Oil filter worked loose

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Had a company vehicle's oil done at the local GM dealer. Noticed some oil spots under it a few days later. The lube tech never tightened it. They were a complete burn out and one of the reasons I am opposed to legalizing drugs.

As well had several vehicles with the oil cap or dipstick left out upon return.

I do my own oil to alleviate these problems. If something breaks, its my own fault. Not some stoner or numpty trying to fit too much into one day.
 
Originally Posted By: TexasVaquero
Stuff like this is why I check my car every 2 or 3 days. I'm very paranoid after I had an engine seize.

Oh I thought that was due to Valvoline oil. Was it the filter instead?
 
When installing, read the box. Usually around 3/4 turn after contact. It doesn't matter if you obtain this with or without a wrench. Not a big deal on such a simple task.
 
I run them until it just touches the seal. Then snug 3/4 turn. Never a leak yet.
On my DD a can only see the end of the filter from under. I put a sharpie mark to track the 3/4 turn, because I use a strap wrench.
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
When installing, read the box. Usually around 3/4 turn after contact. It doesn't matter if you obtain this with or without a wrench. Not a big deal on such a simple task.

Exactly!!! So what if you use a wrench to simply tighten it 3/4 of a turn. Most new filters are so small you can't grip them, and on Chevy LSx engines they are recessed in to the side of the oil pan, and you can barely fit a band wrench around it. The most important thing is to make sure the O-ring comes off with the old filter. Mine were stuck on the last 4 filter changes!
 
Originally Posted By: Traction
Originally Posted By: Lubener
When installing, read the box. Usually around 3/4 turn after contact. It doesn't matter if you obtain this with or without a wrench. Not a big deal on such a simple task.

Exactly!!! So what if you use a wrench to simply tighten it 3/4 of a turn. Most new filters are so small you can't grip them, and on Chevy LSx engines they are recessed in to the side of the oil pan, and you can barely fit a band wrench around it. The most important thing is to make sure the O-ring comes off with the old filter. Mine were stuck on the last 4 filter changes!


That's why they make cap type wrenches when space gets tight.
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
When installing, read the box. Usually around 3/4 turn after contact. It doesn't matter if you obtain this with or without a wrench. Not a big deal on such a simple task.

So how do you determine contact? I can never see the gap and I'm not sure I can feel it very accurately either.
 
^ A spin on filter should easily spin up the threads then snug up when the gasket makes contact. Also, usually the filter can wobble somewhat running up the threads. No matter, easily felt by hand when spinning up a filter.
 
NOT in sixty some years of changing oil and filter. Never had one loosen or leak. Clean the mating surface, put oil on filter gasket, tighten oil filter about three quarters of a turn from where is fist contacts engine.Even better, use a Denso oil filter. They have a built in "torque stop" which prevents over tightening. And they are well made.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ecotourist
Originally Posted By: Lubener
When installing, read the box. Usually around 3/4 turn after contact. It doesn't matter if you obtain this with or without a wrench. Not a big deal on such a simple task.

So how do you determine contact? I can never see the gap and I'm not sure I can feel it very accurately either.


If you can't tell when a filter makes contact, you should go to jiffy lube and let them do it.
 
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Thank you to those who’ve responded to my question about how to know when an oil filter contacts the housing base. Checking for wobble is a good idea. I’d never thought of doing that.

To allay any worries, I’ve been changing oil on our family vehicles for almost 50 years and haven’t had an oil filter come loose yet. Knock on wood!

But to quote an old saying, “It isn’t the things you don’t know that get you in trouble, it’s the things you know for sure that just aren’t so.”

One question: Do you tighten the filter slightly, back it off to loose, and then start over. I do. The reason I ask is: what would happen if the gasket hasn’t been fully pressed home? You’d press the gasket home during the ½ - ¾ turn, but the filter might still be very loose. That might explain the occasional loose filter.

How do you know you know when the filter contacts the housing? You may have been installing oil filters for years but you never get any feedback. Too tight, too loose, how would you know? If a filter is too loose you’ll likely hear about it. But too tight and your customers may curse you but you’ll never know.

If we ever have a BITOG get together I suggest we set up an apparatus to test each of our abilities to tell when an oil filter touches the base of the housing. It would be set up so the candidate can’t see, and ideally in the "usual awkward position". We would know the correct position and measure everyone’s ability to tell when the filter touches the housing, measured in degrees. That would give us the group’s variability. And we would have everyone do it 3 times over the course of the day. That would give us each individual’s personal variability. We’d give each participant feedback on how he or she did (how far from correct, and how much variation). The winner (3 answers closest to the correct answer) would win a case of cool beverages, ideally to share.

My bet is there will be a spread of at least 30 degrees for the group, and maybe even 90 degrees (a full quarter turn). And an individual’s typical variability will be about the same. What if it’s more?
 
I always torque mine to 13 ft-lbs. Removes guesswork out of the equation. Never had a problem with any of the brands I've used, - Purolator, Bosch, Fram, K&N, Mobil 1.

 
I just don't see how they would be installed incorrectly if they only go on and come off in one motion. There was no wiggle or play in the thread make up when screwing on the filter. Then again, there could be a lot of reasons at play as to why what happened happened.
 
Originally Posted By: davison0976
I always torque mine to 13 ft-lbs. Removes guesswork out of the equation. Never had a problem with any of the brands I've used, - Purolator, Bosch, Fram, K&N, Mobil 1.



For such a simple task, why make things complicated with torque wrenches? Who says 13 ft lbs is correct anyways? It's plain and simple on the box, provided the installer can read.
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: davison0976
I always torque mine to 13 ft-lbs. Removes guesswork out of the equation. Never had a problem with any of the brands I've used, - Purolator, Bosch, Fram, K&N, Mobil 1.



For such a simple task, why make things complicated with torque wrenches? Who says 13 ft lbs is correct anyways? It's plain and simple on the box, provided the installer can read.



Straight out of the FSM. It would be disrespectful to dismiss the effort engineers had put into specifying every single fastener.
 
It happens sometimes and you caught it. A lot of arm chair quarterbacks here like to make themselves feel better here saying you did something wrong but I would ignore them.

I can recount only one time having a oil filter leak that I installed. It was a Toyota Denso that I installed in the summer and when the first cold snap hit in the winter, there was enough contraction to cause a drip. Another half turn and that was fixed.
 
Originally Posted By: Hootbro
I can recount only one time having a oil filter leak that I installed. It was a Toyota Denso that I installed in the summer and when the first cold snap hit in the winter, there was enough contraction to cause a drip. Another half turn and that was fixed

Denso filters have a "torque stop" feature where the can contacts the filter housing when it is correctly tightened. Are you saying that you tightened it down to the stop the first time and yet it still got loose? When you re-tightened it did it then contact the housing again? And you got a whole half turn out of it? That's a heck of a lot.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Hootbro
I can recount only one time having a oil filter leak that I installed. It was a Toyota Denso that I installed in the summer and when the first cold snap hit in the winter, there was enough contraction to cause a drip. Another half turn and that was fixed

Denso filters have a "torque stop" feature where the can contacts the filter housing when it is correctly tightened. Are you saying that you tightened it down to the stop the first time and yet it still got loose? When you re-tightened it did it then contact the housing again? And you got a whole half turn out of it? That's a heck of a lot.


Yes, yes and yes. I gorilla gripped it both times.
 
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