Always prime your motor with oil before you crank it for the first time!

[Hazieview]

Guess what happened to me... Before I started my engine for the first time I flushed it out with new oil. Yep filled the whole thing up and drained it all out. I got paint on my oil filter when painting the motor so I said, 'what the heck and swapped the filter too.'

I then installed a new filter and filled it back up with oil. Before I cranked it I used my priming tool (spins the oil pump with an electric drill) just to make sure it was good and lubed up before my first start. That's when I heard the horrible noise of oil spraying everywhere... I climbed under the truck and guess what... The rubber ring from the old filter (which keep in mind the filter had ZERO miles on it) was still on the block when I installed the new filter. So guess what this guy had to do....

Yep, I had to drain a whole new oil change out of the motor, take off the filter, remove the old rubber filter ring, put the filter back on, refill with oil, and prime it again. Better safe than sorry! I'm glad I primed it first!

Just thought I would share. I have changed oil on all of my vehicles more times than I can count. Been driving for 12 years to give you an idea. This is the first time this has happened to me and it happen to be a bran new motor! Priming a motor can save it in more ways than one!

[CREWCABGMC]

Glad you caught that before it was fired up!!!!

[king-918]

It's always good practice to check for double gaskets before putting on new oil filters, and why did you remove all the oil instead of just the gasket and top off?
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[Hazieview]

Originally Posted by king-918

It's always good practice to check for double gaskets before putting on new oil filters, and why did you remove all the oil instead of just the gasket and top off?
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Because the old gasket was mashed under my new oil filter. I couldn't remove the old gasket unless I removed the new oil filter.... Guess I could have tried to just cut the old gasket off but I didn't want to take anymore chances. I wanted to verify the gasket on the new filter had not been damaged as well.

[Hazieview]

Originally Posted by CREWCABGMC

Glad you caught that before it was fired up!!!!

Man, I heard that! Could you imagine?

[cedens]

out of all the changes i've done, i was always told to check for that silly thing. I think i've seen one hang up and stay once.

[88Jimmy4x4]

whenever I remove my filter I always look and make sure the gasket is still on it, plus I always look up at the housing before installing new.

[homemade87]

When ever I change oil I have always wet my finger with some of the old oil and rub it on the new oil filter gasket. Never had one stick yet.

[Rufton]

Family member lost engine years ago when old filter gasket stuck to block. Like you, I pre-fill new filters w/ oil before installing.

[Tx Firefighter]

The main issue is to make sure the old o ring isn't stuck to the block any time you swap filters. Old engine, new engine, or whatever. It is more likely to happen with an engine that's been run a while since the heat helps it to stick.

No need to drain the oil out in this situation. Just carefully unscrew the filter, remove extra o ring and screw filter back in place. If you don't upset the filter while removing it, very little oil will be spilled, and the other 4 quarts in the oil pan certainly won't leak out. Just have a rag there to catch whatever oil drips out when you spin the filter loose.
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[cedens]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

No need to drain the oil out in this situation. Just carefully unscrew the filter, remove extra o ring and screw filter back in place. If you don't upset the filter while removing it, very little oil will be spilled, and the other 4 quarts in the oil pan certainly won't leak out. Just have a rag there to catch whatever oil drips out when you spin the filter loose.
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i was thinking the same thing, but yea i always if possible pre fill my filter, that way it starts up after the change with something in the filter system, and normally that will lube up the gasket, i also always put some of the new oil on the plug before putting it back in the pan.

[Hazieview]

So after spending numerous hours & dollars on a bran new engine you guys would have just said,

'Hey there should be plenty of oil in there. No need to worry. Its just a bran new engine. That dipstick says everything looks great. Just slap another filter on there and cank her up...'

Regardless of the unknown amount of oil that squirted out when you primed it and from taking off the filter? Not me! I'm going to make sure that oil level is exact as possible before I crank an engine for the very first time.

Funny how I took the gasket for granted though. Being a new engine and all I thought being a bran new filter on an engine that has never even been hot (or cranked) for that matter then it was fine... Boy was I wrong...

[Rufton]

I tend to be very cautious w/ new engine.

[willett]

I have seen a buttload of o rings stick to the block and not caught it just once. Once was enough for me to check every time I change a filter. Lol
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[willett]

It usually happens if you overtighten your filter.
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[Tom]

Originally Posted by Hazieview

Yep, I had to drain a whole new oil change out of the motor, take off the filter, remove the old rubber filter ring, put the filter back on, refill with oil, and prime it again.

Why did you drain all the oil just to change the filter?

[slinginrods]

You'll only do that once
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[nheller76]

Did it to my wifes POS Ford escort once, biggest mess I've ever seen. I can feel for ya man.
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[LynnJr]

It sounds like the paint is what stuck the O-ring to the block?

I run the 2 quart oil filters on my 4x4 trucks and use a big block oil pumps in my small block engines.I had a stuck pressure relief valve and on start-up it blew the 2 quart filter down my sloped driveway.
Two sacks of rice hull ash later the mess was gone.

[Hazieview]

Originally Posted by Tom

Why did you drain all the oil just to change the filter?

?

I thought I made this clear...? Please go back and read post #12

Originally Posted by LynnJr

It sounds like the paint is what stuck the O-ring to the block?

I run the 2 quart oil filters on my 4x4 trucks and use a big block oil pumps in my small block engines.I had a stuck pressure relief valve and on start-up it blew the 2 quart filter down my sloped driveway.
Two sacks of rice hull ash later the mess was gone.

That is a very good explanation! I didn't even think about fresh pain sticking to that filter gasket. You are right though! When I painted my motor paint was all over that filter. Hmmm.. That's one for the memory bank

[79Silv4x4]

Originally Posted by Hazieview

?

I thought I made this clear...? Please go back and read post #12

Still no need to drain the oil--if you are worried about how much oil was lost just check the dipstick...

[Tdubbyount]

I've got myself fairly well trained to check for a stuck o-ring whenever I'm changing oil. It's a good habit to get into.
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[LONGHAIR]

Ok, "to some degree" I understand your nervousness about it being "properly full" by "starting from scratch" and not necessarily trusting the dipstick the first time around.....BUT, the whole point of doing something like that is to actually check the dipstick against that measured "properly full" point. If it is off of the factory markings, you can either remark the stick with a file (or hacksaw) or you can adjust the tube length to make it sit different in the block..
Once the stick is marked accurately, you are good to go. If you don't make the dipstick trustworthy, it's just a plug in a hole. It's a shame to waste that oil, just for a fill level reassurance.
To address the topic the original post...
I have always made it a habit to wipe the sealing surface of the engine with a rag before screwing a new filter on. This will not only make sure that the old gasket is gone, but remove any kind of gunk that could have gotten under the seal too.
As some of the others have said, I always wipe some of the new oil, from filling the filter, onto the new seal.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

To me the engine is going to make no disc enable difference between a half quart to a quart high or low. A standard volume pump will keep about 2 quarts in the pan in an avg sbc. High pressure or high volume pumps can suck them dry almost though
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