Do you prefill/prime your oil filter ??????

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This has got to have been asked before but I tried the search and can't find it.

For specifics, I'm going to be doing my first oil change on a 2014 Ford Transit Connect with the 1.6L Ecoboost.

Oil filter is on the side (read that as a pain in the .....). When installing the new filter is there any advantage/need to prefill the new filter with oil before installing it ???????

Had a tech tell me because it's the Ecoboost it must be filled first or I'll burn out the turbo. Since the filter is on the side I can't imagine I could get very much oil in it. Not to mention the filter is a pain to put in and take out.

Looking for some help from someone who has "been there done that">
 
Originally Posted By: StanMI

Had a tech tell me because it's the Ecoboost it must be filled first or I'll burn out the turbo. Since the filter is on the side I can't imagine I could get very much oil in it. Not to mention the filter is a pain to put in and take out.

That's an incorrect statement. I work at a Ford dealership and we service plenty of Ecoboosts every day without priming a single filter on them. Being the 1.6 Ecoboost, the filter is probably on the side of the engine, next to the cooling fan, with the oil cooler hoses running closely under the filter. It can be a pain to get out, and could be messy going back in if prefilled. They build oil pressure quickly, anyway.
 
Utter nonsense! I've changed the oil on my F150 Ecoboost without priming the filter every 4k-5k with no issues whatsoever. It's currenty at 82k miles.
I guarantee you that in the dealers fast lane oil change area they don't prime the filter either....
 
The engines of my Subaru and Ducati are laid out such that the spin-on filter mounts horizontally with open end up. I pre-fill them every single time. No reason not to when they mount like that. My old Dakota 5.2 liter (318) had an angle mounted spin-on that was a messy b!tch to change, soon as the gasket let go upon removal it puked oil all down the side of the block. But I'll still take that and the OP's Ecoboost to the upright cartridge filter on the Volkswagen TDI my wife had-- wear nitrile gloves or get jet black diesel oil under your finger nails and all over-- stuff was like printer's ink.
 
Yes, I always prefill my oil filters. The filter media in filters that sit at an angle or even horizontal will soak up quite a bit of oil - so I add oil to those as well - let in soak in for a few mins then spin it on.
 
Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't. Hasn't seemed to make a difference one way or another, but I like how the engine builds pressure faster.

I have done engines before that sounded like they had dropped all rod bearings until they built pressure, so I tend to lean toward pre filling.
 
You will not hurt a thing ever by not pre-filling. Oftentimes you can't. BUT, I always pre-fill on applications where I can.
 
I always prefill a little. Even on filters that are sideways or upside down you can still add a little for the media to absorb.
 
Its an often cited OCD practice. I certainly give it little thought or credence.
 
Way back many years ago (1980s) I used to but these days I don't even consider it. I do maintenance on my fathers Suburban, 400,000 miles or so and counting and have never prefilled the filter on that beast and it's still running strong.
 
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Its an often cited OCD practice. I certainly give it little thought or credence.


+1

But I do prefill the filter on my 7.3L Powerstroke
 
On everything, I pre-fill the filter, and allow several minutes to let the filter media soak up most of the oil.

Then I dump in just enough more oil, so that it doesn't spill out when installing it... and enjoy that quiet first start.
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
The only oil filters I have prefilled have been on diesel trucks.


The owners manual for my Dodge Ram w/Cummins diesel says to pre-fill. Its a pretty large filter mounted vertically with open end up.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
Fill a non-base up filter with oil and put it in the fridge or freezer. Install and let thaw before starting.

I AM kidding. Kira


Even though you are kidding, interesting thought process! I like the thought behind it!
 
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