Do You "Prime" Your Oil Filters Before Installing Them ?

[Lowflyer]

Originally Posted by SlavaB
Any scientific proofs that you still need to prefill? Every modern spin on I've seen has a "don't prime/prefill" instruction on it. I don't believe that an engine benefits from this ritual, there is enough of oil film left on the components when you drain the oil
My "ritual" is also smear few Drops new oil on the seal of filter (or filter casing). Although I have never seen scientific proof above it.

Whats the problem? You make things at the best and prudent and you can be unconcerned about it. Done. Prefil filter and smear the filter seal is nothing to debate (?)

Its simply the good craft.
Nothing to brood about it

 

[LotI]

His user name is still active

 

[PimTac]

I'll give the same answer as I have whenever this question is asked. I always prime my filters if possible. It's a old habit.

 

[SlavaB]

Originally Posted by Lowflyer
Originally Posted by SlavaB
Any scientific proofs that you still need to prefill? Every modern spin on I've seen has a "don't prime/prefill" instruction on it. I don't believe that an engine benefits from this ritual, there is enough of oil film left on the components when you drain the oil
My "ritual" is also smear few Drops new oil on the seal of filter (or filter casing). Although I have never seen scientific proof above it.

Whats the problem? You make things at the best and prudent and you can be unconcerned about it. Done. Prefil filter and smear the filter seal is nothing to debate (?)

Its simply the good craft.
Nothing to brood about it

Putting some oil on the gasket is legit, it does help the gasket to come off easier later.
It's a different story when it comes to the claims that "an engine will benefit from a prefilled filter"

 

[ZZman]

When I could

 

[SlavaB]

Originally Posted by exranger06
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by billt460
I know a horizontal mount won't allow for this.



You would be surprised how full you can get them.

If you don't have any obstacles in the way, I can get one 80%-90% full and quickly mate it to the threaded nipple without spilling a drop.

Otherwise, I fill at least 50% full (minimum).

The difference is always a couple seconds difference for oil pressure to come up.



Yup, I also prefill on horizontal filters and don't spill a drop.
Originally Posted by SlavaB
Any scientific proofs that you still need to prefill? Every modern spin on I've seen has a "don't prime/prefill" instruction on it. I don't believe that an engine benefits from this ritual, there is enough of oil film left on the components when you drain the oil

I've never seen that warning on any filter.

I've heard that some large trucks or heavy machinery NEED to have their filters pre-filled, since the filters are so large and hold up to a gallon of oil. If you don't pre-fill them, the engine will starve for oil long enough to cause damage. That's just something I heard a long time ago; not sure how true it is.


Ok apparently it's not easy to find a picture of an oil filter from the angle where you can see such a sticker.
I'm including 2 examples -
the first one just has 4 steps to follow, there is NO the prefill step
the second one - bad quality, a screenshot from yt vide. It has a "no oil" (a drop of oil) icon with a slash through it (it's upside down, but the icon itself is in the middle position on the bottom row) - do not prefill warning

 

[Snagglefoot]

I used to, but when crawling under the truck I don't feel like holding the filter upright while moving around. I've got almost 200,000 miles on the engine without doing that ritual. Next time, I'll time how many seconds it takes to get pressure with the filter empty. I know it take about 3 seconds to get full pressure (40 psi) to the sensor on the back of the intake manifold on my 6.0 LS engine with the filter full of oil.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Every time.

 

[MrWideTires]

On my STI? Yes.

On my civic daily driver? No, I don't care..

 

[4WD]

Linctex… Friday the 13th and a harvest moon !
Don't you have at least one filter still on since the last date this happened ?

J/K … this thread does give rise to the subject of longer filter use …

 

[Malo83]

Yup! all 3 of them.

 

[walterjay]

Always prime

 

[nthach]

If the filter is mounted upright or at a slight angle, sure. Only takes a few minutes I would be otherwise drinking a beer or seltzer during an oil change. I don't bother otherwise.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted by SlavaB
Ok apparently it's not easy to find a picture of an oil filter from the angle where you can see such a sticker.
I'm including 2 examples -
the first one just has 4 steps to follow, there is NO the prefill step

That's not the same thing as specifically saying "do not pre-fill the filter." It's not a totally necessary step, therefore the manufacturer does not include it. It doesn't mean you can't pre-fill it if you wanted to.
Originally Posted by SlavaB
the second one - bad quality, a screenshot from yt vide. It has a "no oil" (a drop of oil) icon with a slash through it (it's upside down, but the icon itself is in the middle position on the bottom row) - do not prefill warning

That's not what that symbol means. It means check and make sure there are no leaks after starting the engine (you shouldn't see any oil drops dripping, hence the oil drop with a line through it). Notice how all of the steps are in chronological order. The picture is really blurry and it's hard to tell what each step is depicting, but here's another example I found on another website.

(link to where I found the picture and where I copied/pasted the explanations of the steps:
http://www.pureoil.com/en/contactus30/faq/ )
The steps/pictures mean:
Originally Posted by from pureoil.com
• Apply film of oil to filter
•Install filter
•Tighten the amount specified for your filter beyond gasket contact (3/4, ¾ - 1, etc)
•Fill engine with oil to normal level
•Check for engine oil level and check for leaks and re-tighten if necessary

The picture you posted is the same thing, except the pictures aren't numbered. They still go in order. Notice how the oil drop picture is the LAST picture before the "remember to recycle" picture. Is pre-filling the last step in installing a filter? No. Is checking for leaks the last step? YEP!

 

[wemay]

Never

 

[Lowflyer]

Originally Posted by SlavaB

Putting some oil on the gasket is legit, it does help the gasket to come off easier later.
Nope. In systems with in first loosely gasket, the gasket may be - at tighten - broken uptight. With oil (wet) on the gasket its much safer do it right.

Quote
It's a different story when it comes to the claims that "an engine will benefit from a prefilled filter"
"good craft" is - no matter what you do - never a "different story". Its always valid.

Best answer from PimTac. Make oil filter "wet" is old habit(/practice).

That's all. I'm outty. Until next time

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted by exranger06
That's not what that symbol means. It means check and make sure there are no leaks after starting the engine (you shouldn't see any oil drops dripping, hence the oil drop with a line through it). Notice how all of the steps are in chronological order. The picture is really blurry and it's hard to tell what each step is depicting, but here's another example I found on another website.

(link to where I found the picture and where I copied/pasted the explanations of the steps:
http://www.pureoil.com/en/contactus30/faq/ )
The steps/pictures mean:
Originally Posted by from pureoil.com
• Apply film of oil to filter
•Install filter
•Tighten the amount specified for your filter beyond gasket contact (3/4, ¾ - 1, etc)
•Fill engine with oil to normal level
•Check for engine oil level and check for leaks and re-tighten if necessary

The picture you posted is the same thing, except the pictures aren't numbered. They still go in order. Notice how the oil drop picture is the LAST picture before the "remember to recycle" picture. Is pre-filling the last step in installing a filter? No. Is checking for leaks the last step? YEP!

I agree. None of those symbols translate into, "Do Not Prefill". I found this on the link you provided.

"Q: Do I need to pre-fill oil in my spin-on oil filter prior to installation?

A: You don't need to pre-fill oil in your spin-on oil filter. Oil flows through the filter as soon as the vehicle is started."

While the "answer" is an obviously correct statement, it doesn't answer the question. The whole idea of prefilling an oil filter, (regardless if you agree with the process or not), is to reduce the time it takes to build oil pressure, by not having the engine take the time required pump the filter full of oil. Thereby allowing oil pressure to be achieved quicker. Which most anyone would agree is beneficial.

How beneficial could be argued one way or another. But how could one convincingly argue that having oil pressure sooner rather than later is a bad thing? I have changed my own oil for over 50 years. I have never seen words printed on any oil filter stating NOT to pre fill it.

 

[SlavaB]

Originally Posted by exranger06

That's not what that symbol means.


I've followed your link - there's no "drop" symbol explanation, and the "check oil filter" icon is #5 which looks differently
#Check for engine oil level and check for leaks and re-tighten if necessary

SO while it's possible that the drop sign does not mean "do not prefill", I'm not seeing any sources confirming that.
The reason why I personally dont prefill the filter (and probably why I think the drop icon means exactly the same) - I did see a video some long time ago with research on the topic
and their conclusion was "do not prefill" and had something to do with the way new oil flows through an empty filter and removes air that's in the pleats.

 

[exranger06]

You're right that the link doesn't mention the oil drop picture. My point was that the pictures on the filter follow a logical order. If that symbol meant "don't pre-fill," it would've been right after the "lube the gasket" picture, not at the very end. The fact that it's at the end indicates it means "check for leaks."

 

[littleant]

I also prefill horizontal filter on my 02 jeep 4.0. Get it about 80-90% fill . Makes for a nice quite startup.