What's this crunchy crud?

[rcy]

2006 Acura MDX with 435 000 KM on it. Runs great, by the way, even the A/C still works. Slight RMS leak.

Filter is a Mobil 1, M104 Extended Performance. Oil was Castrol Edge 5W50 (the thicker oil helps with the RMS leak) run for about 9000 KM.
The filter, however, was run for 2 OCI, about 18 000 KM - just over 1 year.

Is this crud just dirt buildup in the little space between the gasket and the edge of the oil filter? It's outside the filter gasket.

I've run filters for 2 OCI before and never seen this.

It's hard like candy, or even better description - it's like the caramelized top of a creme brulee dessert.

Thanks.

PS - Not posting this to hear why I should or shouldn't run the filter for 2 OCI....lol.

PPS - Don't mind that hair in the picture. I have a Husky. Hair is now an integral part of my life, but I don't let her help with the oil changes, so no worry of hair in the engine.

 

[PimTac]

Did you travel through some nasty roads lately? Could be mud/dirt. How did the area around the filter mount look?

 

[WylieCoyote]

Best guesses: Whatever sits above it on the engine is leaking, or the seam between the can & base plate is flawed.

 

[ssspencerjr]

Seeing as you're in canada I'm going out on a limb and saying it's a combination of gunk from driving and rust from the filter. Maybe there was bare metal exposed? What does the underside of the filter housing look like?

 

[benjy]

i assume its colder there, if so the 50 helps with leaks BUT may not get up to the proper viscosity at running temps!

 

[kschachn]

i assume its colder there, if so the 50 helps with leaks BUT may not get up to the proper viscosity at running temps!

Heavier oil warms up faster than thinner oil.

 

[Warstud]

1) You prefilled the filter and oil spilled over outside the gasket
2) Filter wasn't on tight causing to leak past the gasket

 

[ecotourist]

Looks like a mix of dust and oil. Your filter gasket may have leaked a little or something located above the oil filter leaked.

Or it's just mud.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Crunchy Crud sounds like a breakfast cereal .

 

[Sayjac]

Ok here's my thought. Topic vehicle 06 MDX specs the narrower (but slightly longer) 7317 OF. Topic looks to be the 3593a/9688 application. That being the case, I think it's just a build up, combination environmental material and engine crud on the space between the sealing gasket and the filter outer edge. That area is exposed on topic filter.

The 7317 being narrower, less chance to catch the exterior crud outside the sealing gasket which is on the outer edge of the filter.

 

[dishdude]

The filter or something above it leaked and puddled in the valley and collected road grime along the way.

 

[rcy]

Thanks for the replies. The filter mount is clean, shiny metal.

The edges of the filter were rusty and had the paint peeling, so whoever suggested mix of rust and crud is probably right.

I'll have to look closer when the underside isn't full of snow and see if something is leaking from above.

I think, originally, the MDX spec'd the 3593A and later years switched to 7317. I just grab whichever one is on sale.

Thanks again.

Just had a thought..the power steering high-pressure line sprung a decent leak during this filter interval - I'm thinking that p/s fluid may have run down onto the filter / housing.

 

[Creekside]

That is some oil residue mixed with whatever junk comes off the road. I travel dirt roads a lot being a farmer and see it a lot.

 

[Sayjac]

...I think, originally, the MDX spec'd the 3593A and later years switched to 7317. ......

Just had a thought..the power steering high-pressure line sprung a decent leak during this filter interval - I'm thinking that p/s fluid may have run down onto the filter / housing.

Using two references, Amsoil online prod app and Fram look up, the change over to 7317 made in 03. Agree that as long as clearance either would work. PSF leak could/would well explain the built up crud on exposed area outside the gasket.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Thanks for the replies. The filter mount is clean, shiny metal.

Hard to believe the entire mount surface would be clean considering how much crude is on the filter outside the O-ring. I'm sure the mount is clean from where the O-ring contacts and inward of that, but there would have to be some crude on the filter mount outside of the O-ring contact point.

 

[PimTac]

Does or did this car have protection shields underneath?

Also, is the filter mount smooth with no deep scratches or gouges that might let oil leak slightly past the gasket?

 

[Kira]

Get a white surface (plate, shirt cardboard), run a nail around that crud groove and break it up...take a closer look.
Put some in water and see if rainbows appear (oil refraction).
Try igniting some.
Smell?
Skip tasting it.
Also, dog hair is a condiment in our house so no prob there.

 

[ripcord]

Looks like road debris that's sticking to an oily surface. Maybe the o-ring was leaking a little bit.

 

[rcy]

Hard to believe the entire mount surface would be clean considering how much crude is on the filter outside the O-ring. I'm sure the mount is clean from where the O-ring contacts and inward of that, but there would have to be some crude on the filter mount outside of the O-ring contact point

New filter is on now - but when I mounted it, I did see that the surface was clean and shiny, however, I would have wiped the surface with a clean rag before mounting the filter, so it may have been cruddy before I wiped it.

I'm still thinking now that it was the P/S high pressure line leak because I've never seen this before in 435 000 KM.

 

[rcy]

Does or did this car have protection shields underneath?

Also, is the filter mount smooth with no deep scratches or gouges that might let oil leak slightly past the gasket?

No. The filter is right beside the front right tire, mounted angled from vertical (maybe a bit less than halfway between horizontal and vertical). The day I did the oil / filter change we had deep snow and the area around the filter was packed with snow.