Oil filter can bursting
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Back in the 70's, my neighbor had an older Ford pickup that blew an oil filter apart. He thought he had a defective filter, so he replaced it and it blew again within a mile. He replaced the oil pump and all was again well. I don't remember the brand of filter and it really doesn't matter because it wasn't the filter's fault.
I did see it once, on a race car. I don't recall the name of the filter, maybe Unipart (this was back in the UK)
But it turned out, the guy had a stack of washers under the releif valve spring (oil pressure releif valve, on the engine block) I was told he got heck from the track officials.
But it turned out, the guy had a stack of washers under the releif valve spring (oil pressure releif valve, on the engine block) I was told he got heck from the track officials.
Bud_One
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A co worker of mine has a 2006 GMC Sierra with the 4.3 V6 - last weekend he called me asked why he keeps blowing off oil filters. He tried Fram , Wix and Ac Delco.. .all blew off within seconds of starting the engine.
Oil pump was the culprit. 250k miles bypass stuck closed.
Oil pump was the culprit. 250k miles bypass stuck closed.
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Leaving a filter on too long in the rust belt can eat the paint through and cause issues with leaks and such. The higher end filters actually account for the higher rated mileage and have thicker layer of paint
I blew one on a fresh built Chevy 350. Brand new Melling oil pump had a stuck relief valve. Swapped it out and all was good.
Back in the late 60s I was just starting to drive and take care of my 64 Plymouth 383.
It used some oil ,like all Mopars back then,and my Dad never used multi wt oil so I used 40 wt Havoline with a Purolator filter.
It was 15° out and when it started I knew something was wrong and I turned it off.I got out to lift the hood and saw a puddle of oil underneath.
The filter had swelled and leaked.
I don't know if it actually burst or not,but I have never seen anything like it since.
I did switch to 30 wt after that.
I am not bashing Pur as I have used many over the yrs.
It used some oil ,like all Mopars back then,and my Dad never used multi wt oil so I used 40 wt Havoline with a Purolator filter.
It was 15° out and when it started I knew something was wrong and I turned it off.I got out to lift the hood and saw a puddle of oil underneath.
The filter had swelled and leaked.
I don't know if it actually burst or not,but I have never seen anything like it since.
I did switch to 30 wt after that.
I am not bashing Pur as I have used many over the yrs.
Hello, Dallas69, you made me think of something when you said, "...my Dad never used multi wt oil so I used 40 wt.....". That was in the late 60's, you say.
When were multi-weight oils introduced? I'm thinking it wasn't too much before the late 60's.
I remember the SE oils (10-30, 10-40) being featured in Popular Science magazine in the late 60's.
That magazine made me an "expert" on many things.
What about before that? Your Dad was just being old fashioned in his time. Kira
When were multi-weight oils introduced? I'm thinking it wasn't too much before the late 60's.
I remember the SE oils (10-30, 10-40) being featured in Popular Science magazine in the late 60's.
That magazine made me an "expert" on many things.
What about before that? Your Dad was just being old fashioned in his time. Kira
Originally Posted By: Dallas69
Back in the late 60s I was just starting to drive and take care of my 64 Plymouth 383.
It used some oil ,like all Mopars back then,and my Dad never used multi wt oil so I used 40 wt Havoline with a Purolator filter.
It was 15° out and when it started I knew something was wrong and I turned it off.I got out to lift the hood and saw a puddle of oil underneath.
The filter had swelled and leaked.
I don't know if it actually burst or not,but I have never seen anything like it since.
I did switch to 30 wt after that.
I am not bashing Pur as I have used many over the yrs.
I understand very thick oils in extreme temps have been known to burst oil filters.
Back in the late 60s I was just starting to drive and take care of my 64 Plymouth 383.
It used some oil ,like all Mopars back then,and my Dad never used multi wt oil so I used 40 wt Havoline with a Purolator filter.
It was 15° out and when it started I knew something was wrong and I turned it off.I got out to lift the hood and saw a puddle of oil underneath.
The filter had swelled and leaked.
I don't know if it actually burst or not,but I have never seen anything like it since.
I did switch to 30 wt after that.
I am not bashing Pur as I have used many over the yrs.
I understand very thick oils in extreme temps have been known to burst oil filters.
I have never seen this in sixty three years, I4s, V6s and V8s and over a million miles of driving.
At the time I think all Dad used was 30 wt .
I didn't understand how an oil could go from 10 wt to a 30 wt.
I didn't use a multi grade until I got a new 1975 Ford Elite and the owners manual said use 10-30.
At the time the filter blew I could have been using a can of STP along with the 40 wt.
Oh my.
I didn't understand how an oil could go from 10 wt to a 30 wt.
I didn't use a multi grade until I got a new 1975 Ford Elite and the owners manual said use 10-30.
At the time the filter blew I could have been using a can of STP along with the 40 wt.
Oh my.
A [1979 or so] guy brought a Volvo into the shop with a leaking oil filter we replaced it, then started up the car and ran the car the new filter started to leak so we hooked up a pressure gauge and replaced the oil pump . The pressure relief valve was bad.
I have actually had it happen on 3 motors in my cars. Two simply popped the filter can like a balloon, and the third popped the can off. All were VW Diesels (pre-1996) and there were 2 Frams and a Canadian Tire filter.These engines regularly make 100 psi on a cold start before the engine warms up. My present engine is a highly modified 1.9 turbodiesel in a 1981 VW Rabbit pickup. Even on a morning start in the summer, I get over 80 psi.
All the filters sold by large manufacturers are rated and tested higher than 100 psi. I see at least 200 psi in most cases, often much more. I had a diesel Rabbit in the 70's. They made the gas engine into a diesel. I used any kind of filter on it with no problems. They can burst if something is wrong with the engine specs, or the engine is modified and needs a racing filter, or other use that is outside the factory design. People who have had oil filters burst seem to always have had defective or modified oil relief valves.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the 3 problems I had were on bone stock engines 1-2 years old. I must emphasize that this problem is VW related only, and has happened to others that I know. We all use Mann filters now, and have never had a problem with them.
Happened to me on my 81 BMW 320i back in the late 80's. It was a stuck pressure release valve in the oil pump. The filter was the OE German made Purolator. The oil was 20w50 which was recommended for Texas heat at that time. What a shock to hear a loud sound then find the filter bloated and destroyed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7P5iUArbJw
If a system exceeds 300 psi I wouldn't blame the oil filter first because it blew apart, or off. But to each his own. Good idea to put a higher than 300 on to correct the problem. I will never need that burst strength in my climate.
If a system exceeds 300 psi I wouldn't blame the oil filter first because it blew apart, or off. But to each his own. Good idea to put a higher than 300 on to correct the problem. I will never need that burst strength in my climate.
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