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Oil Filter O-Ring Blowing out on my 283 Chevy V8

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by chstitans42, Mar 13, 2013.

  1. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    As the title says, when I start my 1958 Belair, it runs for about 2 seconds and the oil filter gasket blows out. It has been converted to a spin on style oil filter by one of the previous owners. My questions are:

    1. Is it worth buying another oil filter adapter kit and if so, which one?
    2. Could anything else be causing suck high crank case pressure?

    The car has been sitting for at least twenty years. I am tired of making quart-sized rivers of oil down my driveway, especially because it is new oil running all over the ground.
    Thanks!
     
  2. cbillelder
    Joined: Dec 17, 2010
    Posts: 720

    cbillelder
    Member

    Years ago, I had the same thing happening to my Jeep with a Buick V-6 motor. Turns out the oil pump pressure relief valve consisted of a cup in a blind hole with a spring behind it. Over time, oil filled up the area behind the cup, preventing it from moving back to relieve the pressure because of a hydraulic lock.
    The remedy in my case was replacing the cup with an updated one that had a relief hole drilled in the side, so the hydraulic lock couldn't happen.
    I presume the car was running ok twenty years ago with this filter adapter?
    I would first check the adapter to see that the oil can get out of the filter (no blockage), and if that doesn't pan out, then check into the pump relief valve to see if you have the same problem I had.
    Good luck with your problem.
    Bill
     
  3. Hooptologist
    Joined: Apr 1, 2010
    Posts: 74

    Hooptologist
    Member

    I would take the adapter off and check for any obstructions. I used to work on heavy trucks and equipment, we had a dump trailer that would occasionally blow the o ring when it was lowered dumping 15-20 gallons of oil everwhere. It finally blew the housing apart and I found part of a check valve blocking the return port. Basically it was a washer with a 1/4 hole blocking a 1" port.
     
  4. D-man313
    Joined: Mar 17, 2011
    Posts: 1,163

    D-man313
    Member

    Is the old filter gasket still on the motor? Anything on the mounting surface that the filter wont seal tight? Guys on here have said before that, if the old gasket stays on the motor that this will happen.
     

  5. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    No I made sure the gasket was clean. I tried it once with the larger old filter that was on it (It was new ten years ago) and then again with a brand new one. Surface was as clean as it could be.
     
  6. Happened to me. Changed the filter went for a ride and was fine. Blew out on start up next day.:eek:
     
  7. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Faulty pressure relief valve. Could be stuck with gum and sludge, maybe the last guy had it apart when he put the filter adapter on and got the parts mixed up. Everything has to be in the right order. Your pump will develop enough pressure to blow the filter wide open without the relief valve.
     
  8. ChilledironGarage
    Joined: Feb 13, 2013
    Posts: 3

    ChilledironGarage
    Member

    Chstitans42,
    Do you know if you have a high volume/pressure oil pump because if you do you might need to run a race or hp oil filter. Some pumps move more gpm of oil than the filter can handle and if you don't have a oil bypass at the filter you may be starving the engine of oil and it may have caused the gasket to blow out so you may want to check and see if the adapter has a bypass built in if not you should find a filter that has one built in to help protect your engine if something does become clogged. If your engine takes the PH5 type filter 13/16"-16 threads you may want to try a HP4 filter. If it takes the early style filter 3/4"-16 threads it is a lot easier to find a filter with a bypass because that is typically a ford filter and they ran the bypass in the filter not the block.

    Good Luck
    Chilled Iron Garage
     
  9. Look very carefully to ensure there isn't another gasket on the surface. Had it happen to me and it was difficult to tell the old gasket was there without a real close inspection. Otherwise I would suspect the Pressure relief valve or plugged oil passage as well.
     
  10. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    I will be pulling it apart soon and taking a look at all of that.
    The car has been sitting since 1970, SO I don't think it is likely it has a high volume pump, I am assuming it is stock since the rest of the car is.
    As for maybe it needs a Ford filter that might be the case. If the conversion was really done in the 60's I have heard that was all there was to do the upgrade with.
     
  11. Check valve is stuck. Go get a HP1 Fram filter and try that they are good to 120lbs. That should cause the check valve to break loose
     
  12. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    How hard is the check valve to replace? Where is it located? Do they look similar to the stock spin on oil filters?
     
  13. 33sporttruck
    Joined: Jun 5, 2012
    Posts: 530

    33sporttruck
    Member

    SBC , I would say that the oil pump relief (check) valve was stuck. I had my 400 in the forth car and for some dumb reason I installed a hardly used HV pump that had a lot of shelf life on it. BOOM !!! It puked the o-ring and split the Fram filter wide open twice.

    Quick fix was to install a new Melling Oil Pump.................... Jeff
     
  14. Lobucrod
    Joined: Mar 22, 2006
    Posts: 4,122

    Lobucrod
    Alliance Vendor
    from Texas

    So how much oil pressure is the pump putting out when this happens?
     
  15. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    My wife's off topic bmw did this, the oil pressure relief valve was stuck.

    I screwed a mechanical oil pressure gauge straight in and it went off the scale after fireup hence the burst filter.

    It would be worth trying a mech gauge direct into the oil gallery.

    Oh yeah, once I fixed it the engine felt more powerful and freer revving. The oil pump must have been sapping a lot of power running at max pressure all the time.

    Mart.
     
  16. That spin-on adapter is hiding the by-pass. Unbolt the adapter and under it you will find another aluminum casting and a square cut o-ring. That is the factory oil filter by-pass. However, that's probably not your problem. I do recall that the early spin-on adapters used a Ford filter. Maybe that's all it is. I'd sure look at that before I pulled the pan.
     
  17. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,213

    sunbeam
    Member

    What filter does it take Some used Ford style and some used Chevy style. Ford filters have a built in bypass valve 3/4 threads. Chevy style the bypass is in the adapter could be pluged13/16 thread.
     
  18. Bigchuck
    Joined: Oct 23, 2007
    Posts: 1,159

    Bigchuck
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    Knowing this will help with the guessing games and keyboard diagnostics.
     
  19. In 1974 I had a killer 57 belair with a hi-po 350 HP 327. I based the engine on an early block with a cannister filter and I used a brand new Rocket brand filter adapter.
    I also used a high pressure oil pump. After driving the car for about 2 months I warmed the engine, jumped in it and went screaming down my street, bangin gears in the muncie when I noticed the engine tone had changed. Looked down to see the oil pressure was a zero!
    I shut it off immediately but it was too late. The engine had dumped all the engine oil on the street and the bearings were spun. I dragged it home and started looking for the leak. Turned out the Rocket oil filter adapter had cracked. I won't use another Rocket brand adapter on any chevy engine I build in the future.
     
  20. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    Well the oil filters that attach are the ones that are for Chevys. Does that mean the ford threads are different and won't work thus eliminating this option ?
    My next task will be to remove the adapter and see what I can see underneath it. Any tips on cleaning all this crap out?
    This is what scares me. I really hope this won't happen down the line
     
  21. dann57
    Joined: Feb 17, 2013
    Posts: 131

    dann57
    Member
    from Missouri

    I had the same issue with a 283 years ago on mine oil pessure was buried in the guage ( it went to 80 )the problem was the plunger in the oil pump was stuck, the motor had sit quite a while I took the oil pump apart replaced spring with a new one , but I had to use a punch to get the plunger out. worked great after that. Do you have a oil pressure gauge hooked up ? What kind of pressure is it running ?
     
  22. models916
    Joined: Apr 19, 2012
    Posts: 379

    models916
    Member

    Has to be the pump. Bypass opens long before the gasket will blow. Change the pump or remove and clean the spring.
     
  23. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    ^^ last 2 posts this is what I had to do to my wife's BMW.

    Mart
     
  24. xix32
    Joined: Jun 12, 2008
    Posts: 593

    xix32
    Member

    post # 21 from dann57 is correct. I had the same thing happen to a `70 chevy 350 that sat for many years without running. just like yours mine blew out the filter seal.
    and pegged the oil pressure gage.
    you'll have to drop the oil pan, take out the oil pump, and dissasemble it to get at the stuck pressure relief valve. tap it out, maybe scrape out the bore a little, some marvel mystery oil, and you'll be back in business.
     
  25. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I've seen more than one of those engines that had the adapter where who ever installed the adapter didn't put the relief valve back in behind the adapter and the adapter got sprung and caused the gasket to blow in the process. Make sure that the relief valve is there and functional and make sure that the adapter isn't cracked.
    Most of those adapters used a Ford spin on filter rather than a Chevy spin on filter.
     
  26. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    Unless I'm mistaken, the bypass valve is there in case the filter gets totally blocked, allowing oil to flow (even though unfiltered). It's the pressure relief valve that is the culprit in this case (I think) and sounds like it's part of the oil pump on a Chevy. (I'm not a Chevy guy).

    Mart.
     
  27. yellow wagon
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 612

    yellow wagon
    Member
    from WI

    Check to see if the lower bellhousing bolt closest to the oil filter protrudes into the filter area. If it does, I bet the bolt length is a hair too long, nicks the o ring and causes it to fail very quickly. Seen this happen a bunch of times. Shorten the length of the bolt 2 threads, reinstall bolt, new oring and adapter and away you go
     
  28. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    I will be pulling the adapter and taking pics for you guys to see today. Hopefully we can figure out together the problem
     
  29. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    Got the oil filter adapter off, and the surfaces/gaskets look pretty good. It says made in the usa and has a part number of 5573842. It looks like it has a spring that goes from the inside of the adapter to the outside. is this the part that can be stuck? Other than that, there is nothing on the engine block
     
  30. chstitans42
    Joined: Feb 7, 2011
    Posts: 719

    chstitans42
    Member

    So I disassembled the oil filter adapter and the check valve inside move when I push on it with my pinky.
     

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