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Engine oil leak - Puralator oil filter


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I am having a problem resolving an oil leak from the Puralator oil filter. After a 30 mile drive a puddle of oil forms on the chassis rail outboard but not directly underneath the filter housing. I assume that the oil is dripping from the filter canister to housing joint and the air flow around the engine deposits it on the rail. I have previously removed the housing and squared up the gasket face using wet and dry on a surface plate and fitted a new gasket sealed with Wellseal. The dip stick has a new felt seal and there is no oil around the hole. I have used the narrower rubber seal on the canister which is the seal shown in the parts book.

Before I try the thicker rubber seal has anyone tried an O ring instead of the rubber band type seal which is easy to miss fit and has anyone experienced the same oil deposit on the chassis rail.

Regards Alan  

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Hi Alan, I presume you can see evidence of oil on the outside of the  filter canister, as it would surely run down to the lowest point. Could the oil be coming from the engine block breather pipe immediately behind the filter canister?

I had a leak from the oil pressure pipe bolt and this never blew back onto the chassis but ran down the block and along the sump joint making me think it was the sump joint that was leaking.

Ralph.

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Hi Ralph

There is some evidence of oil on the canister but not enough to explain the oil on the chassis rail.  When I recently changed the fuel pump due to an oil leak I sealed the breather pipe into the block. 

As you suggested I will try sealing the oil pressure pipe nut to eliminate another possible cause. The two copper washers are new.  What is strange is that when the engine is fast idling and the car on ramps I can't see the source of the leak. 

Alan

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11 hours ago, Alanretired said:

I am having a problem resolving an oil leak from the Puralator oil filter. After a 30 mile drive a puddle of oil forms on the chassis rail outboard but not directly underneath the filter housing. I assume that the oil is dripping from the filter canister to housing joint and the air flow around the engine deposits it on the rail. I have previously removed the housing and squared up the gasket face using wet and dry on a surface plate and fitted a new gasket sealed with Wellseal. The dip stick has a new felt seal and there is no oil around the hole. I have used the narrower rubber seal on the canister which is the seal shown in the parts book.

Before I try the thicker rubber seal has anyone tried an O ring instead of the rubber band type seal which is easy to miss fit and has anyone experienced the same oil deposit on the chassis rail.

Regards Alan  

Daft question perhaps.

When the filter bowl was off did you dig out the rubber ring from the filter head seal groove and any others that may have been left in there by previous repairers?  Use a sewing needle or narrow scriber point to do the excavation.  Seat the new seal in the housing groove with the filter bowl having removed the bolt.

My problem - Is the square section seal around the bolt at the base of the filter has hardened/shrunk and causes drips when parked and oil spray to chassis when driving.

Will be sorted at next oil change.

Peter W

 

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Hi Peter

I did make sure that the old seal was removed but i did not seat the new seal using the canister. I have ordered the square section bottom seal and will seat a new upper seal using your method when fitting both parts.

Alan

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You did fit the two copper washers for the oil pressure line correctly? large one to the block small one under the nut.

Stuart.

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2 minutes ago, Alanretired said:

Hi Stuart

I did fit them as you said but what centralises the larger washer or doesn't it matter so long as the oil pressure gets through to the banjo.

Alan

There is enough shoulder on the banjo that it doesnt really matter though its easy to centralise when fitting just before its all nipped tight.

Stuart.

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Only contribution is not to substitute the Square (or thereabouts) canister seal with an 'O' ring. It will slip to one side, and probably not the same side all round. There are two or three seals with a new filter, only one of them is the correct size and it should be a light push fit with a small stick to get it seated. If it is not able to stay seated before the canister is fitted then it's the wrong one!

I also had leaks from the bottom square section seal, the only fix is a new one.

The oil pressure adjusting screw can leak if the lead seal has been disturbed. I'd thoroughly clean every part of the area and then inspect frequently.  

Mike J

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  • 1 month later...

Finally resolved my engine oil leak.  After cleaning the area with petrol and dusting with talc, I found that the oil was coming from the oil pressure relief valve housing bolt and running down the back of the filter head onto the filter head to canister joint. The bolt head should be sealed by a large washer and a seal located in a machined recess in the filter housing. Neither of these were present. After fitting a large copper washer and a rubber o ring, the oil leak was resolved. :D

Alan 

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Good to know you found it. Good tip using the talc to trace it.

Ralph

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  • 2 weeks later...

slightly off thread (but in the same area) can someone measure the length of their dip stick from the felt seal to the tip for me? On filling my engine up from empty a friend of mine said it should take 6.3 ltrs of oil...I said funny, its always taken 5ltrs dead?

Was the TR4 stick different from the 2-3?:unsure:

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13 hours ago, Nigel C said:

slightly off thread (but in the same area) can someone measure the length of their dip stick from the felt seal to the tip for me? On filling my engine up from empty a friend of mine said it should take 6.3 ltrs of oil...I said funny, its always taken 5ltrs dead?

Was the TR4 stick different from the 2-3?:unsure:

Dip stick is the same right across the range and the engine takes 11 pints from empty.

Stuart.

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3 minutes ago, Nigel C said:

thanks Stuart, total engine rebuild (and a partial re-build again :()  and it took 5 ltrs or 8.7 pints :huh:

filled the oil cooler up before re-assembling but pipes would have been empty too....

Here’s an original dipstick measured from the flange to base it’s 6 1/2” 

Stuart

 

59D1802A-8D73-487B-B625-4C8FE5BFDD11.jpeg

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