Leak at Oil Filter

[Nut]

I've never had this problem before but I have a small leak at my oil filter. I changed the oil and filter this weekend. This morning a noticed a small puddle of oil under the car when I pulled it out. Drove it to work but noticed no puddle there. When I got home I jacked it up and I have oil film on the filter body. The threads are not stripped, the seal got the usual oil smear all around and I hand tightened the filter until snug then gave it an easy 1/4 turn with the wrench.

The questions:
a. Can I over stress the seal with hand tight + 1/4?
b. Can the seal be bad/dry and cause this leak?

The filter has been in the garage for a couple months. I'll leave her sit tomorrow and check it when I get home. Any thoughts? I hate nuisance problems like this.

Thanks............ Nut

 

[Barry08]

Hi Nut!
There are two possibilities for your oil filter problem.
The first I will assume you have checked (you did remove the old gasket from the old filter?) Other then that you may just have a bad filter! Tightening them up when cold verses warm can make a difference too!

Barry

 

[Evolution1980]

yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the old seal still being stuck on there. It can be hidden pretty well if you're not looking for it. It just looks like it would be part of the oil filter adapter assm.

 

[Jack]

Nut:
I know this is really anal. Like most folks, I buy most of my oil filters locally. But before I do, I open every box and lift the gasket from its relief. I check the gasket for schmutz, tears, bubbles, imperfections etc. I check the relief for schmutz, rust, stamping errors etc. I also check the threads for undue burrs & schmutz. Thirty seconds/filter. I have no statistical info ... but over some years I've seen every one of the nonconformities I mention.

No, I didn't put the "bad" one back on the shelf ... though little doubt the shopkeepers did. CRAP:eek !!! You musta got that one!
JACK:gap

 

[Nut]

Thanks all. Seal still on original filter. I backed off the filter until loose and hand tightened only. Ran her hard around the interstate and parked her Monday night. Checked Tuesday night and this morning, no more leaks or drips. I'll check one more time before I drive her again to be sure "hand tight" has not worked itself loose. Great suggestions.... thanks again.

........... Nut

 

[69MyWay]

Hey Nut!

I don't ever put a wrench to them unless I am removing them. Believe it or not, I was once a fully certified, bonafied, registered Jiffy Lube employee in my college days. That was a big :nono putting a wrench to the new filter.

Here is something else I do now. I always compare the filter I am buying with others on the shelf with the same part number. Why you ask? Well, one time I did an oil change, fired off the car, and in no time had pumped most of the oil on the ground. Come to find out the filter was for a big style Pontiac/Olds 350 block and not a Chevy. It had been mislabled. So, that is one of my pet peeves when doing the oil change since I can't seem to memorize what the top of a PF 25 and a PF 35 AC Delco filter is suppose to look like.

You probably had it over tight. There is quite a bit of pressure on the filter area. If it keeps doing it, just replace it with another one as you might have actually torn the gasket a tad.


Isn't it funny how the smallest things can cause so much aggravation!

 

[Nut]

Thanks Chris. It is a PF-25. I only go with quality parts. So far no leaks. Hand tight always worries me that it'll work itself loose over time. When I wrenched it I could still loosen it by hand, so it wasn't wrenched "that" tight. I thought that perhaps since the filter had been sitting in the garage for about 6 months (I got a couple of them on sale one day when I had a few extra coins to rub together) that maybe the seal had dried out? Seems ok now but I still look under the car every time I roll her out.

Thanks........... Nut

 

[cscarlson]

Don't all oil filters come with the seal?

 

[Tom Bryant]

Seems to me that AC oil filters say right on them to tighten them 2/3 or 3/4 turn after the gasket contacts the surface. I put a mark on the filter bottom, usually an oil smudge, so I can acurately determine how far I turn it after The gasket contacts the block surface. Has worked for me ever since spin ons were introduced.

Tom

 

[Nut]

Thanks Tom. I'll add it to my lessons learned file.

......... Nut