Oil Filter will not stop leaking, any suggestions?

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Used to use Mobil 1 but they leaked the most, switched to K&N last summer and it worked until this weekend. Everything above the Oil Filter mount is dry and the Nut which attaches the housing to the block is torqued to specs so what gives? Oil is leaking between the aluminum mount and the rubber gasket which is attached to the Oil Filter. Guess all I would need is a hairline fracture but the structure is bone dry, oil is simply seeping out. The flat surface which the Filter screws onto also seems to be perfect, but once the filter is installed it's obvisouly no longer visable.

Any ideas because this is causing quite a mess, tranny gets covered with a nice layer of oil. This really should not be happening. When my motor was rebuilt a high volume oil pump (Oil pressure is good) replaced the factory unit but that shouldn't be a factor, right?

Thanks,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

[Dave M]

My first instict is either you have some old gasket material on the mating surface or your not tightening the filter enough. You said the surface looks good, so how tight are you maikng your filter? What is your oil pressure running at? Since it's happening with more than one filter and more than one brand, obviously it's either a problem with the car or with the installation technique.

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Dave, filter is being installed in the same manner I change all my oil filters and my other vehicles have never leaked. No Old gasket material is ever left, I simply fill the filter up with oil, apply a coating of new oil to the gasket, spin the filter on hand tight, and then tighten another half turn using an oil filter tool. Oil pressure is at 60 when cold and drops to 20 when hot.

Frustrating to say the least, but it could be worse at least the manifold isn't leaking.

Thanks

Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Maybe I'm anal about it but I always take the gasket off the filter, soak both sides in oil and put it back on the filter. I have always used the oil filter wrench to tighten it but I don't make it so tight it is hard to get it off again. I've never had a problem with one leaking and after the experience I had with a Melling high volume pump on my old 340 that's saying a lot.

[Trash man]

dont use a wrench ur more prone to caving in or cracking the housing, i have a high volume high perssure pump, 55psi is the lowestest its ever been at idle. cold is just off dashes pressure gauge(its a digital dash). i never had a problem leaking and i use napa/wix oil filters. use ur hands and get it as tight as u can with ur hand without crushing the filter. remember ur hand not a wrench. those are mainly used to remove the old filter. i've done a million times now on every type of cars, including the oils with the cartage filters. not one leaks from the filter.

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Thanks for the replies guys but I'm at a loss. I'll try oiling both sides of the gasket, but not sure if the K&N filter allows you to remove the gasket from the filter. Definetly never overtighten the filter, learned that years ago. Maybe I should replace the entire oil filter housing, could have a hairline crack right on the edge that is not visable?

Thanks again,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

[fastTa]

You should never use a filter wrench too tighten a filter. Only hand tighten them. If for some odd reason the filter is hard to get off, then that is what the filter wrench is for.

I suspect the oil filter adapter itself is leaking and not the filter mounting surface. There is a rubber o-ring and a flat gasket that seals the oil filter adapter to the block. It is not uncommon for the o-ring to fail, or even sometimes the gasket.

[feardrinker]

howdy , just dropin my 2 cents on this , have you taken off the oil cooler assembly? I would take it off and put a strait edge across the bottom of the filter seat and look for warping , look at he tube running from the block to the filter , look for any warp or bend in the pipe that mite make the filter seat lopsided . If you get it off you can test fit the oil filter to the assembly on a table and just kinda look at it see if you can see a proplem from any side or angle. have you tryed Wix filters ? Wix is good for waxin the competition i always say if you have already tryed all this than sorry for wasting your time just trying to help

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Kevin, you might be onto something, because before the engine was rebuilt I used Mobil 1 filters with no oil leaking...but after the rebuild is when the oil started to seep out. Maybe they reused the original o-ring during the rebuild instead of getting a new piece. Wonder how difficult of a job it is to replace both gaskets, seems like the best place to start?

Thanks,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Yeah, seems like the best and only way to tackle this would be to remove the entire oil cooler assembly and check to see if it's even straight and then replace the gaskets. Should be fun can't wait.

Thanks,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

[fastTa]

Kevin, you might be onto something, because before the engine was rebuilt I used Mobil 1 filters with no oil leaking...but after the rebuild is when the oil started to seep out. Maybe they reused the original o-ring during the rebuild instead of getting a new piece. Wonder how difficult of a job it is to replace both gaskets, seems like the best place to start?

Thanks,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

It's actually very easy to do this. Of course drain the oil first from the drainplug. Then just drop the 2 bolts holding the filter adapter in place. Easy 30 minute or less job.

Felpro makes a seal kit available at most part stores: Part# ES-72671, or you can just get a OEM replacement set from your local stealership or order them from Jason or Dal.

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Thank you Sir, oil needs to be changed anyway, just have to find the Felpro gaskets and I should be good to go. Times like this are when I'm glad I only have shorty JBA headers, no exhaust issues which would only make the job a little tougher. I'll let ya know how I make out.

Thanks,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093

[fastTa]

BTW that Felpro kit was only about 9 bucks. Worth the convernience I thought.

[Eric 97LT4SS]

Well just discovered a new way to drain your Radiator, remove your Oil Filter adapter from the Two lines going to the tranny and let the flood gates open. Picked up Part # 88893990 from the dealer today but the New O-ring is round and black, not flat and orange like the gasket which I found mated to the block. The second New gasket is round and has two holes on either side with the middle being open, but this gasket wasn't even present when I removed my oil filter adapter?

Which gasket should I use, the New Black O-ring or another Orange round but Flat O-ring. Guess I need to install the second gasket since it wasn't even present along with Two new Oil Cooler Tube Seals.

Gonna go pick up 2 gallons of anti-freeze, should be fun.

Later,
Eric 1997 Camaro LT4 SS #093