oil dripping from filter

1993 accord EX (200k+miles)


About 6mos ago I had changed my oil, immediately following that I noticed smoke from the eng compartment. I popped up the hood and noticed the smoke was eminating from the exhuast. I tracked it down to a steady dripping from the oil filter. I unthreaded it and rethreaded it down. This didn't help much, so I went and bought another filter (Fram heavy duty) and stuck on there and tightened it down pretty well. This didn't fix the problem per se, but it was winter and all things told it was bearable. This last weekend I decided it was time to fix the leaks, replaced the oil pan gasket and oil/filter. This time I did more poking around and cleaned the oil fitler mounting surface and noticed there was a pretty good scratch(es) where the oil filter gasket would meet the surface.

Can I just apply a thin layer of sealant on the surface and pray it holds? I took a look at the mounting and it did not appear to be replacable. What to do? I'm already late for emissions.

There was a thread about this several weeks ago. I recall that the fitting IS replaceable, and it DOES have a seal that can leak. I also seem to remember that it was a somewhat tricky job to replace it.

ANyone have a better reference for winmutt?

(Then again, Winmutt - did you try a search before you posted?)

The biggest problem with a filter leaking is the failure to remove the gasket which has a tendancy to stick to the block. So when you put the new filter on there are now two gaskets, the old one and the new one. But on some cars, the mating surface for the filter is a removable fixture which attaches to the block. What keeps it from leaking is an O ring which goes between the fixture and the block. The nipple which the filter screws on to is actually a bolt which holds the fixture to the block. If you look closely, you will see the nut at the bottom of the threads. A deep socket will grab the nut and allow you to remove this fixture. This additional fixture is actually an oil cooler which is cooled by coolant from the radiator.

If I understand right, they are saying the block casting where the filter seals is scratched, not the threaded stem.

I think if it was mine, I'd try taking the filter off, letting it drip until dry, clean with a solvent and then clean that off with alcohol, then use JB Weld or some other type of cold weld epoxy to fill the scratches. With a small putty knife, you should be able to level it pretty good. Then lightly sand with a wood block with sandpaper around it to smooth the finish. Make sure if you do this, you protect the inside area from grit, and flush it with solvent and wipe clean after you are done. I've had to do that on motors where somebody tried to replace their own water pump and didn't realize how soft aluminum engine castings are, and gouged the hell outta the sealing surface trying to scape the old gasket off with something inappropriate,

My guess on your is somebody may have had a filter stuck on it, and punched a screwdriver through it to remove it, gouging the sealing land in the process.

Ahh, I just re-read mpumas' reply. I understand now. So what you see is not block casting, but another part pancaked on it? That's pretty cool. And I forgot how the filter sits down in the manifold on those.

So basically, my reply is useless.... :)

There is an o-ring that seals the cooler to the block. The filter screws onto the cooler and the stud for the filter if you look at it has a hex on it. That stud actually fastens the cooler to the block. Alot of times the o-ring leaks.