Oil leaking from filter area under load

[michael kellam]

Guys I can't figure this out. I have the situation where my car will leak oil from the filter under load. I have replaced the filter and I have the same issue.

At idle no leaks. When I drive and come back the filter is wet and has spread oil. The rated of loss was roughly a qt. over 600 miles, which included what came out of the filter when I swapped them out.

any ideas? Could the filter just not be tight enough or is there possibly another issue.

Thanks fellas

mike

 

[me32]

you made sure theres only one gasket?

 

[michael kellam]

Yes only one.

 

[SCGallo2]

Michael, are you using a Motorcraft FL-820S or FL820 high performance filter and putting a little oil on the gasket before installing? I would inspect the mating surface to make sure it is clean. I tighten the filter by hand until it stops turning, which is usually about one turn past when the gasket first makes contact, and I have never had one leak.

 

[me32]

Yes only one.

does the filter feel tight an sealed when you put the 2nd one on? could you get us some pics

 

[michael kellam]

as far as filters i used a K&N for the first pass and then a mobil one on the second. tightness wise i tightened it as far as i could however had i a lift i bet i could find at least another .5 turn. the metal surface was clean as a whistle. both filters had a well oiled gasket upon installation.

i guess i should take it someplace with a lift and then try to tighten further?? on a side note: the filter that was on the car when i bought it was an acdelco and was so tight i was barely able to loosen it with the filter pliers. it wasnt leaking then.


me32 - when i get to the lift i will snap some pics. probably wont be until friday as i have to travel to Tampa for work tomorrow morning.

 

[Catmonkey]

Yes, I have had the same issue. I've been using the Ford Racing filters after my build. It seems to seal after using white lithium grease on the gasket and tuning the filter about one turn past hand tight with a filter wrench.

 

[michael kellam]

Yes, I have had the same issue. I've been using the Ford Racing filters after my build. It seems to seal after using white lithium grease on the gasket and tuning the filter about one turn past hand tight with a filter wrench.

i assume you are using a strap wrench? ill follow this method, but could anything be damaged by going so tight on a feature that should only be on the plus side of hand tight?

 

[Catmonkey]

I don't think so. The gasket on the RFPP filters seems to be a silicone product, so I'm not sure if that's the issue or not. I have not had an issue removing the filter after installing in this fashion. My oil pressure was around 80 psi cold when I first cranked my engine. I have yet to hook up a real gauge after my initial start up. I assume you looked at the gasket surface of the housing to make sure no old gasket was stuck to it and that there were no scratches that might be causing your issue. If so, I'd tighten in half turn increments until it stops leaking. If you go more than two full turns, I'd start looking for another source of the leak. Oil could be coming from the sending unit or the cam cover.

 

[GT Premi]

... tightness wise i tightened it as far as i could however had i a lift i bet i could find at least another .5 turn. ...

There's your problem right there, I bet. You're over tightening it. It doesn't need to be much more than hand tight.

 

[GT Premi]

i assume you are using a strap wrench? ill follow this method, but could anything be damaged by going so tight on a feature that should only be on the plus side of hand tight?

Yes. You're basically squishing the gasket out of position by trying to cold-weld the filter to the engine. Just do a good hand tightening and leave it be.

 

[michael kellam]

Yes. You're basically squishing the gasket out of position by trying to cold-weld the filter to the engine. Just do a good hand tightening and leave it be.

It's not over tightened or at least I don't think it is And I have had the same issue with multiple filters.

Overtightened would be a condition that I couldn't remove by hand, correct?

 

[michael kellam]

I don't think so. The gasket on the RFPP filters seems to be a silicone product, so I'm not sure if that's the issue or not. I have not had an issue removing the filter after installing in this fashion. My oil pressure was around 80 psi cold when I first cranked my engine. I have yet to hook up a real gauge after my initial start up. I assume you looked at the gasket surface of the housing to make sure no old gasket was stuck to it and that there were no scratches that might be causing your issue. If so, I'd tighten in half turn increments until it stops leaking. If you go more than two full turns, I'd start looking for another source of the leak. Oil could be coming from the sending unit or the cam cover.

I need to check for damage again. I was certain there was none. I know there was no debris left over from the previous filter. Cam cover would saturate the manifold first, right? That area looked bone dry.

 

[bossnova3]

I'm in the process of adding a breather catch can to mine to relieve pressure and stop the oil from going into the supercharger and from the oil stick making a mess under the hood.

 

[michael kellam]

think a breather could be my problem?

 

[GT Premi]

It's not over tightened or at least I don't think it is And I have had the same issue with multiple filters.

Overtightened would be a condition that I couldn't remove by hand, correct?

Correct. You wouldn't be able to remove it by hand and would be difficult even with a wrench. If you have to use more than a small amount of effort to remove it with a wrench, it's too tight. Next time you put one on, make sure you rub some oil on the gasket before you put it on and only hand tighten it. Worst case scenario, the threads on the post may be stretched or the post itself may be bent. And if it has been tightened as tightly as you said earlier, the post might very well be bent, especially if you had to use high effort with a wrench to remove the filter.

 

[ShiftyThePirate]

Yes, I have had the same issue. I've been using the Ford Racing filters after my build. It seems to seal after using white lithium grease on the gasket and tuning the filter about one turn past hand tight with a filter wrench.

White lithium grease on the gasket? I always just put a dab of oil on my finger and went around the gasket, just so it would be easier to remove later. Never knew anyone did anything but that.

 

[Catmonkey]

Always used oil, but two filter changes with leaks, it's time to think outside the box.

 

[ShiftyThePirate]

Always used oil, but two filter changes with leaks, it's time to think outside the box.

Yeahhhhh...that would def be a code-red alert for me...did you ever fix it? Imo if the gasket is sealed correctly, I don't see how it could leak, unless it is coming from somewhere else, sorry if I missed the fix.

 

[Catmonkey]

I'm not thte OP, just sharing a similar problem. I can't see how it could leak either, but it did. First filter I retightend and it stopped leaking. The second filter didn't stop leaking and I ended up tightening to where the gaket was completely compressed. Leaks wasn't that bad, but was annoying. As stated both were FRPP filters. Third filter was also RFPP, but no leak.