Oil Filter Recommendation
JK Freak
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 534
Likes: 2
From: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Yeah, you go ahead and keep hand tightening your oil filter. For the other 99.9999999% of us we will keep tightening them to spec. as instructed from day one on the filter box and in the service manual. Oh, by the way, the K&N filter might actually be a good idea for you because it has holes in the end for safety wiring. That way when your hand tightened oil filter vibrates loose it will be dangling from the wire and you can screw it back on.
JK Newbie
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, Al
Yeah, you go ahead and keep hand tightening your oil filter. For the other 99.9999999% of us we will keep tightening them to spec. as instructed from day one on the filter box and in the service manual. Oh, by the way, the K&N filter might actually be a good idea for you because it has holes in the end for safety wiring. That way when your hand tightened oil filter vibrates loose it will be dangling from the wire and you can screw it back on.
Last edited by Shoal Creek; May 28, 2007 at 05:39 PM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: newtown,ct
i am a student in tech school and before that i was a oil changer at a local garage and we always put filters on hand tight and here we are also told to put them on hand tight acording to the ase books we get
Last edited by 08 rubi; May 28, 2007 at 05:49 PM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: newtown,ct
Is it worth it?
JK Freak
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 534
Likes: 2
From: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Well, I hate to break it to you guys but you are doing it wrong. Can't believe you think that just hand tightening and oil filter is standard operating proceadure because its not. Coming from the oil change guy it doesn't surprise me as the oil filters installed by the Jiffy Lube places come off all the time. Just do a search and you'll see the oil filters put on by those quicky lube places come loose and fall off all the time. In fact, a guy I used to work with had a buddy who used to replace at least 1 motor a month from just such an event.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
JK Freak
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 987
Likes: 1
From: Lemoore, CA
Well, I hate to break it to you guys but you are doing it wrong. Can't believe you think that just hand tightening and oil filter is standard operating proceadure because its not. Coming from the oil change guy it doesn't surprise me as the oil filters installed by the Jiffy Lube places come off all the time. Just do a search and you'll see the oil filters put on by those quicky lube places come loose and fall off all the time. In fact, a guy I used to work with had a buddy who used to replace at least 1 motor a month from just such an event.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
JK Freak
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
From: Southern Maryland
Well, I hate to break it to you guys but you are doing it wrong. Can't believe you think that just hand tightening and oil filter is standard operating proceadure because its not. Coming from the oil change guy it doesn't surprise me as the oil filters installed by the Jiffy Lube places come off all the time. Just do a search and you'll see the oil filters put on by those quicky lube places come loose and fall off all the time. In fact, a guy I used to work with had a buddy who used to replace at least 1 motor a month from just such an event.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
All the literature I have read, and found online, along with being taught by others when I was a kid, it states to tighten your filter finger tight. Then with your hands tighten another ¼ to ½ a turn. Some say a ¾ turn. Any more than this might distort the seal. What you are saying is true, I know some owners manuals have TQ specs. For the record, I have done my filters this way from day 2 over 14 years ago. I had one failure on day 1 at age 15. I tightened it with a wrench 1.5 more turns after finger tight, and guess what, it screwed up the seal and oil leaked. Never had a filter fall off yet with this method.
Last edited by JKJoe; May 28, 2007 at 07:24 PM.
JK Freak
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 987
Likes: 1
From: Lemoore, CA
Well, I hate to break it to you guys but you are doing it wrong. Can't believe you think that just hand tightening and oil filter is standard operating proceadure because its not. Coming from the oil change guy it doesn't surprise me as the oil filters installed by the Jiffy Lube places come off all the time. Just do a search and you'll see the oil filters put on by those quicky lube places come loose and fall off all the time. In fact, a guy I used to work with had a buddy who used to replace at least 1 motor a month from just such an event.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
There is actually a torque spec for oil filters for most applications, either you just never paid attention or bothered to look it up. 17-25 foot pounds would be typical depending on size. Kinda difficult to torque an oil filter unless it has the nut on the end like the K&N but a general guideline would be hand tighten and then another 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench. Be sure and put some oil on the gasket and the threads, check that the old gasket isn't stuck to the block and put some oil in the filter if possible, hand tighten then 1/4-1/2 turn with oil filter wrench or torqued to 17-25 foot pounds is what I was taught.
This is from the quaker state web site:
11. Place a light coating of new oil on the gasket of the new oil filter so it will install smoothly onto the engine. (Note: do not use grease) By hand, install the new oil filter onto the engine by turning in a clockwise direction. Once the oil filter gasket first contacts the engine, tighten the oil filter according to the directions for your application (usually found on the new filter box), preferably by hand. Generally, this is 3/4 to 1 full turn after the filter gasket contacts the engine
http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/carcare/oilchange.asp
So who is doing it wrong?????
JK Freak
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
Sorry to hear that....FRAM is one of the worst , so is MOPAR. Next time get MOBIL-1 oil and filter.............
I always have and will tighten the filter by hand , some people might have a weak grip and need to use a wrench...........
I always have and will tighten the filter by hand , some people might have a weak grip and need to use a wrench...........
Last edited by clubber; May 29, 2007 at 03:23 AM.