Oil leak/spray

[rcharles]

Looking for a little help before I get under the car when I get off work. Car is a 2013 GT/CS with normal bolt-ons (CAI, cats removed, h-pipe, Lund tune). This is the second time I have seen this on the car. The first time was about a year and a half ago. The wife and I were out of town and doing a little spirited driving. Nothing crazy, just some good pulls. We got to where we were going and had a lot of burning oil smoke coming from under the engine. Looked underneath and bottom of engine was soaked with oil. Thought I really screwed something up. Got it towed to a ford dealer and the next morning they told me I had a pin hole leak in the oil filter and it was spraying oil when under pressure. Thought that was an odd explanation, but they said it was fixed. That was a FRAM filter. I have used the ford filters since. Back to present. Got to work today and smelled burning oil when I got here, looked underneath and saw oil drops again from front of motor. I did do a couple of good pulls on the way. There is no way this can be an oil filter again.

Any one seen this and know what I should take first. I'm guessing there is something in between the oil filter and the block that the filter screws to and that my have a gasket. When the car is just sitting, there is no leak other than what sprayed out. And looking underneath you can tell it was sprayed oil.

 

[stkjock]

there is always a gasket between the filter and the filter mounting point.

more than that I cannot offer any suggestion

 

[travelers]

There is a gasket between the filter adapter and the block. it may be there. You should clean everything and start it up and you should be able to see where it's coming from.

 

[BruceH]

I've had the gasket filter stick to the block and not notice it was there when doing an oil change on another vehicle. This results in two gaskets when the new filter is put on and it will spray oil. It's something to check although I think if it had happened you would of noticed it right away.

 

[rcharles]

I know the filter gaskets aren't doubled up. I check that overtime because I have done that before and it will spray at idle. This leak is only at extreme load. Is there anything toppling the adapter for the oil filter, or just drain the oil and remove it?

 

[rcharles]

So here is what I found. Looks like I blew through the filter. It's pretty obvious were it came through the coating but I haven't tried to peel it back to see where it went through the case. What would cause this? It is almost a perfect circle and this was the lowest part of the filter when it was installed. The rest of the coating looks perfectly intact and no other bubbles.

 

[JUSTA3V]

So you have had this happen to 2 oil filters now?

 

[rcharles]

Yes, last one was a year and a half ago with a Fram filter and this one now with a Ford filter. The FRAM one wasn't as noticeable, dealer had circled the spot, but couldn't really tell. I think there is a difference in the coatings on the Fram and Ford filters also. Fram did't have any of the coating blown out.

 

[Mystickeith50]

That is the craziest thing I've ever seen.....and to have it happen twice?

 

[JUSTA3V]

Know anyone that hates you, is mechanicly inclined, and has access to an awl?

 

[dream07]

Outside of the chance of sabotage (could someone hate you that much? got an ex-wife?), I would imagine that the manufacturing die that stamps that filter housing had a flaw. That is a tough place, between humps, so the metal is really being stretched to form there. However, the Fram doesn't have those extreme mini-lumps, so if the Fram looked like that too, I would have to change your own oil, park it inside, stay away from the places you had work on it and maybe get the thicker canister Ford Racing filter or K&N (I think they have the thicker canister too).

 

[rcharles]

Haven't been able to find a pin hole under that blister yet. Any chance I have a leak somewhere else and since that is the low point on the mounted filter the hot oil drop melted the coating. Just wondering since the blister was a perfect circle.

 

[Mo@NoLimit]

Looks like you may be rubbing the filter on the subframe. Have you checked your motor mounts for excessive play ?? I cant tell by the pic but it looks like it rubbed through.... unless someone is poking pin holes in your filter

 

[BruceH]

It's your oil filter wrench.

 

[stkjock]

It's your oil filter wrench.

Good thought, I would not have thought of it as I would have believed everyone knows not to use it on install.

 

[BruceH]

Good thought, I would not have thought of it as I would have believed everyone knows not to use it on install.

The reason I say it is because I have an oil filter wrench that has been damaged enough to do something like this. I certainly hope it's something this easy anyhow.

 

[skwerl]

What is your oil pressure? Are you using a 5w-20 or 5w30 oil or have you gone off the chart to use something you think is better?

 

[rcharles]

Use 5w-20. I was not able to peal any more of the coating off other than the bubble but could not find and that may be a pin hole. I have looked all around the oil pan and not one trace of oil, seal on the old filter looked fine. There is not anything within 4-6 inches of the filter that could rub on it. I am completely confused at this point. Oil changed, new filter on, did some driving today and no leaks. Checked tightness of oil filter after a heat cycle.

 

[Sky Render]

Are you spinning the filter on by hand or using a wrench to tighten it?

 

[rcharles]

Are you spinning the filter on by hand or using a wrench to tighten it?

Hand tight then 1/2 turn with wrench until tight