Oil filter leaks

[Jaxfishgyd]

I noticed a good amount of oil under both engines in the bilge this week.

In both cases, it was from the oil filters.

And this is the 3 rd year in a row I have had this happened just after the first "cold snap" of the season. "cold snap is meaning temps all the way down to 40".

On start up, the oil will FLOW out for about 30 secs then stop...

In every case, it just takes a 1/8 th turn with a wrench to tighten the filter to stop it.. Then no more trouble till the following "winter".

I use 40 wt oil, change the oil AND filter every 75-100 hrs.

This is one of the "good thing" of doing a weekly check (start my engines up even if I do not leave the slip- but usually leave the slip 30 or more times a year) is to find something "not right"....

Also check my running lights and running lights every week due to the amount of use we give the boat.... Along with my other monthly 'stuff'.

 

[Nonchalant1]

If you have the spin on filter adapters to the old style cannister filters, it's probably the adapter nut. The next time you change filters, look inside at the adapter and you will see the central threaded tube for the filter. There is a large nut that locks the threaded tube on. This nut is to be torqued to 50 ft/lb. It may be not tight enough and when things get cold, it slips.

Doug Shuman

 

[BUSTER]

By coincidence I have seen the same problem and only with one brand of filter and one particular number.It is a NAPA gold #1748.On three occasions,all on different engines,I had found these filters to be leaking slightly because they were a little loose and had been in service for quite some time.I also attributed it to the sudden cold weather,but in all my years I can never remember seeing it before. I called the distributor and reported it to him and suggested that perhaps they need to look at the rubber compound the O-rings are being made of. Tony

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Looks like you both are right...

I do use NAPA gold #1748's....

And I have do not have a torque wrench...

Just tighten it down like one would a car oil filter.....

But we are going out for a cruise tomorrow night to look at lights, Doctors Lake was voted one of the top 10 places for looking at xmas lights in the state of Florida again.... and it's only 10 miles up the St Johns River from us...

 

[BUSTER]

Please call your NAPA dealer and report your problem.They need to do something about their O-rings before someone loses an engine.To make matters worse that particular filter is a very popular full-flow,high pressure filter for large,very expensive diesel engines.

Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy your cruise. Tony

 

[SKYCHENEY]

All Napa and CarQuest filters are made by Wix. You will notice that the numbers are all the same between these three, just the first 2 digits are different. If you don't like the Napa filters, try a Baldwin or a Fram.

 

[BUSTER]

To be honest this particular problem is the only I have ever seen with NAPA's filters and only that number. We buy a lot of their "heavy duty line" and it has been pretty good. Tony

 

[SKYCHENEY]

To be honest this particular problem is the only I have ever seen with NAPA's filters and only that number. We buy a lot of their "heavy duty line" and it has been pretty good. Tony

All we buy at our quarry is Napa filters and we have not had any problems either. I think we do use that filter number on some of our units as well. I wonder if it is the filter or the mating surface on your housing that is causing the problem.

 

[bobk]

Ask your distributer to find out what the glass transition temperature of the 'O' ring material is. He'll choke because he has no idea, but this sounds very much like the issue that sent a shuttle down. The Tg of the material has to be well below the use temperature or the gasket takes a set and will not seal until the Tg is reached as the oil warms up. PUSH the issue and help us all out.

Bob
(The chemist, remember?)

 

[Nonchalant1]

Looks like you both are right...

I do use NAPA gold #1748's....

And I have do not have a torque wrench...

Just tighten it down like one would a car oil filter.....

Thetorque wrench is only for the nut that holds the filter threaded pipe to the filter housing. You just screw on the filters themselves by hand and belt-wrench. If that nut's loose, no matter how you tighten the filter, they'll leak.

Doug