3.8l blowing the oil filter gasket??

[Erin T]

What could cause my 95 3.8l to blow the rubber gasket out of the oil filter ? My son said it had a miss on his way home.The next morning while it was running, I was checking wire connections. With no warning it started slinging oil from the belt. I replaced oil and filter, it ran for 30sec.(1st 10sec. with valve clatter) and died. It resarted without a problem but blew the new one out immediately.

Any ideas?? Thanks ET

[Mickey#1]

Are you sure it's coming from that gasket? The oil pressure sending unit is just above the oil filter.

[Bassasasin]

You replaced your own oil filter with the wrong one. Your PVC valve is clogged. (I doubt it).

Its not tight enough and you installed it yourself.


Sorry but just guesses.


Good Luck

[Erin T]

Thanks for the ideas. Both filters have the gasket pushed out from under the filter. I have always used the Fram 3387A and tightened the same for the 100K miles I have owned it. I don't understand how the PCV valve relates.
Thanks ET

[Mickey#1]

Could be a problem with the oil pressure relief valve. How high is the oil pressure?

[GTP Dad]

First of all Mickey#1 is on the right track in that the pressure relief valve may be stuck but the gasket shouldn't blow that easily. Remove the old filter and replace it with a higher quality filter like a Wix filter. Also make sure that the filter base is clean and that there is no damage or rubber stuck to it.

The orange can of death is not a good choice in filters IMHO.

[Erin T]

I replaced the sending unit a month ago because it was showing over 100psi. Maybe there was nothing wrong with it?? I didn't notice what it was when the gaskets blew out. Could very high oil pressure cause the lifters to pump up and keep the valves from closing(causing the miss)? I have "floated the valves" in my small block a few times before from over reving.
ET

[jackpinesavage]

There is no question. It is the relief valve in the filter base. Items 74 and 75 in the picture are sticking and not controling the pressure. The oil pump is a gear in gear excentric type pump inside the timming cover and runs on the crankshaft. That pump will put out 200lbs without even thinking about it. In sub-zero weather like we have around here, it can pump twice that.

Pull the filter bracket and clean all the ports and free up the spring and plunger. Be careful taking it off because if it is working a little, it may pop out and smuck you in the forehead with the plunger and the spring will head straight for the floor drain in the garage. Or it will land in the breast pocket of you shirt and you will spend hours looking for it and then find it a couple days later. But only after you have gone to town and bought a new one, using your woman's car for which you catch hell because of the grease spots on the seat and carpet.

Now, to prevent this in the future, Change the oil and filter at least every 3000-4000 miles with regular oil (not synthetic) and use Slick 50 every 4th oil change. I have had 87,89,92,95,99,02,and 04 Bonnies from new to 300,000+ on every one of them. Had to replace the tranny in the 02, but other than that nothing. I sold them and bought new because of what used to be called the 100,000 mile syndrome. Switchs, knobs, door locks and hinges, window motors, door gaskets, windshield and rear window leaks, trunk locks and hinges, heater controls, headlight reflectors rusting, electric fuel pumps. I took the engine/transaxle, suspension and "H" frame from the 89 and put it in the back seat of a 72 beetle. I was going to re-design the front steering because it got real squirrly above 130mph but my son lost it through the ice in 600 feet of water on Lake Michigan. He is Ok but his girlfriend dumped him because she was wearing a $200 bridesmaid dress and had to shuck it because it was dragging her down. The other kids that were racing with them fished them out but nobody thought to mention it to me until the next morning. Something about sleeping it off! It took me 2 days to find where they went through. By then there was 2 feet of ice, so I just left it and made him ride the school bus until graduation. Besides, the DNR would have charged me a couple grand in fines and recovery fees.

Well... enough. Good luck.