check your oil filter

[lambertvr4]

I had this happen in my 91 Laser not too long ago. Filter unscrewed right as I was pulling into Polk's shop. I looked back and noticed a JamesBond smokescreen and shut off the car. Coasted in and figured out what happened. Red LockTite and home I went w/ no problems since. That was roughly 5K miles ago.

I don't think that the LocTite fix is good enough to rely on, so today when I did my oil change I safety wired the filter on. I drilled a 1/16" hole on the lip of the filter (by the seal). I tightened the filter down and then safety wired from that hole out to the hard water line of the filter housing. I have no worries that the filter will stay put now. No need for an expensive conversion kit. No band clamp to hassle with. Just a $10 set of safety wire pliers, safety wire, 1/16" drill bit and I'm done.

I took pics of what I did b/c I know some of you aren't familiar w/ safety wiring. The technic is used heavily in the aircraft industry. I happen to be building a Lancair Legacy 2000 and had full access to a digital camera and the tools needed. It's a very simple process and very dependable.

 

[larryd]

so wheres the pics?

 

[Enigma_Man]

Hehe, Larry, I know the pain of owning a DSM.

I don't really have a steady income to back me up either, being a student at the moment, so everything I do, I have to scrape by. Gas is a luxury sometimes, let alone new engines and turbos.

But really, wiring down the oil filter isn't the right way to fix the problem. It's like safety-wiring down that darned front right wheel that keeps coming loose. Sure it'll stay on, but that's not how to go about it.

Check to make sure the threaded tube the oil filter mounts on is torqued down to the specs every time you change the filter. It won't back off, and the filter will stay on the way it is supposed to.

-Jesse -- Frequent oil changer

 

[larryd]

well im in a habit now of checking my oil fitler once every couple days.. im probably going to just relocate the damned filter so I can sleep easier..

Im going to make this car bullet proof if its the last thing I do

 

[Jehu]

So did anyone check to see that their oil filters coming loose was/wasn't due to the center threaded rod that the oil filter screws onto coming loose? I think if your oil filter is consistently coming loose THAT is very likely the culprit.

 

[DSMu4ia]

They've come lose on the 90 housings.

Those rods don't come lose.

Shitty design.

 

[Rob]

You could allways weld it one =0) j/k
I think the oil filter relocation is the way to go and adds a cool mod to the car and more money into the HOLE we all fill =0) Talons n Eclipses

 

[BoostedTalonTS]

Never encountered this problem, especially now that I have an oil filter relocation kit that holds a PH-8A nicely underneath the driver's front skirt of the bumper... Never leaked once. Now the car hold 6 quarts of oil though

Eben
94 TSi AWD

 

[92awd]

The same thing just happend to me 3 days ago.. thank god i was able to pull over right away.

 

[larryd]

yup as i said, everyone should check their filters.. atleast next time you change the oil make sure that rod the filter screws onto is tight with red thread lock.

 

[KenTSIII]

Been there... done that... already replaced the motor. My filter blew off at the SO & I lost almost all my oil. A few months ago it started knocking... & I just got the engine replaced. Needless to say I now have a 90 style filter housing w/ the air cooled oil cooler.

 

[SPEEDY]

Well I just changed my oil this past weekend, and it's been 2500 miles since the last oil change. I always hand tightened my factory oil filter, and loosen it by hand, but this particular time, I have to say I was very pissed because mine had become so damn tight it took an act of congress to get that damn thing off. I don't think I'm going to have any problems but I will check everytime to make sure.

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by rdrkt
1 Single Filter relocation kit SUM-G4985 $34.95
4 90 degree swivel fitting EAR-809108 $20.95ea
1 -8 Hose 10ft leangth EAR-310008 $61.95
4 -8 to 3/8" adapter fitting EAR-981608 $4.50ea

That is the part list that I used. However if I had to do it again I would substitute Russell fittings for the Earl’s fittings because the Russell is a higher quality piece. It isn’t exactly cheap but there are a lot of benefits like piece of mind.

Thanks for the parts list. im doing mine this weekend. Came home Sunday morning after some street racing. noticed a pool of oil under my car. WTF i reached under the car sure enough the oil filter was a half a turn out and dripping.

 

[rdrkt]

Originally posted by jdmawd
Thanks for the parts list. im doing mine this weekend.

Good call. While that isn’t the cheapest route it is a lot cheaper than losing a motor because you lost an oil filter. Plus you get the bling effect from the SS lines and fittings

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by rdrkt

Good call. While that isn’t the cheapest route it is a lot cheaper than losing a motor because you lost an oil filter. Plus you get the bling effect from the SS lines and fittings

agreed, im all for replacing things that will fail. for some reason, lock tite and tie straps just dont seem like the solution thanks again

 

[sleeper142]

Heres my thoughts on the subject:

I have never had an oil filter come loose, but i always put them on very tight, i have a tendency to overtighten stuff on accident, however i never crunched my stock oil cooler. I always seem to have trouble taking my filters off too, so i must be putting them on tight enough.

Currently i just rebuilt my motor myself. about 3000 miles on it and everythings dandy, besides some mysterious knock probablly due to my 1g knock sensor, but thats a seperate issue. I used a 90 style oil filter housing, wiht a custom setrab external oil cooler. For awhile i used a td performance oil filter relocation kit. However due to the angles that the SS lines and fittings were commin out at, it would want to self loosen so i pulled it off and also wanted to reseal the an fittings into the oil relo block, so i put more teflon tape on, and sure enough, it split the block. Brand new oil filter relocation kit too. My take is that it cracked due to the fact that it is a crappy zinc sand casting and is about as soft as gouda cheese. So currently im trying to get a new one. Because i really liked the oilfilter relocation kit, i got to use a giaganto ford oil filter (FL-1A). There might be a pic or two in my gallery of this setup. if not i have some i can email you guys.

but long story short, ive never had a problem with my oil filters spinning off

hope this was remotely useful / relevant
Albert