I am NEVER buying another SuperTech Oil filter again!

[inline4]

Blah! I'm so pissed!
Ok, since so many people recommend the Super Tech at Wal-Mart because it offers good quality for low price I went ahead and tried it out.
Ok, 4 quarts of Penzoil, 1 ST filter for a 1998 Suzuki Esteem.
I went ahead and changed the oil and filter.
Double checked oil level.
Drive off ramps, and let it idle for about 30 seconds.
Well, I had this weird feeling, so I went out of the car to check.
Guess what?
Oil was spilling all over the floor!
BLAH!!!!! GRRRR!!
At this point I am not yet furious, just confused.
So I figure maybe I didn't tighten the filter enough.
I took the filter off, reattached it, and this time made sure it was really tight.
Fill up the car with a little more oil just to see, because it seems to have lost maybe 2 quarts by now.
Turn the car on, go look, m#&^*#&)$)_#@Q&!!
It's spraying out just like before!!
AARRRGGHH!!!
I get pissed!
Go into my recycle box and get the old penzoil filter I just tossed, take the ST off, put the old penzoil in, put in 2 new quarts of oil, checked oil level, turned the car on.
No more oil spraying from the mouth of the oil filter! YAY!
BUT NOW! I have to go back to Wal Mart, somehow convince them to give my money back on the oil fitler and lost oil, and I'll be happy!
IT JUST PISSES ME OFF SO MUCH THOUGH!
ARENT OIL FILTER COMPANIES SUPPOSE TO MAKE THE FILTERS TO SPEC!
I compared the 2 filters side by side,
They are the same diameter, same width, same everything, except the ST's thread is a little bit more forward and not set back as far as the Penzoil.
Well, I hope no other Suzuki Esteem owners had this problem... probably didn't even know it until the engine suddenly died!
Super Tech has a very very bad reputation in my book now. I will never buy anothre one of their oil filers, oils, or anything else associated with their company! BLAH!!!
This just happened 15 minutes ago and I'm just typing this up to vent!

 

[digitaldrifter91]

dont trip dude. walmart will ask why are u returning it and then they will take it back as a defective product. but **** , i feel bad for ya. at least it wasnt an expensive filter and it didnt damage your engine.

 

[unDummy]

Maybe the gasket stuck to the engine. Two gaskets together won't work. Reinstalling old gasketless filter onto its own "stuck on filter mount" gasket solves problem.

What were the Pennzoil and Supertech part numbers involved?

 

[inline4]

I'm tripping because it happened.
I mean, with all the different brands of oil filters I have tried (from fram, to toyota when I use to have a celica, to bosch, to mobil) it has never happened before.
I guess this particular oil filter is defective for all Suzuki Esteems.

 

[inline4]

actually I just took another look at the oil filter.
This one is defective.
It seems to be not completely sealed .. it's kind of hard to explain.
The rubber is sealing,
but the metal underneath the rubber is like glued on or something to the base of the filter and maybe they didnt glue it all the way.
Either way, I'm still never buying anothre ST oil filter

 

[inline4]

quote:

---

Originally posted by unDummy:
Maybe the gasket stuck to the engine. Two gaskets together won't work. Reinstalling old gasketless filter onto its own "stuck on filter mount" gasket solves problem.

What were the Pennzoil and Supertech part numbers involved?

---

nope, i double checked if the oil gasket was still on after i took the ST off.
It was still on the penzoil.

ST part # is ST3614
Penzoil part # i'm not sure cause its my mothers car and she took it to one of those lube places.

 

[labman]

I don't blame you for being ticked. I had a similar bad experience with an EMPI filter forom K-Mart in 1977. The gasket just set flush on the bottom of the filter with no groove to retain it. It didn't blow until my wife was driving my truck. After driving around for a while, the oil light didn't go off, so she called me. Hey, I am still driving the truck. Only major engine work was a head gasket long afterwards.

After chopping open a bunch of filters, including Fram, ST is my choice when I can't find the right AC.

I am very disappointed to read here that Fram makes Pennzoil. I would look through the postings here and select a non Champion, non Fram made filter and use it. Likely they tried combining too many applications in one filter number. You got burned on a detail they missed.

Thanks for warning other Suzuki Esteem owners.

 

[turbochem]

quote:

---

I guess this particular oil filter is defective for all Suzuki Esteems.

---

That seems like quite a jump in logic from one data point....(or would it be datum point?)

Hey, I'm not blaming you for being pissed, I would be too. Just not sure you can make a blanket statement based on one experience....it's the chemist in me....

quote:

---

Likely they tried combining too many applications in one filter number. You got burned on a detail they missed.

Thanks for warning other Suzuki Esteem owners.

---

Once again, one data point.....and you know it's because they attempted to combine too many applications? Based on what data??

A scientist's work is never done, I guess....

 

[Flimflam]

quote:

---

Originally posted by inline4:
Blah! I'm so pissed!
Ok, since so many people recommend the Super Tech at Wal-Mart because it offers good quality for low price I went ahead and tried it out.
Ok, 4 quarts of Penzoil, 1 ST filter for a 1998 Suzuki Esteem.

IT JUST PISSES ME OFF SO MUCH THOUGH!
ARENT OIL FILTER COMPANIES SUPPOSE TO MAKE THE FILTERS TO SPEC!
I compared the 2 filters side by side,
They are the same diameter, same width, same everything, except the ST's thread is a little bit more forward and not set back as far as the Penzoil.
Well, I hope no other Suzuki Esteem owners had this problem... probably didn't even know it until the engine suddenly died!

---

Dude: save yourself a lot of heartache and butt-ache by using original Suzuki OEM filters. They are only $6 or $7 anyway. The current ones are made in Austria and are a really high quality item. I have so much confidence in them, I leave them in for 2-3 oil changes.

 

[nick778]

[/qb][/QUOTE] I have so much confidence in them, I leave them in for 2-3 oil changes. [/QB][/QUOTE]


You are kidding, right?

 

[Mike_dup1]

There is no such thing as cheap quality.

I almost lost the engine in my 1966 GTO many years (1973) ago. I had my oil changed at a local (friends dad owned and still in family today) service station, Standard Oil (was Amooco, now BP). USed LDO brand oil and an Atlas brand oil filter. I left the gas station and was cruising down the road, happended to notice smoke coming from car, looked underneath and there was oil all over. Back to garage abotu a mile and back on the hoist. Oil was coming out seam in case, only 2 qt left in engine. Did not leak as bad with engine idling but pumped out good a higher speed.

 

[labman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by turbochem:

quote:

---

I guess this particular oil filter is defective for all Suzuki Esteems.

---

That seems like quite a jump in logic from one data point....(or would it be datum point?)

Hey, I'm not blaming you for being pissed, I would be too. Just not sure you can make a blanket statement based on one experience....it's the chemist in me....

quote:

---

Likely they tried combining too many applications in one filter number. You got burned on a detail they missed.

Thanks for warning other Suzuki Esteem owners.

---

Once again, one data point.....and you know it's because they attempted to combine too many applications? Based on what data??

A scientist's work is never done, I guess....

---

No a scientist's work is never done. As another chemist, I have seen far too many times somebody jumped to the wrong conclusion from too little data. Unfortunately in the real world, sometimes we must make decisions without the luxury of gathering more data. Other cases, our time might be used more productively.

It sounds like this particular filter ran out of threads before the gasket was firmly enough seated. With standardization of parts nearing its third century, I strongly suspect that none of the examples of that ST number will fit any 1998 Suzuki Esteem. I certainly wouldn't want to explain buying the second one at the service desk when I returned it.

So how did this happen? I didn't make a flat statement that it was combining too many numbers, I only said it was likely. Check the thread diameter, pitch, bypass pressure, anti drain back valve and conclude a filter in production will fit the Suzuki. Time after time, I have seen some little overlooked detail such as the thread length jump up and bite.

I only cut open one Fram, and haven't bought another one since.

One more detail. Checking the filter for leaks is a common recommendation. In my case, it went several days before the gasket popped out.

So I stand by my answer and Inline4's decision. I would also carefully examine the thread on a Purolator, Hastings, etc. before buying one for a Suzuki.

 

[MolaKule]

Even the other guys can screw up as well.

One time I bought an Amsoil SDF23 filter for an oil change in my '92 Burb. I had never had any previous problems with Amsoil filters for this vehicle. (Now use SuperTech's for this vehicle).

Attempted to screw it on, but I would only get to about 1 to 2 threads and it would bind. Inspected the threads and found the tap had not gone all the way through the thread hole.

I went ahead and tapped it since I have all kinds of taps, and installed it and ran it 5k with no leaks.

I told BIL and Amsoil sent me a new SDF23 free of cost.

Edit: Just thought of one occasion when I did have a leak:

I kept seeing leaks around the filter. I unscrewed the filter and the threaded extension
came out of the filter mounting plate; i.e., the filter unscrewed but out it came with the threaded extension still in the filter! Turns out the 350SB chevy has a threaded extension
for the filter threads to grab. This extension can become loose and screw itself out of the plate when you remove the filter. I now always make sure the the threaded extension is tight on the filter mounting plate and THEN screw the filter onto the plate.

[ April 11, 2003, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]

 

[csandste]

Champion Labs has an extremely responsive technical service desk. I think you should e-mail them a link to this forum, or tell them of your plight. If nothing else, they will probably change their application list.

 

[metroplex]

Sounds like you missed something.

I've been doing oil changes every 3 months on 5 different vehicles for the past 5-6 years and I've never had "oil spraying out" because of faulty "glue under the gasket"

They don't use glue under the gasket for the Ford V8 ST filters - its all crimped on. Never had a leak problem like you described.

I've heard a lot of stupid things with oil changes - like not cleaning the oil filter mounting surface prior to installing a new filter - a COMMON mistake made by n00bs.

Cleaning the surface is important because its a double check to see if the old gasket is still on there, to see if there are objects/dust/dirt still stuck on there, or any damage to the sealing surface. You do NOT simply pull off old filter, install new filter, start engine.

I always take a good 30 min to 1 hour for my oil changes just to make sure I do everything right.

IF it is indeed the oil filter, you should be able to determine WHERE the leak is coming from. Is it a rupture case? Is it a damaged thread? A damaged gasket? etc...

[ April 11, 2003, 02:15 PM: Message edited by: metroplex ]

 

[Greaser]

I was investigating oil filter by-passes a while back.Flipping over various filters that were on the shelf and peering inside the filter to get a glimps of the by-pass.A Quaker State filter I flipped had NO gasket installed at ALL...and this was on the shelf vacume sealed in plastic ready-for-sale

...I like the Purolater Premium Plus filters...tried Mobil's,Bosch Premium,Mopar...the Purolaters seem to be around the best in construction and price..they claim 96% in the multiple pass test...good enough for me.

 

[turbochem]

quote:

---

Unfortunately in the real world, sometimes we must make decisions without the luxury of gathering more data. Other cases, our time might be used more productively.

---

I see your point. How do I determine what is the fastest way home? Do I drive every possible route to determine which is fastest. Do I sit around deriving algorithms? Heck no.......I take the route that "feels right".....

Some things in life shouldn't be under the provedence of science...maybe filter selection can be one of those......

Yeah, I'm not really that anal......

Why can't engine manufacturers agree on 6 different filters...and build their engines accordingly???

Dueling Chemists.......

 

[labman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by turbochem:

quote:

---

Unfortunately in the real world, sometimes we must make decisions without the luxury of gathering more data. Other cases, our time might be used more productively.

---

I see your point. How do I determine what is the fastest way home? Do I drive every possible route to determine which is fastest. Do I sit around deriving algorithms? Heck no.......I take the route that "feels right".....

Some things in life shouldn't be under the provedence of science...maybe filter selection can be one of those......

Yeah, I'm not really that anal......

Why can't engine manufacturers agree on 6 different filters...and build their engines accordingly???

Dueling Chemists.......

---

Maybe we are not that far apart, especially on that last point. I have thought about starting a thread on that. Why the wall of orange????? OK, we have 2-3 thread sizes, w, w/o anti drain back valve, several levels of bypass pressure. So 3 threads times 2 valve possibilities times 3 different pressures times 2 for short, squat and tall, skinny equals 36 possibilities. Still we have a lot more filters than that. Now they are going back to canister or cartridge filters, could we ask that they all use the same one?

javascript:void(0)
Off Topic!

Another thing, if we aren't going to stick with the#8 and #10 screws we have used the entire life of the motor car, why don't we go metric instead of these 1/8 and 3/16" things cropping out lately?

 

[Rick in PA]

quote:

---

Originally posted by inline4:
actually I just took another look at the oil filter.
This one is defective.
It seems to be not completely sealed .. it's kind of hard to explain.
The rubber is sealing,
but the metal underneath the rubber is like glued on or something to the base of the filter and maybe they didnt glue it all the way.
Either way, I'm still never buying anothre ST oil filter

---

There is an interesting clue here. As best as I can remember, the rubber seal on an oil filter is typicaly held in place by friction with the sides of the slots on the filter can. I don't recall seeing glue used to secure the rubber seal to the filter can. Just as the rubber seals against the motor block, it seals against the end of the filter can.

If some glue or adhesive got on the end of the filter can by accident (at the factory), it could be the cause of the leak.

You may want to check other ST oil filters to see if they also have this "glue". Let us know what you find.

 

[Ray H]

It's also possible to overtighten a filter to the point that the gasket is deformed to the point of leakage. Sounds strange, but it happened to me once.