Here's a trick for pre filling filters

[The motor guy]

I found out they make small engine funnels that they sell at walmart. They're skinny and tall so you can actually add oil thru the dipstick tube easily on a mower. Anyways, I noticed these funnels also have about the smallest diameter hole i've seen yet on a funnel, so imo these would work great for pre filling an oil filter through the small holes so the oil is actually filtered first instead of just dumping it through the large center hole where it's unfiltered like me and i'm sure most everyone else does too. Opinions? Just thought i'd help

 

[ripcord]

Never tried this. How does the oil get past the anti-drain back valve without oil pressure?

 

[The motor guy]

Never tried this. How does the oil get past the anti-drain back valve without oil pressure?

I guess you're sol if you have one of those. Typically if it has one of those then it's because it's mounted in a way that you couldn't pre fill the filter anyways.

 

[haggler]

Ya I've done that with Mazda without adbv and Fram with a tooth pick not a bad idea but just usually doing it from the center is good enough, better than nothing.

 

[The motor guy]

Ya I've done that with Mazda without adbv and Fram with a tooth pick not a bad idea but just usually doing it from the center is good enough, better than nothing.

You can still pour enough oil in to saturate the filter media if it's a filter that's horizontal or upside down. Soaks it up like a sponge

 

[dubber09]

Absolutely unnecessary. Many European cars have filters way above crankcase and impossible to prefill.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Absolutely unnecessary. Many European cars have filters way above crankcase and impossible to prefill.

What's filter location have to do with pre-filling it. See post #5 ... don't have to totally fill it. I get quite a bit of oil into the filter before installing it, which a filter with the base down and vertical on top of the engine.

 

[Sayjac]

Something to consider I suppose if one buys into the notion that new oil straight out a bottle/jug is somehow dirtier than the oil left in the engine, and/or needs to be filtered before entering the engine from the filter. I'm not one of those individuals. Even if I was, as I use 7317 applications, I've not seen a common funnel that would fit in the tiny inlet holes. As an aside, Flo Tool makes excellent funnel that works well for the Nissan CVT charging tube, which is on small side. Wouldn't work for 7317/6607 inlet holes.

That said, where practicable I do prefill. On a horizontal mount like Nissan 2.5L, at least enough soak media perhaps some oil seen in center, always using the outlet opening. No plans to change that practice.

 

[The motor guy]

Absolutely unnecessary. Many European cars have filters way above crankcase and impossible to prefill.

You're talking about cartridge style filters. I believe they have a different means for eliminating dry starts. What that is I'm not sure, but I doubt they allow the oil to drain back to the crankcase everytime you shut the engine off.

 

[Urshurak776]

Has there ever been a manufacturers recommendation to pre-fill an oil filter?

Has Jiffy Lube and all the rest of the Bobs BBQ and oil change places EVER filled an oil filter?

For those that have pre-filled (I have, but not sure why to be honest) relly know if it makes a difference? How would we ever know?

Honestly, more important things to worry about. My 0.03 (inflation....)

 

[The motor guy]

well i see i really stirred the pot on this one.

 

[dnewton3]

... Opinions?

Yes; this horse needs to die.

If we haven't "solved" this issue in the dozens of other threads about prefilling filters, this one ain't gonna do it either.

 

[earlyre]

 

[The motor guy]

It wasn't about whether or not you should, but how to make it easier if you were the type to pre fill.

Yes; this horse needs to die.

If we haven't "solved" this issue in the dozens of other threads about prefilling filters, this one ain't gonna do it either.

 

[tmorris1]

Is there a chance of damaging the rubber drain back valve when doing this. I Poke a screwdriver through mine to drain them after an oil change and they never seem to seal back up very well.

 

[The motor guy]

Is there a chance of damaging the rubber drain back valve when doing this. I Poke a screwdriver through mine to drain them after an oil change and they never seem to seal back up very well.

I wouldn't bother with it if you have an anti drainback valve

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Unless I see some groundbreaking data, I’m going to continue pre-filling by simply pouring new oil into filters and not overthinking it.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

You can still pour enough oil in to saturate the filter media if it's a filter that's horizontal or upside down. Soaks it up like a sponge

Dont think it matters with filters the size of hamsters. Regardless, I prefill mine through the outlet to about 3/4 full. I have a topside mount on the Subaru, so I also pour oil down the gallery hatch and also down the pump drill - just because it's easy and I can
Oil light is extinguished within 2 seconds of startup.

My old race V8 Vega had toggles for IGN and FUEL so I could crank that puppy until I saw some movement on the OP gauge. That had the vintage SBC canister replaced by a remote mounted spin on setup.

Now, are you running a filter with a base end bypass like Wix? if not aren't you concerned about bypassing accumulated crud ?

 

[The motor guy]

Unless I see some groundbreaking data, I’m going to continue pre-filling by simply pouring new oil into filters and not overthinking it.

I just do it based off of what someone at cummins recommended to me about 10 years ago.

 

[Hall]

Has there ever been a manufacturers recommendation to pre-fill an oil filter?

No

Well, hold on.... someone will mention that Caterpillar does recommend pre-filling the 1-gallon capacity oil filters that go on their 12-liter diesel engines, like the type used in the mining industry in dump trucks that are as big as a house. So yeah, there you go - that means we should pre-fill oil filters.