Bulging oil filter rubber o-ring

[vandy]

Hey MOFOs. For a few weeks now the oil filter rubber o-ring on my 328 has been bulging when the car is on. A little background info:

I did have an oil leak coming from the oil filter housing gasket, so Tim and I tore it off and put a new rubber gasket on there. While the oil filter housing was off, we cleaned it up pretty well and got most of the oil off of it so I could see if there was another oil leak sometime down the road. Well, I did develop another leak, possibly two. From what I could tell, and Swiss pointed it out at the BBQ too, it looked like my vanos line was leaking. I didn't see any other leaks, but the side of the block was (is) caked in oil so it was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Anyways, today I got a new vanos line with sealing rings and eight mann filter kits. I put the new vanos line on and noticed that the top didn't have sealing rings, potential leak area. I replaced the wix oil filter and rubber o-ring (which costs $14 from the local auto parts place ) with the mann counterparts. I noticed that there were TWO rubber o-rings on the oil filter housing cap, one installed where it should be and one installed in a groove right above the threads on the plastic cap. (That isn't right, correct? Potential noobish colors showing here.) Anyways, so I installed the mann rubber o-ring in the correct spot between the cap and filter housing and fired the car up.

It didn't leak for a few minutes, but after it was warm-ish, the rubber o-ring had bulged on the left side and oil was pouring out. I shut the car off and took the cap off. There seemed to be a LOT of oil in the housing; in fact when I went to screw it back on, oil overflowed all the way around because the volume of the oil and the filter was too much to be held in the housing. I should also note that I do NOT have a torque wrench, but I have tried screwing it on both loose and semi-tight.

Any ideas? Could some oil line be clogged?

I am disappoint... I was ready to get it running to take a jaunt this afternoon up the local twisties and take some sweet shots to brag to you about later

Cliffs: Oil filter o-ring bulging after new vanos line and sealing rings, new oil filter housing gasket, mann filter kit... car sitting in front of apartment looking pretty, but that's it.

[SWISS]

Your oil pressure relief is not working. I just had a guy leave here in his 2.8 Z3 that I helped change his oil less than 10 minutes ago. I stressed to him what I am about to tell you.

Metal filter housings and plastic ones share 2 common parts. The big round gasket, and the copper crush washer for the drain plug.
Most parts suppliers in effort to maximize profit stopped including the additional metal washer for the metal housings and the tiny O ring, and also do not include the other 2 the plastic housings use. I told him next time go to Rennsport and have Rick hook him up with the other two Orings on the relief shaft. If you notice the plastic shaft in the center moves up and down in the cap and has a relief hole in it. Pressure to high relief lifts. Relief no lift pressure find a way....like yo gasket son.

[pr1nc3]

thas me. wussup man. imma need a lil help wiith the whole forums thing... my first one really.

[vandy]

Your oil pressure relief is not working. ... If you notice the plastic shaft in the center moves up and down in the cap and has a relief hole in it. Pressure to high relief lifts. Relief no lift pressure find a way....like yo gasket son.

Well, dumb that I didn't figure this out, but it could be a worse fix! Last time I bought an STP filter (I know...) I think they had the two tiny o-rings included. I'll hit up AutoZone tomorrow and see if they still include them. Thanks Swiss!

[vandy]

Just installed two new o-rings. When I took the cap + element off the housing, it was bone dry. Put the two new rings on tightened everything back down. Started up the car and sure enough... same issue. Pulled the cap off again and saw that the housing was full of oil again, not draining out.

Any other ideas mofos?

[SWISS]

There is a one way check valve in the housing itself but that is the only other thing I know that could possibly inhibit flow. I have never seen one fail though.new filter? diff brand this time?

[vandy]

There is a one way check valve in the housing itself but that is the only other thing I know that could possibly inhibit flow. I have never seen one fail though.new filter? diff brand this time?

I was looking at the valve on realoem... doesn't look too expensive so I might just buy the valve, spring and o-ring and go from there. As for filters, I have used Mann, Wix, STP and some other house brand and they have all had this problem so I think it could be ruled out that it is a filter issue.

The worst part about all of this is that I'm working out in the street, so I can't leave my junk everywhere and come back at it the next day. The house hunt is slow.

[dano670]

Is this a new car? I thought you had the E36/S52 car.

[vandy]

Is this a new car? I thought you had the E36/S52 car.

Same car - long story. I'm operating under the assumption that the block is in fact still an M52. At least, the oil filter housing is the plastic-capped one, not the metal one, which is an M52 part as you know. So as far as parts lookup goes for this project, its an M52. I know for a fact that the head is from a S52, which you also know doesn't matter and is easily swappable between m/s52s. Plus, when I tear out the engine/tranny when I get into my own garage and *potentially* ID the block as an S52, I'll be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointment and rage of epic proportions.

Short answer - I have some BMW engine in my car

[dano670]

Same car - long story. I'm operating under the assumption that the block is in fact still an M52. At least, the oil filter housing is the plastic-capped one, not the metal one, which is an M52 part as you know. So as far as parts lookup goes for this project, its an M52. I know for a fact that the head is from a S52, which you also know doesn't matter and is easily swappable between m/s52s. Plus, when I tear out the engine/tranny when I get into my own garage and *potentially* ID the block as an S52, I'll be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointment and rage of epic proportions.

Short answer - I have some BMW engine in my car

I understand. I don't know of any way to tell any external way from telling an S52 from an M52, besides the easily replaceable M-covers.

If you can get a mirror on the far side of the head, you can get a vin. Black label with silver letters. I have a pile of cracked 6 cyl heads sitting at the house, I can take a pic of the exact location.

My S52 has an M50 head on it. Same casting and valves.

Back to the problem. On the vanos line, you replaced all 4 copper washers, correct?

They can look pretty, but they can leak.

Any chance you can get pics of the problem?

[vandy]

Back to the problem. On the vanos line, you replaced all 4 copper washers, correct?

They can look pretty, but they can leak.

Any chance you can get pics of the problem?

Yes, all the washers have been replaced, although the ones BMW stocked weren't copper. I've felt around and I don't see / feel anything coming out of the hose. I'll snap a picture and post it up later today. Thanks for your help Dan.

[SWISS]

I understand. I don't know of any way to tell any external way from telling an S52 from an M52, besides the easily replaceable M-covers.

Behind one of the mount arms there is a stamped part with the block ID. I believe it's the drivers side.

Euro/S54 oil filter housing swap time.


srsly

I would try to get a new/ used plastic cap, no luck, go euro.

[dano670]

I have a cap from an M42 you can have for the price of shipping. It is plastic one.

[vandy]

Alright, here are pictures of the large rubber o-ring bulging out. Every time I start the car it chooses a new place to push out, this time it was between the housing and the intake, so not a great picture angle. But you'll get the idea. If I left the car on longer it would push out everywhere and just dump oil everywhere.

[Wrekless]

After seeing the pics, I re-read your first post. The exposed o-ring in the pics doesn't look right to me.
I don't have anything with the plastic cap now, but the E34 did and I only remember one large o-ring on the cap. It went in a large groove above the threads, sealed against the tapered area inside the housing, and was't visible when the cap was tightened.
It looks like the o-ring in your pics is somehow incorrectly installed. If you have the cap off again, post some pics of the cap and o-rings so we can see how they are being installed.

[JedzE36/5]

my M52 is a frankenmotor like yours (M50 head/oil filter housing) so i cant relate entirely but i agree with dave, that doesnt look right. on my metal housing, there is only 1 o-ring that fits into a groove in the housing cap. i remember one time i accidentally forgot to remove the old gaskey and went ahead and installed the new gasket (i had 2 gaskets on). the result was almost exactly like your pictures (the gasket bulged and oil started gushing out). are you sure there are supposed to be 2 gaskets?

[vandy]

Thanks for the help Dave & Jed. I'll go move that o-ring down and see what happens. I remember with the Wix filter, I put their o-ring in that groove and it still was overflowing. Screwed if I do, screwed if I don't! Hopefully I have better luck this time. Thanks again.

[Wrekless]

Thanks for the help Dave & Jed. I'll go move that o-ring down and see what happens. I remember with the Wix filter, I put their o-ring in that groove and it still was overflowing. Screwed if I do, screwed if I don't! Hopefully I have better luck this time. Thanks again.

If you had two o-rings on it, the one that's visible in the picture would prevent the cap from going inside the housing enough to let the correct o-ring seal. Like I said, my E34 filter housing had a tapered area at the top and the cap has to be flush to put enough pressure on the o-ring in the groove.

Hang in there, you'll get it

[dano670]

Did you buy an oil filter for an S52 or an M52? Because of the metal housing cap on the S52s they may use a different O-ring than the plastic cap on the M52s.

[vandy]

I got the o-ring moved back down into the groove and the leak has slowed down quite a bit. I hope the oil that's coming out now is not passing the o-ring, but is just the oil that was already pushed out. Either way, the new vanos line is gold... no oil coming out from it either. I'll clean it all up real good this weekend so I can give it the once-over and see what else is up. Thanks for the help, all.

[SWISS]

Worse case I have an M52 housing.

[Ravim]

This holds for many BMW models as well as VW or anything else with a similar setup: MAKE SURE THERE ISN'T AN OLD GASKET STILL ON YOUR CAP!! It's not clear from comments whether the OP's problem was solved, but if this happens to you a likely cause is that an old o-ring/gasket is still in the groove of the cap. That causes the new gasket to slide up under the lip of the cap, instead of sliding down into the cylindrical filter housing like it's supposed to. As a result the new gasket prevents the filter from being screwed in all the way, so neither the old or new gasket is in a position to stop oil flow, and the new one bulges out under pressure, or just from being torqued down.

Replacement filters of this type usually come with either an orange or a black gasket (the large o-ring). In the case of an orange gasket it's pretty easy to see the old one so you remember to take it off. In the case of a black gasket, the old one gets flattened against it's groove and becomes camouflaged, appearing to be just a part of the black cap. IF YOU MISS AN OLD GASKET YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM EVENTUALLY, and you may even become convinced that you need to replace the gasket between the filter housing and the engine block (ask me how I know... :-P ).

The o-ring groove is 1/4 inch below the rim/lip of the cap. Make sure there isn't an old gasket in it, make sure the new gasket snaps into it, and make sure that the new gasket gets pulled into the housing as you screw the cap in. The lip of the cap should sit flush with the metal of the filter housing AND NO O-RING SHOULD BE VISIBLE. If you can see the o-ring it's in wrong.

Pictures lifted from the interwebz to illustrate:

INSTALLED WRONG:



HIDDEN OLD GASKET:



MUCH EASIER TO SEE THE ORANGE ONES: