K&N Oil filter nightmare!!

E

Evaddave 87gn

Always learning...
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
Changed the oil for the first time since the new motor went in. I have about 800 miles on the motor and 3 passes in 3 years, but from pulling it in and out of the garage over the last year, while I installed the roll bar, I had a smell of gas in the oil so I figured it was time to change it before I start driving it again.

I went with Mobil 1 and a K&N filter figured I'd add ZDDP when I had a chance to order it. So oil change went fine. I took the car on 40 mile trip and made a couple stops on the way home. My last stop was to wash the car. When I went to leave I started the car up and heard a loud ticking sound, thought well that's odd, glanced up at the oil gauge it read 0...OH F@#$..turned the car off (after 3-10 seconds of idling). I cranked the car a few times oil pressure climbed and I started her up...no noise.

I realized the pump had to have lost the prime and most likely it was the new filter. I called Bill at Weber and we discussed how to proceed. Most likely this was lifter noise but I'll keep an eye on the new oil and the pressure.

Now to the good stuff.. I dropped the oil filter to replace the K&N with a Napa Gold. I expected to have a mess so I slipped the oil drop pan under the car and screwed off the filter. (I tried to get the K&N off as quick as I could so I didn't get oil everywhere.) About 1/4 cup splashed on the pan, so I thought there was a good bit left in the filter... but nope that sucker was EMPTY!! My only conclusion is the anti-drain back valve must have failed in my brand new $14 filter.

From this point forward I will NEVER use a K&N oil filter again!....EVER!!!!
 
Post pics of filter inlet. The drain back prevention is a rubber flap.
 
i had a bad experience myself with a k&n oil filter in my 87 monte ss aerocoupe with a big block, yea im braggin a lil lol! however ill never use another k&n filter either!
 
bison said:
Post pics of filter inlet. The drain back prevention is a rubber flap.
Click to expand...

I took it back to parts store and got my cash back..I didn't see any damage to the rubber valve though...but I don't really know what to look for either...
 
seems like now days, most companies outsource to the cheapest available manufacture,
looks like k&n may have also, I continue to use napa filters , their consistently good.
 
That doesn't sound quite right. For the filter to lose prime there has to be an air source up high. That way the oil can drain down.


Just shutting the car off for a few minutes seems impossible as the filter would have to start draining. Any oil in a cooler line would have a chance to percolate through the pump, and finally when everything is dry, the pump would have the opportunity to lose prime.

That's a whole lot of action to happen in a short amount of time.


Just curious, what did you do out in the field to get the pump to show pressure again. And, by chance, do you have a timing cover/oil pump "blueprinted" by Webber?


When it comes to filters pretty much every parts store carries one good one. Vatozone has Mobil1, advanced has the puralator pure one (not the normal puralator), orilleys has the wix and NAPA has the NAPA gold (which is a wix). and if you hang out in truck stop parking lots, a Balwin will work too.
 
It might not be a bad idea to get a magnetic drain plug if you don't have one already (and stick a couple of badass rare earth magnets on the oil filter too.
 
earlbrown said:
It might not be a bad idea to get a magnetic drain plug if you don't have one already (and stick a couple of badass rare earth magnets on the oil filter too.
Click to expand...
I have the magnet on the plug....but never thought about the fiter....I actually have a rare earth magnet on my desk.....it will be on the filter when I get home! Thanks great idea!
 
I stick them things on EVERYTHING. back of the trans pan, rear diff covers, fuel filters (you'd be AMAZED at how much ore can be grabbed out of a fuel filter).

A good source for some on the cheep is from inside of old hard drives.
 
Call Nick Macale and get a K&P Engineering filter. It's a removable cartridge filter with a rare earth magnet on top. I sent it up to RPE when my stroker was built, and Bobby said it was a really nice piece.
They are not big capacity, but the quality is incredible. You also get a better look at what's in your oil with a screen and mesh type filter over a paper element.
 
I get valve chatter at cold start up...everytime...now if the car is still warm then it doesn't do it. I've tried every filter, oil, additives, witch doctor...nothing makes it go away. But, it's been doing it for years and my car makes tons of power...so it must not be fatal. LOL
 
FastB said:
I get valve chatter at cold start up...everytime...now if the car is still warm then it doesn't do it. I've tried every filter, oil, additives, witch doctor...nothing makes it go away. But, it's been doing it for years and my car makes tons of power...so it must not be fatal. LOL
Click to expand...

do you have stiff springs and comp lifters?
 
Evaddave 87gn said:
I took it back to parts store and got my cash back..I didn't see any damage to the rubber valve though...but I don't really know what to look for either...
Click to expand...


Do you have a turbo saver / remote filter kit installed on the car?
 
coach said:
What would that do? Zero oil pressure is zero to all vital parts.
Click to expand...
Just an idea....
Based on what he said about there being very little oil in the filter upon removal and suspecting something wrong with the drainback valve, it sounds like maybe the oil was being directed backwards through the filter. That could happen if the car had a remote filter and the supply/return lines were crossed. If that were the case, then the engine would only have been getting oil through the bypass valve (unfiltered). That would mean the engine needs to come out for a clean up and a set of bearings.
 
BEATAV8 said:
Just an idea....
Based on what he said about there being very little oil in the filter upon removal and suspecting something wrong with the drainback valve, it sounds like maybe the oil was being directed backwards through the filter. That could happen if the car had a remote filter and the supply/return lines were crossed. If that were the case, then the engine would only have been getting oil through the bypass valve (unfiltered). That would mean the engine needs to come out for a clean up and a set of bearings.
Click to expand...
Hard to say. Check valve could be bad, or internals collapsed. Wix uses a metal check valve...most others are plastic.
 
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