Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Oil filter level

[Nate]

I changed my oil a few days ago, and I figured that oil would come leaking out when I unscrewed the filter, but nothing did. Interesting... because teh reason it didn't was the filter was only about 1/2 full of oil.



When I first fire up the truck, it takes a few seconds to build oil pressure. Now I'm thinking that is because it has to fill up the oil filter.



Does this make any sense?



98 24v, Rotella Oil, Wix filter.

 

[JFaughn]

Some oil will syphen out of the filter when you shut it down into the oil pan , so when you start it up again it has to fill the system back up and you do not get pressure until the air is out of the system , just like your brake lines, thats why there are Co. s out there making pressure systems so you have pressure at start up , this is the single most wear time of an engine , dry starts and most of the after market products are for .

 

[nps]

My filter is always full. No - half full doesn't make sense to me.

 

[SHobbs]

When I change the filter I get a large 1 gallon freezer bag and put it around the filter after it's loosened then let it drop in the bag. No fuss no muss. Mine is always as full as when I put it on.

 

[Nate]

I was expecting it to be full, so I put a bunch of rags underneath the filter... . and then it makes no mess.



Seems to me that there is a check valve somewhere not doing it's job?

 

[Signal73]

Mine was about a ¼ of the way down inside the filter as well when I changed it.

 

[SnoKing]

Change your oil when the engine is hot (just turned off) and you will have a pretty full filter, as it will not allow time for drain back. Also you get all the little items moving with the oil and they get dropped out with the oil, which is muchagood. SNOKING

 

[Nate]

I pulled the filter off about 15-20 mins after I had shut the engine off.



So it's normal for the filter to not remain full? This is the first time I've change the oil on a CTD.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

I did the baggy trick a few times and sometimes still do but when time allows I shut the truck off and immediately drain the pan but leave the filter for 30 minutes to an hour and by then enough has gone out of it to take it off with no mess. I'd be liying to say it's down more than an inch or so though. I wouldn't think it could syphen below the threaded part the filter goes on. Other than that maybe your oil had a "cold" shrinkage issue. :-laf Remember that Seinfeld episode??

 

[rweis]

Change your oil first thing inthe morning and the overnight siphon will keep the spill mess to a minimum.



Bob Weis

 

[SnoKing]

Change your oil first thing inthe morning and the overnight siphon will keep the spill mess to a minimum.



Bob Weis

Kind of hard to change oil hot that way. You will leave stuff deposited around the engine. Not good! SNOKING

 

[Nate]

Well I did another oil change this afternoon. Pulled the filter off about 5 minutes after engine shut down and the oil about about 1 1/2" from the top. Wix filter again.



I've got a Stratopore filter to use this time, I'll see what that does. To me, it seems like theirs a check valve somewhere that's not doing it's job?



Oh, the other thing I wanted to mention regarding oil. On my truck I can't get the last bit of oil out because the the oil plug design. It's made like I took a nut and welded it inside the pan, so the drain hole is higher than the bottom of the pan. Is it like that on all the trucks? or is mine "special"?

 

[bmoeller]

Most engines that I have changd oil on, if you let the filter stay in place while you do everthing else, the filter will be about half full. I've tried the baggie idea before, but I usually wind up snagging it on something, and tearing it open. Nice big mess.

------------------------------

Change your oil first thing inthe morning and the overnight siphon will keep the spill mess to a minimum.



Bob Weis

Kind of hard to change oil hot that way. You will leave stuff deposited around the engine. Not good! SNOKING

Snoking-



Not a problem if you drop the oil hot in the evening, and drop the filter in the AM and finish the oil change, as Bob was suggesting. Pretty clean method.

---------------

I think some people are really to anal about getting every drop of oil and contaminat out when they drop the plug. There will always be some in there, no matter what method you use. That is what filters are for. The little bit of oil there is, is such a small percentage of the total volume of fresh oil, it isn't a real issue.



If you want to keep the oil even cleaner, use a bypass filter.



I'll step off my soap box now... ... ... ...

 

[Nate]

Yeah I got under the truck and started draining the oil pan, then just back up, and spun the filter off. Didn't need a bag or anything cause there's nothing that comes out.

 

[Nate]

Just curious. When you fire up your truck, does it take 10-15 secs to get oil pressure?? Like when you first fire it up after an oil change?? but only it does this all the time?? It takes long enough the the check gauges light comes on.



What's up with that?

 

[Nate]

Any ideas?

 

[Nate]

Is there some kind of check valve that could be messed up?? Or is the filter supposed to drain down?

 

[ARoss]

Mine does the same thing. I leave the filter on until the oil has drained from the pan. When I remove the filter, it's only half full (Wix filter). I thought that was normal. Every time I start my truck, the "check gauges" light always comes on until the oil pressure gauge registers (2-3 seconds). I thought this was normal too???

 

[Black Cloud]

I changed the oil in mine this evening after reading this thread and noticed the that the filter was about 3/4 full of oil. Another trick to get a straight shot right to the oil filter is to remove the 4 inch hose from your turbo to your air box. I have a BHAF on mine and I just simply remove the hose and filter and the oil filter is right there... no mess, easy to reach and no spills.

 

[Huff N Puff]

The Body Control Module controls the guages

Just curious. When you fire up your truck, does it take 10-15 secs to get oil pressure?? Like when you first fire it up after an oil change?? but only it does this all the time?? It takes long enough the the check gauges light comes on.



What's up with that?

On start up the body control module does a self test, then operate all the gauges.