Oil Filter Canister Lid Leaks...

I chromed my oil filter canister on my Cad mill. I had a leak at the hold down bolt and added a fiber washer to stop it. But, I have to tighten it down a lot to stop the leak. This ended up causing the lid's gasket to be cut.

So to sum up, not tight enough on the hold down and the hold down leaks. Too tight and the lid's gasket is cut and it leaks there.

What's a guy to do? Two lid gaskets? Something else? Just please don't say sillycone. I hate sillycone.

As always, thanks for the help and thanks for the hamb!

Love,
terd

 

I have always removed the chrome in the gasket areas. Dry gaskets will typically leak against a chrome surface. Silicone doesnt adhere too well to chrome either.

 

UGH! That sucks, nice chrome piece and then it leaks... My canister leaked a little on my Pontiac and I tightened it a lot, like you did. Actually turns out the gasket had folded over a little when I put it together. I found a spare laying around from an extra gasket kit I had and it actually appeared to be thicker than the one I got with the filter, which I think was a Fram. So maybe getting a Wix or Hastings filter will get you a thicker gasket, or maybe Fel-Pro sells a gasket separetly for it.

 

The lid gasket itself isn't leaking. I have to tighten the hold down bolt so much to keep the hold down bolt from leaking that it cuts the lid gasket causing it to fail.

I currently have a Wix filter and gasket. I'll check the parts places and see what's available. Thanks for the tip!!!

 

what about a rubber grommet?

If you can find one thats the right size, hopefully the bolt would be long enough to catch!

 

Im thinking a neoprene washer for your bolt, instead of a fiber washer. I use them to mount mirrors and visors, to save paint. They seem to hold up well to just about anything.. you can get them at just about any hardware store in the bolt bin isle.

 

How about a copper washer, might conform better than the fiber washer. They also
make some fancy aluminum washers with an O-ring bonded inside, don't know where
you would find them, usually came across them on foreign/metric equipment.

 

No room for that. The hole in the lid is virtually the same size as the bolt.

I think these are both great ideas. The neo or copper would allow some crush taking the stress off of over tightening the lid. The only thing I've run into is that the hold down bolt diameter is quite large. I only found one washer (the fiber one) at the Orielly's. But I haven't looked anywhere else yet. I'm sure I can turn something up in neo or copper.

 

The aluminum washer with an o-ring built in is called a stato seal. They are available from Earls Performance. It is a great suggestion and they work well. If you let me know what size the bolt is I can see if I have one...

 

Its not the hole so much as the two flat surfaces of the lid and the bolt head (sort of has an integral washer) not quite meshing all the way round.

 

If you are not running a gasket try the stato seal if you can find one. They are pretty neat washers. The rubber seals and the aluminum washer keeps the rubber in place.

 

What about a oil drain plug gasket? Should be able to find some at any old parts store. The rubber/aluminum gasket looks promissing also.