Melted oil filter

[jesse.rizzo]

I just removed my second failed oil filter in 6 weeks off my 2001 Hyundai Accent. Both times the oil was dangerously low, to the point that my engine was making a clattering noise. Upon removing the oil filter, it was sort of crinkled up like it had melted, and it clearly had oil leaking out of it.

The first filter was a Fram, and the most recent one was a MicroGard from O'Reillys.

Any ideas or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

[TomO]

Where is the filter located on your car?

Is it vertically mounted or horizontally mounted near the firewall?

It almost looks like it could be horizontally mounted and near the firewall on the back of the engine. The engine rocks while the filter is hot and bangs it on something and crushed it a bit.

What is the clearance like around the filter?The "Grippy" stuff that is missing; is that from you taking off the filter or was it like that already when you went to take if off?

[Frank Lee]

I think if it got banged it that way, the bottom wouldn't be nice and convex yet. So then what could it be? Suction? I've never seen a filter like that before.

[Old Tele man]

...suction implosion?

...it sure looks like a "backpressure" value got installed backwards or something?!?

...does the same problem occur with a factory OEM filter?

[cfg83]

jesse.rizzo -

I have no idea, but I would ask the same question here :

Bob Is The Oil Guy - Forums powered by UBB.threads™

Here is the subforum for oil filters :

Oil Filters - Bob Is The Oil Guy

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Obviously, you have gremlins in your valve cover, and they've boogered your Kneuter valve. It's a very expensive repair, as it involves pressing out muffler bearings, and keeping the Turbo Encabulator... well, Encabulated. Of course, because you have a Hyundai, you'll need to take it to a specially trained and licensed dealer than can understand and deal with Chrysler/Mitsubishi parts and procedures, or you risk further damage due to shoddy workmanship and inferior part quality.

/sarcasm

Dude, that's a messed up filter. It's weird, though... there is never suction against an oil filter. Oil is routed from pan to pickup to pump to filter to engine, then drained back into pan by further pressurizing the oil supply. The filter should always be under pressure, which is how the bypass valves operate, as a matter of fact.

The bypass valves don't operate at a set pressure, either. They're only open if the pressure differential across the filter media exceeds a certain value, so there is no way to tell with an oil pressure gauge when the bypass valve is open.

I'd cut that puppy open and inspect for further damage to the filter, or maybe a cause.

I can dent oil filter cans with my fingers, without too much effort... I probably could even do that much damage off the vehicle... it really looks like someone reefed on it with a strap wrench, and that's what caused it.

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by Christ

I can dent oil filter cans with my fingers, without too much effort

Not a Baldwin Filter..............
The Great Filter Debate

You seriously have some engine issues if you are consuming oil and have that kind of suction.

[Christ]

The thing is, there is no suction on the filter at all. There can't be, unless someone put one hell of a vacuum pump on the engine, and otherwise sealed it up.

I'm willing to bet it's external damage. I just can't think of a way that that could have happened with only engine vacuum (that shouldn't be there anyway).

[99LeCouch]

It's a Fram on a 90's era Hyundai engine. The two do not mix. Hyundai has a TSB warning specifically against using Fram filters. The bypass valve settings on those Frams are too high, and will starve the engine of oil in certain situations. DO NOT RUN ONE!

Run anything but a Fram, or anything that looks like a Fram. Hyundai OEM filters are very nice, and about $4-5 a pop. If you want to go cheap, go to Pep Boys and get a Purolator-made Proline. Or a Champion Labs-made SuperTech. Name-brand Purolator and Wix filters work very well also.

[Christ]

So wait... does the oil pump suck the oil through the filter on those engines? That's just ridiculous... but I guess it would explain the caved oil filter can.