Hi guys, I am posting this question for a friend to see what advice you guys can give us...The more opinions/suggestions the better. This is what he wrote:

Just like the title says, I have a '99 Chev Express Conversion van with a 5.7. The truck has 81K on the clock.
This morning my wife started the truck and noticed a large puddle of oil underneath, she shut the motor off right away.
I checked the truck this afternoon and have found the oil in the pan (what didn't get lost earlier) is comparable to roofing tar.
I'm running Lucas full synthetic 5W30. I replaced the filter, put 4 liters of Royal Purple 10W30 in and re-started the truck. After only a few seconds the pressure of the oil blew out the rubber seal on the filter and I shut the truck off.
I took the oil filter adapter off the block, cleaned it well, made sure the spring in the little valve was not stuck and tried again with another new filter. Again after only a few seconds the oil pressure blew out the rubber seal. This time I paid close attention to the oil pressure gauge and it went up to 80 psi.
Do any members here have some idea of what might be going on?
Could the Lucas oil have gone thick over the winter? (the truck was stored over the winter)
Any help or advise is greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys,
Andrew

 

I've never heard of that happeneing. Usually if it leaks at the oil filter its because the wrong oil filter is being used, or the gasket from an old filter got left behind unbeknownst to the person changing the oil, or the filter just isn't tight enough.
If the oil pressure is indeed pushing past the seal on the filter, sounds like an oil passage is clogged, probably the main one.
The description of the oil is sort of strange too. And it also why I do not use oil additives. A good quality oil and filter, changed regularly, should be all you need.
I would cease running this engine, and pull it asap to teardown and find the problem. I know the miles are relatively low, but they don't always as long as we'd like.

Dave

 

The only time I've seen the seal blow is when two seals are in place. What happens is that the filter is removed and the seal sticks to the block. Then a new filter is installed which has a seal on it.

Two seals and they pop once the engine is started.

RBob.

 

I've only seen that with two seals as well.
But 80psi is unusual. Drain all the oil, and fill it up with 50/50 cheap oil and diesel fuel. Try and run it. Then drain it. Do that a few times and see if you can flush out the junk in there.

 

I would also try some cheap 50/50 weight oil and some transmisson fluid. The tranny fluid will break up all the gunk in the passages and flush it out. then drain and repeat a few times

 

Thanks for the replies guys,
RBob,
I'm quite certain that oil filter adapter does not have a stuck gasket on it. Will triple check though...
Sonix and TADaily,
is there any potential bottom end (bearings) damage using the tranny fluid or diesel - in the mix?
-Andrew

 

Nope, it doesn't eat bearing material.
It's a common thing to flush out "asphalt" based crank-cases from the typical "I change my oil every leap year" type of person...

 

Thanks, My friend is not the original owner of the vehicle, however, he does treat his machines with only the finest the oil companies have to offer. (Only high end synthetics) and does change the fluids frequently. We are wondering if the Lucas has heavy detergents in it, cleaned the engine out because the previous owner was the leap year type, and then after sitting over the winter the junk congealied in the pan, thus blocking some of the oil passeges. We can't figure out what the heck caused this mess We had one person suggest that the oil pump has bit the dirt, and only replacing it will remedy the problem.
-Andrew

 

The gen 1 SBC has the oil filter sealing to the block. The adapter is for the oil passage outlet (threaded piece to retain the filter), and the bypass.

RBob.

 

One more thing, what about gaskets - will the oil pan, rear main seal etc be afftected in any negative ways? Don't want to emulsify anything (other than the tar and gunk) in the process.
-Andrew

 

No actually tranny fluid if you run small amounts at a time is quite good for your engine because it cleans away engine and fuel gunk which causes your engine to run poorly. All it does it gives better lubrication on parts and helps clean away anything that may be slowing the flow of fulids through passages. Because a tranny cant have any dirt in or around moving parts otherwise it will damage those parts, and everything have be be clean in order to work correctly just like in your engine. a dirty engine will peform horrible, just like a transmission with a clogged filter. Ive heard many cases where people run tranny fluid mixed with cheap oil many times through their engines and ran them for about 30 mins, then drained and repeated until the oil actually comes out almost as clean as it went it. It wont hurt your bearings as it will actually help lubricate the moving parts then any oil would.

 

exactly.
This is common, I wouldn't worry about bearings, seals, gaskets, etc. Everyone else has the same type of gaskets and whatnot.

 

how much tranny fluid would you put in the oil?

 

most people just do 1 quart per flush. so i would put in the oil till your a quart low, then add the transmission fluid, run for 15-20 mins, or even drive it a mile or 2, then flush and repeat.

 

Yea... I tried the diesel fuel thing on an old Pontiac once. Lost a rod bearing right after.

 

Just and update,
We put 4Litres of deseil oil in and ran it for a good 10minutes. Top end was very noisy, but at least the oil filter didn't blow out. Flushed the pan and deseil oil was quite dirty. We then ran ad 50/50 of ATF with 5W30, until the van reached operating temp. The motor was not as noisy - it was hard to tell that atf was in the pan. Today my friend changed the filter and droped 5L of cheap 5W30 so that he could drive the van around. So, so far so good. Thanks for the help guys.
-Andrew

 

basicly i am having this problem only i know im using the wrong filter. i tryand sart it and it starts leeking oil out the top of the filter

 

If you have the wrong filter on there, the only surprise should be if it doesn't leak.

 

I did not read all this- sorry

check the oil filter bypass

 

check to make sure that the spin adapter for the oil filter is not cracked anyplace. I just went through this with my 383 stroker and blow 2 oil filter gaskets off, got under the car looked and sure as hell the spin adapter was craked in half allowing to much oil to flow to the filter. change spin adapter and BAM back to not blowing off gaskets.

 

I would imagine the OP solved there problem in the last 4+ years.

 

Suzuki Verona 2004 - went in for an oil change - within days oil filter blew off oil everwhere - they replaced oil filter did it again - what could put pressure on oil flter for it to blow - want opions before taking it somewhere for them to take a guess - single mother on a budget

 

Same problem. Oil blowing seal off oil filter on 97 Mustang V6 3.8. Put cheap oil in and added sea foam but can't run long enough for it to work. It pours out bad like it won't go past the filter.

 

Hello Rosa and Max ,

I don't think your likely to find people here who know specifics about your cars . This forum is 100 % devoted to 1982/1992 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird only . For Max , being that it's a Ford Mustang , I'll bet you can easily find a Mustang forum with people who know your 3.8 the way the folks here know their GM engines . As to Rosa's Suzuki , I don't know as I've ever seen of any Suzuki forums but maybe one of those general engine troubleshooting type forums may be able to help you out .