How much oil will I lose if I remove the oil filter?

[0260in3]

My oil filter is dripping oil ever so slightly. I tightened it a little more but if that doesn't work I'd like to remove it to look for damage. I'm not sure why it would be damaged unless it is defective. If I remove the filter without draining the oil pan how much oil can I expect to lose? I'd rather not perform a complete oil change if I can help it. Tightening oil filters is a little tricky so is it possible the filter worked itself loose?

Thanks in advance.

 

[2001 GTS]

Just change the oil and filter

Taking the filter off will drain i guess around 5 quarts or more?? Hard to say

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

If the filter was on too tight, the rubber seal might have broke. Will need new filter if this happened. Change the oil while you are at it and see it as cheap insurance.

 

[ViperBite]

Did you just change the oil and you know it is the filter and not residual oil from the change?

Put a big pan underneath and pull it off. Then you can tell us what happened!!

If I had to guess you are going to lose the same amount as if you were normally changing the oil. But then again I have never done it in this sequence so I would still have a big pan underneath. If you pull the filter, I would put a new one back on. Peace of mind.

 

[PaViper]

You might also have left the seal ring on from the old filter, in which case no matter how tight you make it, it will leak..

 

[AviP]

Should lose about a quart if you do a fast out_with_the_old and in_with_the_new filter. But think of the oil splashing around and the cleanup after that.

 

[DrumrBoy]

If you wipe the gasket surface clean and then forget to run some oil around the rubber seal before you install and tighten the filter, the rubber seal ring can bind and not seal correctly. Its unlikely that this is your issue but it might be.

I agree with the folks who recommend changing the oil.....heck you're under there already!

 

[Turbo50Mike]

I just changed my oil this morning, so I took the filter out first to see what would come out...It wasn't much. I'd say about 1/4 of a quart drained out and another 1/4 a quart in the filter. It really wasn't much at all.

MJB

 

[Turbo50Mike]

I just changed my oil this morning, so I took the filter out first to see what would come out...It wasn't much. I'd say about 1/4 of a quart drained out and another 1/4 a quart in the filter. It really wasn't much at all.

MJB

 

[0260in3]

Thanks for all the advice. I went ahead and changed the oil with a new filter. Made sure to prime the seal on the new filter too. The old filter doesn't appear to be damaged but the change seems to have worked so at least I have peace of mind.

Thanks again
Terry

 

[GT40DOC]

Very CHEAP insurance, as motor are quite expensive these days. You did the correct thing!!