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View Full Version : Major oil leak -- from oil filter seal?


m2pc
11-02-2009, 11:28 AM
Guys,

I've been battling with a nasty slow oil leak over the past few months, and last night I was poking around under the hood and noticed this:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/m2pc/rear.jpg
and
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/m2pc/front.jpg

There appears to be oil leaking from the oil filter cap where it screws onto the oil filter housing.
This morning when I arrived at work, I noticed the whole front of the oil filter housing right below the cap was coated with oil.
There's even oil squirt marks on the radiator hose! :(

I tried tightening the cap last night, but it almost looks like it's worse now.

Should I just change the oil [it's due] and hope a new o-ring solves the problem?
What the heck is going on?
Xenocide
11-02-2009, 11:31 AM
if the o-ring is leaking, tightening will make it worse.
m2pc
11-02-2009, 11:32 AM
Ok that definitely helps point to the O-Ring then -- tightening it _definitely_ made it worse.

At this point, I think an oil change plus new O-ring is in order. Thanks for the advice!
RatFink328
11-02-2009, 11:39 AM
Always make sure that when you change an oil filter (especially our type oil filter) to run a bit of the old or new oil around the o ring! or put some o ring grease on it. Just putting it all back together dry is asking for trouble....

Im not saying thats what you did, but thats what appears to have happened...
m2pc
11-02-2009, 11:40 AM
Always make sure that when you change an oil filter (especially our type oil filter) to run a bit of the old or new oil around the o ring! or put some o ring grease on it. Just putting it all back together dry is asking for trouble....

Im not saying thats what you did, but thats what appears to have happened...

I usually do that, but I may have overlooked it the last time, thus the leak.
dcskate102
11-02-2009, 11:53 AM
Also check and make sure its not leaking out of the cam position sensor seal. I though my housing was leaking too until I noticed the o-ring was missing.
m2pc
11-02-2009, 11:56 AM
Also check and make sure its not leaking out of the cam position sensor seal. I though my housing was leaking too until I noticed the o-ring was missing.

Cool, I'll check that too -- although I'm almost 100% sure it's the oil cap seal, due to the fact that there's oil on almost every side, running down the oil filter housing.
BradR127
11-02-2009, 01:25 PM
Make sure you torque the cap correctly: 18 ft-lb / 25 Nm