Balooning oil filter?

[98LSC32V]

My friend's oil pan is dropped and everything looks normal in the pan and the pick-up tube is clear. Nothing was in the pan either, but get this, the oil filter was ballooned up soo big it looked like it was going to explode! The filter was cut open and nothing looked out of the ordinary......

Before I go any farther, what do you guys think could cause the oil pressure to take longer to pump up(5 secs) and the oil filter to get all out of shape? This is on a 4.6 DOHC Ford engine.

 

[Gary Allan]

Stuck oil pump relief valve. It shouldn't have altered the time to pressure ..but would alter the pressure limit ..which at that point would have no limit. It's rare for this to occur, but it's happened.

I think that the modular engine has a crank driven oil pump ..and I'm uncertain where the relief is located.

If it was a defective seam or something the oil filter would have just separated and not ballooned, or so I reason. Even if you dead headed the outlet, there would be no reason for the oil filter to bellows/balloon. It would just be a seized engine with a perfectly normal looking oil filter.

 

[dnewton3]

I agree with Gary.

Many years ago I started up an old Ford truck with a 360 FE in it, and the filter burst within a several seconds. We thought it was a bad filter, so we replaced it, and it blew open the second one. Now, we suspected a lube system issue. Upon teardown, we found the relief was stuck.

That your buddy's filter didn't burst is a testament to the filter's integrity.

 

[paulo57509]

It would be funny if the ballooned filter was a Fram.

Mediocre construction, but crazy strong mechanically.

 

[punisher]

Sticking oil pump relief valve is a known concern on Ford modular engines.

 

[MisterCareful]

Just as an FYI - my stepson has a 1993 Lincoln Town Car with a 4.6 L engine. I read a lot of the Technical Service Bulletins when he got the car. There is a TSB stating that you should not use any oil heavier than 5W-30 or 10W-30 because the heavier XXW-40 can cause the oil pressure relief valve to stick. Since a lot of people use heavier oil on older cars to attempt to reduce oil usage, this might be of concern to many owners. I have the TSB at home and get more info if anyone wants it.

 

[Big Jim]

I'm familiar with that. The TSB says NOT to use 10W30. 5W30 only.

 

[Virtuoso]

What brand of filter was this?

 

[JohnBrowning]

Well I think that TSB is CYA [censored]!!!! The difference between 5W30 and 10W30 is so slight that it would not make a difference heck some 5W30's are more viscous then some 10W30's heck some 0W30's are thicker then most 5W30 and 10W30's so their you go! Either the relief system is poorly designed,machined or use's poor materials!Varnish can also cause sticking.... I would replace the bypass system with a hew one wich on many vechiles requires a new timeing cover!!!I would probably shimm the the spring or use a more power spring to make sure that this is not a problem inthe future....Heck you know what you can try a engine flush for like 30 minutes to see if it is just varnish causeing sticking andnot a worn piston bore onthe bypass... It just depends what your time is worth.....I have had good luck onold neglected imports just removeing the plug to access the bypass and cleaning the bore and piston with solvent.....

 

[Towel_Rail]

Ever looked into decaf, JB?

I do agree that this smells fishy. A well-designed, well-machined relief valve should not stick unless something is VERY wrong...

 

[Big Jim]

It's a cold weather cold start problem.

I agree that it was probably a poor design issue, but it did seem to show up only in really cold weather with something thicker than 5W30. I have seen a few of these. I had one towed back from Mammoth Lakes to southern California where it blew out on a ski trip. The customer thought we were the last one to change the oil, but the receipt in his glove box showed we were not. It also showed that the oil change shop had used 10W30 oil.

The TSB provided a part number for a different pump, "designed to better tolerate thicker oil" or something to that effect. The problem was pretty well gone by the 94 or 95 model year.

 

[MisterCareful]

I found the printout of the TSB at home, if anyone cares to read this much:
Oil Filter - Ballons & Eventually Leaks
Article No. 94-11-7

06/01/94

ENGINE-4.6L-OIL FILTER "BALLOONS" AND EVENTUALLY LEAKS OIL - VEHICLES WITH AOD/AODE TRANSMISSION
OIL FILTER-"BALLOONS" AND EVENTUALLY LEAKS-VEHICLES WITH 4.6L ENGINE AND AOD/AODE TRANSMISSIONS
OIL PUMP-INCORRECT ENGINE OIL USAGE RESULTS IN OIL FILTER "BALLOONING" AND SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAKS-VEHICLES WITH 4.6L AND AOD/AODE TRANSMISSION
FORD:
1992-92 CROWN VICTORIA
1994 THUNDERBIRD

LINCOLN-MERCURY
1991-94 TOWN CAR
1992-94 GRAND MARQUIS
1994 COUGAR

This TSB article is being republished in its entirety to include 1994 Thunderbird/Cougar vehicles and to reflect a change in the oil pump service kit part number.

ISSUE:
The use of engine oil with higher than specified viscosity (5W30/10W30) may cause oil filter "ballooning" and subsequent loss of engine oil. Higher vicosity oils may cause oil pump relief valve bore wear. This causes the relief valve to stick, resulting in excessive system oil pressure and a blown oil filter.

ACTION:
Install an oil pump service kit with a revised oil pump and associated gaskets. This desensitizes the oil pump to higher viscosity oils to preclude potential oil filter "ballooning". Refer to Instruction Sheet # 6490B, included in the kit, for the installation procedure. Refer to the appropriate Car Service Manual, Section 03-01, for any additional 4.6L engine information.

The oil pump service kit (F5AZ-6660-A) includes on of each of the following components:
Oil Pump
Oil Pan Gasket
Front Cover RH Gasket
Front Cover Center Gasket
Front Cover LH Gasket
Cam Cover LH Gasket
Cam Cover RH Gasket
Instruction Sheet #6490B

CAUTION: CUSTOMER SHOULD REFER TO THE OWNER GUIDE FOR OIL USAGE SPECIFICATION. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD OIL OF A HIGHER VISCOSITY BE USED.

PART NUMBER PART NAME CLASS

F5AZ-6660-A Oil Pump Service Kit A

OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: NONE
SUPERSEDES: 93-25-4
WARRANTY STATUS:
Eligible Under The Provisions Of The Bumper To Bumper Warranty Coverage

OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME
941107A Replace Oil Pump And 8.1 Hrs.
Install New Oil Filter-
Crown Victoria/Grand
Marquis/Town Car
941107B Replace Oil Pump And 7.7 Hrs.
Install New Oil Filter-
Thunderbird/Cougar

DEALER CODING
BASIC PART NO. CONDITION CODE
6600 63

OASIS CODES:40100

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Sorry if I made any typos. Hope this is of help to someone.