Oil change observations from today

[Benito]

A few interesting observations while doing an oil change today.

Firstly, for the first time, I decided not to fill my oil filter. When the car started, the oil pressure light went off a second or two after all the other lights but then there was a high pitched sound which lasted at least 10 seconds and then stopped. I never noticed this sound after prior oil changes and it didn't happen the next time I started the car.

Apart from the possibility of it being (empty) oil filter related, could it have been a transmission related noise? I did a dipstick suck and fill for the transmission fluid and the car was on ramps so at an angle. The sound was like air being squeezed out which might apply to either lubricating system.

Secondly, when lubricating the oil filter gasket, I got some oil on the thread area and decided to clean it off because I actually torque the oil filter and the rule for torquing is that threads should be dry and free of oil / grease.

It was interesting that some dirt / dust seemed to come off the filter threads after rubbing the oil off them. I think cleaning oil filter threads is a worthwhile step for the anal retentive!

Lastly, I put in Castrol synblend and my immediate impressions after a short test drive are favorable although I cannot rule out the transmission fluid as the real reason.

 

[dishdude]

It always helps to know what kind of car we're discussing

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: Benito
Secondly, when lubricating the oil filter gasket, I got some oil on the thread area and decided to clean it off because I actually torque the oil filter and the rule for torquing is that threads should be dry and free of oil / grease.


You mean you actually use a torque wrench?

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Benito
I got some oil on the thread area and decided to clean it off because I actually torque the oil filter and the rule for torquing is that threads should be dry and free of oil / grease.

Not always! And certainly not for oil filters: It is impossible to keep the oil filter boss completely oil-free, so it doesn't matter whether or not you oil the filter threads. Either way is OK, but it would be best just to leave them alone.

Originally Posted By: Benito
I think cleaning oil filter threads is a worthwhile step for the anal retentive!

I'm not sure that's a great idea. You may inadvertently leave behind shreds of whatever you're using to clean the threads. Those shreds may make it into the engine. It's better not to touch the threads at all.

 

[TFB1]

Everything I've seen for torquing says CLEAN, LIGHTLY LUBRICATED threads...

I'll continue to tighten mine 2/3 turn by hand, haven't had one leak in over 45 years...

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Benito
Firstly, for the first time, I decided not to fill my oil filter.


This is why you got the startup noise.

 

[toneydoc]

Why did you decide not to fill the oil filter?

 

[SteveSRT8]

Empty filter leads to a short delay in building pressure. Not all engines care, but some make noises. The noises heard were likely caused by the dry start. Was the engine hot and recently shut down or cold?

Huge agreement on being VERY careful what you wipe and what you use to wipe with! Even lint can cause damage!

Finally, I have never used a torque spec on a filter unless it was a cartridge style. Every mfgr I deal with has a specification involving additional amounts of rotation after the filter snugs down on the gasket.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Benito
I think cleaning oil filter threads is a worthwhile step for the anal retentive!


The thing with anal retentive people is that they invent problems in order to justify their routines, where there are no problems in the first place.
Also, oftentimes their routines are more damaging in reality, but in their mind they think it helps.
Like starting the car with an empty sump in order to get those last few ounces of used oil.
Or spraying everything with brake cleaner after an oil change, to get the engine nice and clean, but inhaling the toxic fumes, whereas a simple wipe with a rag would've sufficed.

Bottom line is that the moment someone, without any technical, engineering knowledge or even the basic understanding of how some things work, starts to overthink simple things, they may cause more harm than good with their invented solutions to problems that don't exist.

 

[bullwinkle]

You have to be really careful prefilling an oil filter-ANYTHING that makes it down the center tube goes straight into the oil galleries unfiltered-sometimes with disastrous results. On the diesels, I just crank (the first time) without waiting for the glow plugs to cycle-then it doesn't start & fills the filter. Or one could pull the fuel pump relay to prevent starting instantly. On an engine with piston cooling oil nozzles, a tiny bit of foil or other debris could (& has) resulted in a burnt piston!

 

[BurrWinder]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: Benito
I think cleaning oil filter threads is a worthwhile step for the anal retentive!


The thing with anal retentive people is that they invent problems in order to justify their routines, where there are no problems in the first place.
Also, oftentimes their routines are more damaging in reality, but in their mind they think it helps.
Like starting the car with an empty sump in order to get those last few ounces of used oil.
Or spraying everything with brake cleaner after an oil change, to get the engine nice and clean, but inhaling the toxic fumes, whereas a simple wipe with a rag would've sufficed.

Bottom line is that the moment someone, without any technical, engineering knowledge or even the basic understanding of how some things work, starts to overthink simple things, they may cause more harm than good with their invented solutions to problems that don't exist.


+1 !!

I agree to the moon and back with this !! If you are not truly knowledgeable about something, this makes people come up with the D amndest ideas about what is good/necessary for a certain task/situation ! I bet we see this in about 1/3 or better of some of the folks posting on this forum. Glad other people can help you overcome your OCD for oil/automotive stuff on here !!

Very eloquently put KrisZ !!

BurrWinder

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: TFB1
Everything I've seen for torquing says CLEAN, LIGHTLY LUBRICATED threads...

The threads on the oil-fiter boss on the engine are ALREADY "lightly lubricated"; it is unnecessary to also add lubricant to the filter threads.

 

[edwardh1]

Does BMW specify the exact lubricant for the oil filter threads?

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: TFB1
Everything I've seen for torquing says CLEAN, LIGHTLY LUBRICATED threads...

I'll continue to tighten mine 2/3 turn by hand, haven't had one leak in over 45 years...
Th eonly one I ever had leak was a Fram which did not have the high quality gasket the Pure One uses. It was the start of my "discomfort" with Fram and it started long before I knew of BITOG.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: Benito
Secondly, when lubricating the oil filter gasket, I got some oil on the thread area and decided to clean it off because I actually torque the oil filter and the rule for torquing is that threads should be dry and free of oil / grease.

Wait, you found a torque spec for your car's oil filter somewhere?

Also, oiling the threads isn't going to do anything here if you're really using a torque wrench. The rubber gasket surface is what's going to resist tightening it, not the threads.

Dude, there's being anal, and there's this.

 

[Hootbro]

There is OCD and then there is being an attention wh@re. I suspect the latter in this case.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Benito
Secondly, when lubricating the oil filter gasket, I got some oil on the thread area and decided to clean it off because I actually torque the oil filter and the rule for torquing is that threads should be dry and free of oil / grease.


Torque wrench on the filter? What are the torque specs?

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
you found a torque spec for your car's oil filter somewhere?

No idea what kind of car the OP has, but I find the following text printed on OEM Honda oil filters:
- Torque to 10-14 Nm (1.0-1.4 kgm) or 3/4 turn with tool.

That spec is equivalent to roughly 7-10 ft lbs. I always torqued the filters to 8 ft-lbs when I had a Honda.

 

[Ducked]

Leaving the WHY? question aside,I'm mildly interested in HOW you use a torque wrench on an oil filter canister. I can't remember having any that have a nut on them.

I suppose you could use it with a strap wrench thing, but then it wouldn't read right.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
I'm mildly interested in HOW you use a torque wrench on an oil filter canister.

You buy the correct tool, which is just a great big socket.

Such as...

That's Honda's own 07AAA-PLCA100. It coincidentally fits not only Honda's 15400-PLM-A01/A02 filter, but also Toyota's 90915-YZZF2 filter.

In the aftermarket, there is FloTool, a company that makes similar tools that are of inferior quality to the OEM tools, but come in a great many sizes to fit the various non-OEM filters on the market:

This last image is from a BITOG thread:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3586377/1991_Buick_Park_Avenue_oil_cha