Installing a horizontal filter

[strat81]

I was taught to fill an oil filter before installing it onto the vehicle when performing an oil change. This works fine on my GM 5.3L as the filter area is easy to access and is vertical.

On my 2001 Honda CR-V... not so much. The filter is in a hard-to-reach spot and is horizontal. The best I've been able to do is pour a little oil into the filter, maybe 2-4 ounces, and let the media absorb it. A dry start is no good and I'd like to avoid it.

So what's the trick to getting a horizontal filter on without spilling all of the oil down your arm, on the block, etc.?

 

[Lead Shoes]

You don't, I gave up trying to pre-fill mine a year or two ago...

As long as the motor was just running and oil is still coated on the internals then starting it with an empty oil filter for 1 second will not do anything but hurt your BITOG spirit.

Welcome to the fun of Honda filter angles, lol.

 

[Hyde244]

^ Bingo.

You do not need to fill the filter with oil before installing.

 

[webfors]

Never filled an oil filter in my 20+ years of DIY oil changes. Oil pressure light disappears a second after start. Nothing to kill an engine, unless your changing your oil ever 1k for 300k...

 

[ThirdeYe]

My Integra has the oil filter in the same location as your CR-V, and I stopped pre-filling mine. It tends to make a mess. The b-series engines are pretty tough and should last a long time regardless of whether you pre-fill it or not. I'll pre-fill on a vertical filter, but I stopped doing it with horizontal ones. None of our engines have grenaded yet... If it makes you feel better, just keep doing what you're doing and let the media absorb some oil, then spin it on. I've done that a few times as well before I stopped doing it altogether.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: strat81
So what's the trick to getting a horizontal filter on without spilling all of the oil down your arm, on the block, etc.?

The trick is to not fill it. I've never filled mine, and I'm up to 412K now.

That extra second before pressure builds is totally meaningless.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My Cherokee has a horizontal filter. I just fill it a small amount, then let the oil soak in, then fill again, let it soak in. Don't have a problem with it leaking.

I don't fill it up to the top like I do in the focus, though.

 

[y_p_w]

Don't worry about filling it up completely.

I do it myself. However, my goal is simply to wet the filter media so that it takes less time for oil to build up. If you put it on dry, it'll take a few seconds or so for the oil to soak in. By pouring it in, the oil in the filter doesn't take that time to get soaked in before supplying clean oil.

I'll pour it in and watch as the media soaks up the oil. Then I pour in more until I figure that the oil won't tip out when I spin it on.

On a car with a vertical filter mount I'll simply fill it up.

 

[exranger06]

I can fill a horizontal filter about halfway without spilling a drop. That includes my Honda Accord. Just hold it vertically until you're about to stick it on the engine then quickly turn it sideways onto the threaded stem. The stem will keep the oil from spilling out.

 

[chevys10]

Remote filter mount...but that is a pain.

Ford is nice enough to make an angeled adapter to turn the horizontal mount into a vertical mount...bought one for my Ranger. I am sure that Honda doesn't offer it....

 

[901Memphis]

I just pull the fuel pump fuse and crank the engine for about five seconds to prime the filter

 

[izualangel]

On my old 2.2L Cavalier I would fill the filter about half full, and then let the media absorb the oil. That filter location was probably one of the worst I've dealt with.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
My Cherokee has a horizontal filter. I just fill it a small amount, then let the oil soak in, then fill again, let it soak in. Don't have a problem with it leaking.

I don't fill it up to the top like I do in the focus, though.


Exactly; both our Jeeps are like this. Fill to the top, let it soak in, twice, while you're draining. That way the oil is trapped in the media and won't be pouring out.

 

[KB2008X]

This is not a one answer fits all situation.

The size of the filter is a factor in deciding whether to fill it before installation or not. An empty, big filter on the first start after an oil and filter change is more likely to be a problem than an empty small filter, because it takes longer to fill a big filter before oil begins to reach the rest of the engine. Another factor is the distance between the oil pump pick up tube and the oil filter, as is the diameter of those passageways. Depending upon the particular engine and the oil filter, pre-filling the filter may not make much of a difference, or it could be a significant difference.

I've had several Ford 4.6 V8s over the years and they are rather noisy on start up if I don't fill the filter when changing it. Even though it's in a horizontal position I always fill it at least half way and let it "soak" in before putting it on. I've learned just how full I can get it to minimize spills and I use a little carb cleaner and paper towels to clean up with. It's easy to do and a little spillage is better than damaging the engine anyhow.

I want to maximize the life of my vehicles, for myself and whoever winds up with it after me. So, for me it makes sense to pre-fill the filter.

 

[901Memphis]

I already told you the answer, just pull the fuel pump fuse and crank it. It doesn't matterh ow big the filter is you can crank it for ten seconds and probably fill something as large as a Motorcraft FL1A. If you aren't sure on ten seconds try twenty.

 

[crazyoildude]

this is why i do 1 year 6000 mile oil changes

 

[fdcg27]

My advice would be to not even worry about it.
I've never prefilled a filter on any vehicle.
Even with a large filter, the oil pump delivers so much flow that it fills almost instantly.
I've been installing filters dry for more than three decades so far and have never seen a problem with any engine in doing so.

 

[artificialist]

I never pre-fill the filter. I was taught that if you had an older turbocharged gasoline engine instead of prefilling a filter, disable spark, crank the engine for ten seconds, then enable spark and start the engine. That was something I was showed at an Allied Tire training video, and that video was made in the 80s.

 

[y_p_w]

We do this because it's a fun thing that sounds like it should be beneficial to the engine even if the reality is that at most it won't hurt. I admit that I let the oil drain for a half hour while I kick back listening to the radio or take a walk. I'm pretty sure that additional thimbleful of oil that drains out is meaningless to the longevity of the engine or the condition of the oil, but I do it anyways because nobody is paying me to change the oil and it's my car.

As for startup, if it's warm engine - everything is already coated in oil and you could probably have no oil for a few seconds and there's adequate lubrication. Also the antiwear additives from the old oil have coated everything and are sacrificing themselves for the benefit of the engine's longevity. By the same token I'm thinking startup wear on dry starts is overestimated given all the stuff that goes into motor oil to protect against it.

 

[hsd]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
I can fill a horizontal filter about halfway without spilling a drop. That includes my Honda Accord. Just hold it vertically until you're about to stick it on the engine then quickly turn it sideways onto the threaded stem. The stem will keep the oil from spilling out.


I do the same with my Honda Accord and Jeep filters, in fact I completely fill mine and spill very little. As stated the stem and check valve keeps the oil inside once you figure out the technique. I also tend to agree its probably not necessary to prefill, but it makes me feel better to see the oil light go out instantly.