Re: Prefill oil filter housing or not?

Just curious, who prefills or not their oil filter housing with oil when doing an oil change?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2022 07:50AM by carlos in Montreal. (view changes)

Yes, always.

Ed B (NH)

Never did. I put oil on the seal and thread, but that's it. I've never had a problem in all the cars I've had since the 1960s, and I only had someone else do one car (a Jag XJS V12 that I could never get under).

But I have to admit that I never thought of it, and it might seem like a good idea, but as far as I can see, that would mean old spills all over my garage floor, given my innate inability not to be able to lift a container of liquid without making a mess.

Paul S

never have…on AT LEAST 25 oil changes on the 986. it’s such a small amount that it’s not worth the risk of making more of a mess

I always do. Not sure if it adds any benefit though.

Only when I was doing a PPI where I was inspecting the filter.
In regular oil changes, never.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 308,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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if you don't fill, it takes a little longer to get oil flow and pressure. What' the flip (negative) side? I see very little - pour it in, screw it on.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

For those of us worrying about spillage, I don't see why partially filling the filter is anything but a better idea than not doing it at all. I'm going to start.

Originally, I never did it as I was not taught to do it. I suspect that was largely because filters on my early cars were mounted horizontally. (Cannot pre-fill that.)

Then, I tried to do it because I was guilted into it by folks like those on the board.

Upon further consideration, I do not do it any more. The engine is not empty of motor oil, the bearings are lubed. On most cars, the oil is filled through the valve cover. In ours, it goes right to the case - and our pistons are mounted horizontally.
In the seconds more it takes to fill the filter housing, any plausible wear would be negligible or non-existent.
So, while pre-filling clearly does not do harm, I see little point in it. Do whatever you are comfortable with.

BTW - all of my cars are high mileage, never an oil issue. And yes, I have always used Amsoil and yes, I have always changed ahead of the owner's manual intervals and yes, I have always used the best filters available.
I submit those factors are significantly more important than the seconds, or fractions thereof, it takes for the oil filter housing to fill with oil after an oil change.

I just did my 3y/14000km oil change on my boxster....

I did the prefill filter for the 1st time. My car has 160K km on it. I suppose it doesn't hurt. It is currently the only car left in my fleet that has the filter housing in the up orientation.