zeault Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 Hey, I am having an oil leak on the drivers side of my engine. It is getting all over the side of the engine and the 2nd/rear oil filter. It also sometimes leaves a little spot on the ground. At this point I am pretty sure it is seeping past the gasket of the oil filter itself. I have ruled out other areas by cleaning and checking multiple times (if you know a better method let me know hah). This has happened with two different oil filters from two different non-Mack brands. I checked and cleaned the gasket surface but it’s fine. Originally I was just tightening new filters as hard as I could with my bare hands like I do on cars, but then I tried tightening it a little more and it still leaks sometimes. If I tighten it any further I’ll probably have to cut it off because it’s so lubed up on the outside by the time I change them. This doesn’t happen all the time though. I think it is when I start cold and the oil is thick. I don’t have a block heater so every start has been cold. I also must admit that I don’t give it more than a few minutes to warm up. I start it up, pack my bags, check the lights/tires and go. When I drive it cold like that, the oil psi is around 60 at idle and 70-75psi at 1300rpm. Is that too much oil pressure for the filter gasket? Am I causing this problem by being impatient? Or is this an indicator of something wrong inside the filter housing? It only leaks from the filter that’s closest to the cab. The other two are perfectly clean. thank you for your suggestions, Jared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx610 Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 Make sure the filter base head is clean and smooth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeault Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Onyx610 said: Make sure the filter base head is clean and smooth. Sorry if I used the wrong terminology. When I said I checked and cleaned the gasket surface I was talking about the filter head base: the part the rubber seals against. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Day Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 If the leak continues use a small mirror to look very closely at the surface where the filter seals check for cracks in the aluminum it happens and is sometimes hard to see 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx610 Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 (edited) If oil pressure is normal I’d also suggest trying Mack filters… Edited March 30, 2022 by Onyx610 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx610 Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 Not saying that is the answer but it’s worth a shot, I’ve even gotten a Mack filter that spins on and tight but leaked like crazy when started. Fuel filter that is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechohaulic Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 hair line cracks are possible in alum housing; but the housing cold shouldn't leak as bad as an expanding alum housing hot/warm. the housing isn't internal where expanding will seal a crack ; it's "open surrounding housing" expanding should open a crack which would leak constant . maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeH Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 Are you oiling the gasket o ring before installing the filters? They can bunch up and cause leaks if you install them dry. Also, follow the.instructions! Run the filter on by hand til it makes contact, then go 3/4 to 1 full turn more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeault Posted April 7, 2022 Author Share Posted April 7, 2022 I didn't always follow the directions exact but I've always put oil on the gasket and the two most recent times I've put a filter on according to the directions. I think the filter is vibrating loose. It is tightened up now and not leaking, but I marked it with a paint marker to see if it will turn after a couple long trips. If I can prove that it turned I'll post a picture, and I guess Ill try mack filters because I still don't know why this is happening. Thanks for your feedback. I'll post another update when I figure it out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeault Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 FOUND THE CRACK! Right in the armpit. That’s why I thought it was the gasket. Time for some JB Weld 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Mack Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Nice... Git'r'done.. jojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjh Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 16 hours ago, zeault said: FOUND THE CRACK! Right in the armpit. That’s why I thought it was the gasket. Time for some JB Weld Check out Volvo Gouge Pricing for this piece I'd be curious how costly it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeault Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 Guess that wasn’t it. Still leaking. I stuck a snake cam back there and still can’t tell where it is coming from. This is getting annoying. I suspect my engine might be burning or making oil but I can’t tell because so much is leaking out. The area I JB-Welded is dry. It’s almost like it got worse. Maybe I’ll mount the camera so I can record it while I’m driving. I am at the point where I really just want it gone so I’d spend the money to replace the mount, but I’d hate to replace it and have the leak still be there because it was coming from somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Mack Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 just for kicks, did you put a small straight edge on the filter pad? myself, I think baldwin filters are below par.. the camera idea is cool.... I have done that... went to harbor frieght, bought the 2 camera kit, secured a cam, with one of thier cheap ass flashlights, under the hood, ran the wires to the cab and used a plug-in inverter to power it, and had a helper monitor the small screen that it came with.. It worked.!! jojo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgumby Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Yes on Baldwin filters being subpar I’ve had cases of bad Baldwin filters. When they have a bad batch I think I get them. Been a lot of cracked fuel filters lately. I hate Baldwin filters I thought they were half way decent at one time but not any more but these are the filters the company buys so I use them 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjh Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 1 hour ago, mrgumby said: Yes on Baldwin filters being subpar I’ve had cases of bad Baldwin filters. When they have a bad batch I think I get them. Been a lot of cracked fuel filters lately. I hate Baldwin filters I thought they were half way decent at one time but not any more but these are the filters the company buys so I use them Anything is possible try a different filter brand first! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Mack filters are cheaper to buy anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeault Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 On 5/29/2022 at 11:30 PM, Dirtymilkman said: Mack filters are cheaper to buy anyways. You're right what the heck is up with that? I tried the mack filter before when you guys suggested it. It does seem to have a thicker gasket but it still leaked. I had overtightened it so I ended up destroying it when I took it off to do the JB weld. The local truck store here sells all Baldwin stuff so that's what I put back on, but going forward I'll probably just use the mack filters when I do my regularly scheduled maintenance. I didn't get to do the camera thing this week because I had to replace my radiator and a million other things. This "high priority" oil leak can become forgettable pretty quick once other shit starts going bad. You know how it is. I've got a few days before my next trip so I'll try it this weekend. I just hate doing test drives with the fuel prices right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Mack Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 'Z' I understand what you are saying.. in all the aspects.. jojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeault Posted June 29, 2022 Author Share Posted June 29, 2022 Alright go pop some popcorn its movie time. https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsGeqBVYV5vqhdMH2cg9mk336L24-g?e=NQOihG The video doesn't show everything, and there's no sound, and it's pretty boring, but basically it's an issue with the pedestal. It doesn't seal against the filter no matter how tight the filter is. It does not start leaking until the engine is up to temp. When I apply the throttle you can see the oil oozing out and covering the filter. Then you can tell when I start coasting because the leaking slows down, the oil drips off, and you can see the red of the filter again. I can't believe I spent this much time and effort diagnosing this, but this whole past month I got burned by mechanics, and then burned by customers not paying on-time, and then burned by my own dumb ass throwing parts at stuff so I guess it's better to be sure before buying a new pedestal but yeah I need a new one. My aftermarket PAI dealer says a new pedestal is $800 plus tax. I didn't bother asking the mack dealer. End of story I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Is the threaded part the filter screws to, crooked in relation to the filter sealing surface? terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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