Hello all,

after noticing an oil leak in my garage i discovered that my oil filter came loose...

has anyone else had similar issue?

Michael.

 

i have not... but i safety wire mine...
big hose clamp around the oil filter and then safety wire it to something close (cant remember where i went to).
cheap, and easy... and alot of insurance.
do the drain bolt while your at it.

 

This.

 

This is dumb just use a filter wrench and make sure its tight. This is also why you don't just hand tighten it.

 

No, using a filter wrench to (over)tighten the filter is a bad idea. Theyr're only supposed to go 3/4-1 turn after the oring touches the mount.

 

Filter didn't back off but did had a filter seal blew on me with a Wix filter on an eclipse I once own

 

properly tightened filter can vibrate loose when balance shafts are removed. tie wire is best

 

Mitsubishi engines have a long history of tossing their oil filters. Years ago Chrysler minivans had Mitsubishi engines. My brother-in-law would oil up my driveway when he parked his van there (a V6). So I would reach under and hand tighten his oil filter yet again before he left.

I have been driving Mitsubishi cars with a 4G63 since 1992 and only one time did I have an oil filter come loose and leak and that time I followed the advice on the filter and hand tightened. Using a filter wrench to install - never a problem. However, I never had an engine with the balance shafts removed.

My pet theory, and I have no proof, is that the oil pump puts out enough pressure when the oil is cold to flex the filter’s end plate, the part that screws onto the engine, enough to relieve grip the seal has on its sealing surface, if the filter isn't a little tighter than hand tight.

 

dumb?
im curious why taking 30 seconds to safety wire the filter and the oil drain plug on a motor with almost 10 grand in it is dumb.

and its not just about safety wire itself...
its about the process.

i can do all the work and then go "oh man, did i tighten that drain bolt?"/... quick glance at it. Its wired... yep its tight.

oh... i wear my seatbelt also.

 

I experienced this after I removed the balance shafts. I have now "locked" it to prevent it happen again.