Can't get my oil filter to seal (283)

Okay, problem number 11,287 that has cropped up since trying to start this engine.

The engine is a 283, bought it from someone at a car show. It didn't have an oil filter or any kind of adapter on it when I got it.

I have tried two methods of oil filters. First, I bought a spin-on filter adapter kit and installed it. Leaked like a sieve when I tried to prime the pump, from where the adapter meets the block. I couldn't get it to seal up, no matter what I did.

So, I ripped that out, and put in in a canister type filter I had. Got a new filter and a new square-style o-ring, bolted it up and it also leaked like a sieve in the same spot when I tried to prime the pump. Frustrated (and covered in oil), I pulled the metal can back down and checked out the block where the filter bolts on really closely. Nothing obvious wrong with it.

Has anyone else run into a problem like this before? The can-type setup is using an original GM can. I was hoping to have this engine running this weekend, but I can't really do this if it pumps all my oil out in a matter of minutes.

I feel embarrassed having a problem with such a common engine, but I've never run into this before. Any advice is really appreciated.

 

Do you have a by-pass in your set up? if not that can cause a pressure build up.

 

Any chance it's the oil pressure plug over the filter, or the one up by the intake? Running down and dripping off the filter, making it appear to leak? Good luck

 

are you 100% sure that the old rubber ring is not stuck up in the groove from the old oil filter..that happened to me on my 327 ..i couldnt even see it in there..untill someone from the hamb told me to look in there ..

 

happens all the time- common problem

 

Thanks for the replies so far.

Troylee: Yes, I installed a bypass valve when I installed the spin-on kit. Can't remember the part numbers anymore but I think the bypass valve was from Ecklers.

Shifty: Not sure about the oil pressure plug; I was told the canister filter style blocks didn't have a plug, but I don't know for sure. I will look for that next time I am under there. Are they fairly easy to spot?

slamdpup: That's a good suggestion; I checked it out and the flange where the o-ring seats is nice and clean. No cracks, dings, or anything apparently wrong with the metal, no gasket material left in there, just a nice clean surface.

Thanks again for the info so far.

 

happened to me too many moons ago. Old seal can cause it like it did mine. GL

 

I've had that happen twice & both times it was my stupidity. 1st I grabbed the wrong filter. It screwed on fine but was just a little smaller in diameter & oil poured out when I started the car. 2nd there was an old o ring stuck to the housing & i didn't notice it causing the cannister not to seal. Took a while to figure it out. The old seal was very hard to see. Probably not much help just my experience's. Good luck.

 

do you have this installed? it is needed with the spin on filter adapter



who made the adapter? i've had trouble with cheap ones...i use the one that Wix filters sells...their part # 24061. Napa sells it too , part # 4061

 

Sounds like an inoperative bypass. I fought the same thing on a big block, kept blowing the seals out of the spin-ons. I tried everything. Finally gave up and replaced the oil pump. Don't know if it's the same on a small block but it worked in my case.
Good Luck, it's certainly frustrating.

 

pictures! pull the filter off, take a picture of the bottom of the block where the canister goes on.

 

This will be my guess as well. Scrape around in there with a small screwdriver to see if you can dislodge the old gasket.

 

what about this? because you bought it from someone that you dont know what about the fact it had no filter on it. Could it have been run with a outside oil filter as some racing motors are. maybe some oil hole passage is blocked causing high pressure at the stock oil filter?........curious now be sure and let us all know!

 

For reference, the adapter kit was this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-1270/

And the bypass valve I got was this:
http://www.classicchevy.com/product.asp?pf_id=18-43&dept_id=2177

Is it possible I have a mismatch? I don't remember installing a piece that looked like the one 36-3Window posted, unless the Mr. Gasket piece just looks different.

I'll check again tomorrow for any gasket junk left in the o-ring area and snap some pics if I can get them to show up. (camera phone doesn't have a flash)

Thanks again to everyone.

 

meengrinch: Very interesting suggestion. The person I bought it from said he used it to putter around in his 56 Chevy, and decided to remove it because he wanted more power. Its possible he was using a remote oil filter setup, but he didn't say anything to that effect. I didn't think to look for an oil filter bypass valve when I bought it, still learning I guess.

 

that bypass valve from Eckler's is correct , the picture is just of the other side

that Mr Gasket adapter is junk in my opinion , the last one i had ended up in the garbage in 1984. it's only $10.....the one from Wix is $25....must be a reason for that

 

You did use the canister style gasket behind the adapter? I see that that adapter runs a Chev style filter but I have seen plenty of them that run a Ford style filter instead.

I've probably fought more oil leaks on those canisters or the adapters then all other setups on all other engines combined. The list of things that can make them leak is pretty long.

 

Perhaps I do need to get a new adapter kit, I'll add that to my list.

 

Like squirrel said. Pictures of everything you have including the adaptors, the cannister, the bypass,and the area of the block that the whole mess mounts to and we'll probably be able to give you an answer. One hundered million SBC's left the factory. When everything was RIGHT not one of them leaked oil from the filter area.

Frank

 

Good point. I'll get you guys some pics tomorrow.

 

i guess if most of the parts are correct how much oil pressure you running??

I did one once and had about 120 psi and could not keep it sealed up at all and did some weird stuff like a cut down oil filter canister, nothing worked but to fix the oil press relief spring
used to run 65 to 85 pd oil press on my old stock cars never had any leaks but wore down a few distributor gears in 18 years

 

Back when I was a teenager, my first day on the job at the local Standard Oil gas station, I changed oil on a customers '57 Chevy with a 283. The canister poured oil out when I started the engine. The old mechanic that ran the station showed me that I had left the old gasket up around the filter adapter. He taught me to always remove the two bolts and take the adapter out in order to be sure the old o-ring gasket for the canister was completely removed. By following his instructions, I never had another leak from a Chevy that used the old style oil filter canister.

 

According to my brother, who was watching the gauge while I spun the drill, it got up to about 30 psi or so. I guess the leak was fast enough to keep it from going up any higher.

 

I have a cannister style filter on our 283...The old mechanics up here told me "if it ain't leaking ,don't replace the seal".


Rick

 

Okay guys here are some piss poor pictures. I apologize in advance for the quality; its dark by the time I get home and I was holding a flashlight on one h hand while trying to snap pics with my extremely non-user friendly cell phone.

Here is the area where the oil filter goes. The bypass valve has been removed, since the bolts that hold in the spin-on adapter kit also hold this thing in. (Its kinda messy looking because I tried to use grease to hold the o-ring in to install it the other day)






Here is a pic where I put the o-ring supplied with the canister filter into the block. (The O-ring supplied with the spin-on adapter kit is identical to this one). You can't easily tell, but the o-ring diameter is slightly smaller than that of the block. Small enough to prevent a good seal with the canister tightened down. This can't be the norm, can it? If so, how does one install this thing properly?



(I tried to illustrate the gap with red lines). Sorry again for the poor quality, if needed I can try to get better pics on Thursday.

 

you need to have the bypass valve thingy in there...the o ring fits around it.

 

Jim's right, the bypass is part of what holds the gasket in place. Did you put the gasket in between the adapter and the bypass? If you don't have that in there I think that you can end up warping the adapter so that it leaks.
I'd go back and really make sure that the surface all the way around where the canister gasket/o-ring sits and make sure that there isn't a speck of anything on it that could cause a leak.

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This piece needs to be in place. The rubber o-ring fits around it and the canister that holds the oil filter goes up against the o-ring.

 

Ahh, so it was an assembly mistake on my part. I will re-assemble it this week and report back.

Thanks guys!

 

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1956-1967-CHEVY-SPIN-ON-FILTER-ADAPTER,1159.html