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Date:         Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:25:15 -0500
Reply-To:     Jason <uberhare@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jason <uberhare@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dodged a bullet -- blowed the oil filter right off
In-Reply-To:  <08c901d141dc$941d8c30$bc58a490$@hiwaay.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

I have seen some cheaper oil filters that do not get enough thread engagement. Always make sure they spin on "far enough".

Jason Uberbus

On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 8:59 PM, Tom Hargrave <thargrav@hiwaay.net> wrote:

> Did you over tighten the filter and damage the threads? > > I'm an old airhead guy and those engines have a oil pressure relief valve. > I'm assuming the wasser bus engine also has one since it shares the same > lineage? If so then your oil pressure could not have been too high unless > the pressure relief valve stuck. You need to have the valve checked. > > Also, WIX is an excellent filter. The oil filter threads were probably > damaged when it was blown off, or when/if you over tightened the filter. > > Thanks, Tom Hargrave > www.kegkits.com > www.stir-plate.com > www.towercooler.com > www.grow-sun.com > www.raspberryproject.com > http://goo.gl/niRzVw > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf > Of Rocket J Squirrel > Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 6:01 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Dodged a bullet -- blowed the oil filter right off > > Okay, so it's my fault, but I think I lucked out. > > As temperatures drop down the freezing, and below, I change my engine oil > to 10-40, a thinner grade. But this winter I got lazy. I admit it, I got > lazy. > > Well, one cold morning last week I started the van and trundled down the > street to go downtown, and was about a 1/2 mile from home when I noticed > that the idiot light for the oil pressure was lit. And the aftermarket oil > pressure gauge I installed a few years ago was at zero. They don't share > the same sender or anything so I knew it was serious. > > I pulled off the main road and got out and looked behind the van and sure > enough, a trail of oil behind me leading up to a small puddle under the > engine. > > Triple-A flatbedded the van to Gary's Ole Volks Home here in Bend, and > after an hour he called me and said that the oil filter had plain blowed > off. > > So here's what happened: at these low temperatures, I reckon that the > thicker summer oil was as thick as pine sap -- maybe amber -- resulting in > very high oil pressure. > > The oil filter was not the stock one that I use. I installed a tencentlife > oil cooler kit a few years ago, and it uses a banjo fitting that goes > between the filter and the engine for oil send and receive (thermostat in > there, too). The stock filter is too long to fit and he recommends a Bosch > 3300, which I have been using. > > But the last time I replaced the filter, when I switched from winter to > summer oil, the auto parts store was out of stock on the Bosch, and they > offered the Wix. I never heard of Wix, but the guy said it was a good > brand, so hey. > > Well, the mechanic was consternated by the shorter filter, said it was the > wrong one, and that the threads looked like pipe threads. I picked up a new > Bosch on my way over and took at look at the Wix, comparing it to the > Bosch, and the threads in the Wix looked pretty poor. > > So I think I lucked out here. That high oil pressure was gonna blow out > something, I'm just glad that it was a $6 oil filter. Otherwise, $75 for > the work, nothing (other than subscription to Triple-A) for the tow. It > could have been a lot worse. > > Engine sounds fine, I hope no damage was done. > > And what's the lesson, kids? Don't skip maintenance. And distrust Wix > filters. > > -- > Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott > 1984 Westfalia, auto trans, > Bend, Ore. > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2016.0.7294 / Virus Database: 4489/11256 - Release Date: 12/25/15 >


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