counselor

Car started smoking badly as I was coming home on I-90 on this beautiful Seattle area evening. Realized it was oil smoke and wondered if somehow the engine had let go. Seemed to run ok, but I looked like a blown 53 Ford. Pulled off on W. Mercer Way on Mercer Island. Not so. Back of car clean. Raised hood and noticed frequent drips coming from the Honda oem oil filter that I had installed when I changed oil 800 miles age. Checked oil level and was only one quart down. Added quart of Castrol Syntec that I kept in the trunk. Smoked all the way home, buying a couple of filters at Honda dealership on the way.

I knew I was going to replace that filter and did so. It was tight, had to use a clamping wrench that has three arms that deform the filter as they grip it during removal. Sealing ring on old filter looked ok and filter seam at top also looked ok. Block surface where the gasket mates was clean. Filter had been ok for 800 miles. Was installed tight with a strap wrench wrapped around the filter at the end. Does anyone have any ideas why this filter was leaking? Could it have been too tight?

Put new filter on and screwed it down tight again with a filter strap type wrench. Probably more than the 7/8 turn, but who can tell when the gasket first touches the block. Topped up, test drove, and all now appears to be ok.

Engine never more than a quart low, so I'm not worried about it, but would like to not repeat the performance.

Ek9

Wonder if you tightened it so much the filter deformed? I never tighten more than hand tight. I'm fairly strong though. Either that or doubled gaskets which is not that uncommon.

vtec9

I have found every filter to be different. The first few I had no problems tightening past a full turn by hand, but the last one I put on I couldn't even get it to 7/8 by hand.

I would chaulk it up to a faulty filter or being to tight so that you damaged it or crossed a thread perhaps.

SpitfireS

Just asking: you did put some fresh oil on the new seal before tightning it did you?
On both fitlers.

counselor

You know I've done the double gasket trick before, dumping a couple of quarts of fresh synthetic oil in my driveway. Not this time, however. I did use a little oil on the gasket, spreading it on with a finger tip. Perhaps the filter was too tight, but if the gasket was deformed, why did it wait 800 miles to leak? When I took the filter off, the gasket looked fine, not folded or dinged up.

Today I ordered a dedicated oil filter wrench for PCX 004 filter, which I've been using, and can put a little more control into filter installation.

Thanks for all your advice.

Ek9

The doubled gasket thing's a time bomb. Sometimes it leaks immediately sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it waits awhile. Honda's had problems with car's catching on fire because of doubled gaskets and leaks onto the exhaust.