westcoaster

Changed the oil in the truck about three weeks back. Used a filter kit from the local cummins distributor (10L Valvoline 15 40, fleetguard oil filter and fuel filter)

I got a little messy pre filling the oil filter and wound up slopping some over the side. Took my finger and lubed up the rubber ring and did a quick wipe to get the oil off the side of the filter but left the stuff in the groove.

Climbed under the truck, spun it on as tight as I could by hand then used a filter wrench to give it a little extra.

Filled with oil and called the job done.

Fast forward three weeks and some 400 Km later (doesn't get driven much) and I am diving back under the front of the truck to grease up the few niples I have under there in preperation for an upcomming trip. To my surprise the front axel housing under the filter was wet with oil (drip evident) with splatter marks back under the truck along with a tell tale drip on the oil filter housing.

Yank the dip stick out to find the level just under the add mark. (sigh of relief)

Yup, the oil is still brimming in the filter lip. Wipe that all off and start the truck. Nothing..... Stand on the throttle for a minute. Brimming with oil again.

Got a new filter and another 5L oil to change the filter.

When I removed the "old" filter it left it's rubber ring on the filter housing. I have never had that happen before. All I can assume is either the filter was defective or I over tightened the filter with the wrench (kind of tough considering the early '04 layout) either way, replacing the filter solved my oil leak.


So kids, take it from me, you do want to check for leaks at your filter after changing the oil and you do want to stand on the throttle to build enough pressure. I didn't and it could have cost me my engine. I am just plain lucky I caught it in time....

SIXSLUG

The old oil filter leaving its seal on the housing is not uncommon and usually occurs when the change interval is long overdue.

I still can remember my autoshop teacher in high school repeating this over and over, so much so that I always check the old filter for its seal when I remove it.

Glad you caught it, coulda burned up your Cummins!

torquefan

Wow, you ended up lucky. Have seen that happen a few times, and the usual result is the engine dumping out all its new oil almost immediately. I got in the habit, years ago, of giving the sealing surface of the housing a wipe with a rag before screwing on the new filter. Not only does it remove any gunk that may interfere with a good seal, it will let me know right away if the old seal is still stuck to it.
Glad it didn't end up as a disaster for you.

madhat

I'm with torque fan. Had this happen on a hemi one time, it puked oil everywhere. Now i always check.

ofcmarc

x2

'cept mine was on a 460 Ferd..... BIG mess ....... You'll only forget to check it once.

westcoaster

I wouldn't have thought anything of having the filter that had 10,000+ Km on leaving it's rubber ring behind but the filter with 400Km that I had prelubed left me a little disturbed.

I also put the boots to my own rear end. Had I cleaned the mess out of the lip and run the engine up I might have found the small leak earlier.

Meh, coulda shoulda and didn't. At least I didn't have a big mess to clean up

j_martin

Why don't you guys read before you post?

The filter had 400 km (250 miles for those of us South of the border) on it when it was discovered it had lost a quart of oil.

If you follow the story, the seal surface was probably contaminated in the minor accident when changing the filter.

The lesson is, always post inspect an oil change, both immediately, and about a day later. Many an engine has been lost to a leaky oil filter or a loose drain plug.

Shorts

If my reading comprehension holds, the rubber ring unglued itself from the new filter in 3wks/400kms and the oil was puking out from between the filter and rubber because it wasn't stickied anymore.

It's a good thing you checked when you were under there again. Visuals are easy and so many people can't even do that. You potentially saved yourself a motor

Nadir Point

I always smear a little dab of silicon grease on the new o-ring. They never stick after that and makes it easier to un-screw no matter how long they get run.

infidel

No it was leaking because the seal from the old filter stayed on the engine and there ended up being two seals when the new filter was installed.
Happened to me once too on a Mercedes. Left a two mile long trail before the oil light came on.
Luckily no damage, just a big mess.

SIXSLUG

My 460's leaked so much I would have been ok! I had to check it every morning.

FORD= Fill Oil Reserve Daily!!

nkennedy

That happened to my dad once when I was a kid, and made a huge mess on the garage floor. I still remember him cussing, and I still check to make sure the old seal came off with the filter.

Shorts

Ok. For some reason I thought this was different from the standard left the old rubber ring on there.

Scotty

eons ago...1999 I had to do a quick trip to Texas and was not able to change the oil on my truck so I took it to the dealer because of time...or so I thought. Went and got ready for the trip while they went over the truck for the trip. I drove all the way to just outside of Houston with no leaks. Stopped for fuel and saw oil all down the side of the truck...all under it too. I tightened the oil filter that was snug but not tight.
Drove to my brothers...more oil. Dropped the filter and sure enough...two rings.
I replaced the filter with a new one and got rid of the rings. Now I make time to do it myself. Hind sight tells me an extra 30 min would have been fine.

Kicked my own butt for that one too.

westcoaster

In my case The filter that had 10,000Km on the old seal came off with the filter. I screwed a new filter on (only one seal) and that started leaking only under presure. I unscrewed the filter I had only put 400K on and the seal was left behind on the engine. Removed that, wiped down the surface filled yet another filter with oil and all is now good.

Either the filter was defective or I overtightened.

Apologies as I can't tell a story to save my life