mounting position.

 

[Ray H]

That and the fact that more filter media area equates to less flow restriction.

 

[Horatio]

Thanks for the quick replies; sounds like it isn't anything to be worried about.

Greg

 

[Bill Kapaun]

The oil filter would have absolutely nothing to do with how long it takes to start.
If it has a bad anti drainback valve (ADBV), the oil may partially drain out of the filter when the engine is off for an extended time.
Ir you immediately start the engine after shutting it off, does it still exhibit the same symptom.
If the light is only on for a second or so, don't worry. 3 seconds would be a relatively long time for any Hondas I've had experience with, including a 20 year old Civic.

 

[The_Jeff]

What runs/primes the fuel pump? GM uses an oil pressure switch and relay; if the relay conks out the oil pressure switch powers the fuel pump. One then cranks the motor until oil pressure comes up before fuel is delivered. Just a thought. You'd need a bad anti-drainback valve too for this hypothesis to apply.

 

[jthorner]

quote:

---

more filter media area equates to less flow restriction.

---

Less flow restriction does not mean it will take longer to start a car or to build oil pressure.

John

 

[Horatio]

Bill; the light only stays on for about 1/2 second and today's the first day it's done that (oil might be a little low?). The only time I've noticed it taking longer to start is on the first start of the day; sometimes it takes many more cranks of the engine to get started and sometimes only a couple. I was under the belief that Honda computers won't start an engine that hasn't built sufficient oil pressure?


Greg

 

[TC]

Is your filter mounted in a holes-up position? Better yet, is it mounted that way and also located down low on the engine? If holes-up, it will never likely drain out anyway -- some sort of vacuum effect would be required for this to happen, and although sounding impossible, I believe this can actually (although rarely???) occur with turbocharged engines...??? Of course oil will want to drain to the lowest spot possible, and if the filter is down low and holes-up, I would hardly give the anti-drainback valve a second thought, and always assume the filter is kept full after shut-down, not an unreasonable assumption. As for oversize, in general, more media is better, with few drawbacks I know of assuming the filter doesn't drain out. If it does, it takes that much longer to refill at start-up.

 

[Boeing 757 Pilot]

Doesn't the oversized Honda oil filters have a different bypass setting than the factory size filter? Is it worth putting a big oil filter on a Honda ?

 

[unDummy]

What part number is required and which are you using???

I've had bad luck with wixmade(nonwix) filters. Seems their ADBV is as good as the orange popular can. Try another brand of oversized filter and see if that helps.

 

[Horatio]

Good replies, thanks guys.

The filter in a slightly off horizontal position so the holes are pointing toward the front of the car (kind of a PITA when changing the filter).

I wasn't expecting much of anything by using an oversized filter as the one I have isn't that much larger than the stock one; just thought I'd give it a try since I had to change the filter anyway.

BTW I added a bit of oil yesterday (it was low) and the oil light doesn't seem to stay on now. Not sure if that means anything but I thought I'd add info to this thread.

I'll try and find the part #s I used for the filter.

Thanks!

Greg

 

[gogozy]

i don't know what engine in your Civic, but i had heard that new K series engine uses timming chain instead of belt. thus Honda move to smaller oil filter to build up oil pressure to lubricate the chain. however, dealer told me they can be interchange, but they did tell me new filter give higher oil pressure.

 

[labman]

There is a whole bunch of issues here. WIX usually can be trusted, but I have seen posts here where that in a given application WIX was short on media compared to other brands. Some smaller filters have more media packed in them than much larger ones do. Check the bypass pressure too. Which side of the filter is the pressure switch? Are you looking at pressure to the filter, or pressure to the engine?

 

[Horatio]

Mine's a d-series (D16Y7) engine; hadn't hear about the new k-series engines but that's interesting info.

Labman; sounds like there may be no real advantage to the oversized filter in this application if there isn't any more media in there than a regular filter. Not sure what side the swicth is on; I think I'll find out when it comes time to install the guage I mentioned earlier. What I'm most worried about is the top of the engine getting oil in time and not compromising that. I'll update this thread when I get more info about it.

Also...the light does seem to stay on even though I topped up my oil.

Greg

 

[TR3-2001SE]

Just thought I would put in my 2 cents worth. I believe you have a bad filter. Could be the anti-drainback valve or other issues. Quick way to find out is to change it. Even a cheap filter will tell you if you have a bad one. I think this does happend more often than I would like to see with all brands. Keep us informed.