I came across something that could be a major issue for DIY and even professionals with oil filters. I was going to change my oil and looked at my filters on the garage shelf. To my surprise, I had a filter that the holes in the top weren’t drilled through the aluminum head/top. You could see that the drill dug some metal out but all 8 holes were completely blocked. I’m assuming that if I put this on, the oil obviously couldn’t flow through the filter. Not sure if the engine would/wouldn’t get oil. I know there are filter bypasses when it’s clogged on some filters but if the oil won’t pump through the filter, will the pistons get oil???
Let me say that I’ve used this brand for years and that one in who knows how many got by quality control. I am not saying to avoid the store or the brand as many mass produced items have flaws. Okay, with that disclaimer, the filter was the proline store brand for Pep Boys. If you read bob’s the oil man site, he’ll tell you that the proline filter is actually a purolator filter and why they even stock the purolator brand is beyond him as it’s the same item. Of course, the pep boy filter is $2.99 and the purolator is $4.99. I took it back in the store and got an exchange (actally the girl used to work at a filter place and agreed that wouldn’t be good for the car). So no harm done. Glad I caught it instead of just sticking it on the car. I’m guessing that with the holes being blocked, the oil won’t even flow into the filter. I’m definitely going to look at the openings when buying from now on. I’m sure this was one of say 1 million filters so it probably won’t be an issue for almost everyone buying a filter and doing the change themselves. Again, thanks for this forum and I still intend to buy that store brand and purolator filters for a very long time.
Noted. It’s something to watch for.
Well, you would think as you’re lubing up the seal on the new oil filter with oil, you would notice something like this?
Good thing you caught it! There would have been no oil flow through the engine. But that would have been evident as soon as the engine was started.
Tester
mmsamma. You are too negative. Grow up. I’m just going to ignore your drivel. I suggest that others do the same.
OILMAN: Thanks for the heads up. Though a lot of us routinely check this stuff out, other, less-experienced people might not have even thought of this. Thanks for the positive heads up.
That goes to show us to check everything !!! Thanks for the reminder.
Can’t say as I’ve ever seen that one before and it’s a good heads-up, especially for anyone who may be doing an oil change in a hurry or working in bad lighting conditions.
Like any assembly line item there’s going to be a few bad ones here and there so it’s probably just one of those mutants that appear now and then.
Thank you oilman . . . I’ll watch for it and pass it along to my carnut friends. Rocketman
yeah, I was bored on saturday and looked at my files but only had 2200 miles on my oil/filter so I looked at my supply of oil (have two cars with two different wts) and filters when I noticed the proline filter. I usually look at them in the stored but somehow I didn’t when buying that one. And to the one who said while greasing the gasket, I do that but usually on my back, under the car without a light so I might have missed it. I do agree, this is probably like one in a few million (with I can hit the lottery, no I get a defective filter). I’m anal about my car, oil, fiters etc as you can see by my posts. I used to be processchem boss on the old board (but I see that’s a new subject as some don’t like the new format) and I should have seen that in the store. But hey, how many times do you drop the oil, take the old one off, grab a new one and slap it on and you’re off and running. No offense taken - just trying to help others who like to get dirty and work on their own car. I must have asked 1000 people I’ve worked with and almost everyone is toooooo lazy to change their own oil/work on their car. Have a good one and keep posting info.
I agree that this is a good “heads up”. I’ll definitely put this on my list of “things to look for when changing oil”.
Thanks.
Even with the holes pluged the engine will still get oil. It just won’t be filtered.
The bypass valve would open, and allow oil to bypass the filter.