Blowing Oil Filter seal ring.

[dpeters60ghia]

Hi everyone...

A friend of mine just finished installing a 2110cc Type 1 motor with Full Flow, Oil Cooler and remote Oil-filter into his Beetle. It runs great, nice and cool, great power etc..it's using 20-W-50 oil.

BUT, When he stomps HARD on the throttle it blows out the seal on the oil filter and pukes motor oil all over the place.
During Regular driving there's no problem...but he didn't build a 2110cc
motor to get 50MPG and toodle to the grocery store and back on Sundays.

Any idea what causes oil filter seals to blow by? His oil pressure gauge only says 60PSI.

Is this too much?

- Doug

[Glenn]

He's probibly using a cheap filter. Get a Mann or Mahle with the bypass valve.

I run a Canton Mecca filter and i dare him to blow the seal.

[Marc]

Once warmed up this shouldn't be a problem unless he's got an outsized oil pump. If the pressure is over ~10psi per 1000RPM when the engine's at normal operating temperature it may need a lighter viscosity oil. The pressure at the pump outlet is way higher than what'll indicate on the gauge - once it's returned to the case the stock pressure-relief valve can control it. Berg sells a pump cover with a bypass valve built in to help with this problem, but if you rap out a cold motor with thick oil in it even that won't guarantee no leaks.
Filters designed for diesel Rabbits like the Mann W940/25 or the equivalent Mahle or Knecht will fit the common external-filter adapters and can handle a lot of pressure.

[vicsvw]

First thing I would recomend is an oil pressure gage (cheap one will screw in oil sender hole) Make sure the Oil releaf pistons are installed correctely and work OK. Make sure some one hasn't installed the HD springs.
See-> Oil Temp & Pressure Chart <> http://www.1800vw.bizhosting.com/oil_tem_pres.htm and -> Oil Pumps, Drain Plate & Pressure release Valves <> http://www.1800vw.bizhosting.com/0.oil_pump+parts.htm #22 & 24 must be working freely.

[Marc]

First thing I would recomend is an oil pressure gage (cheap one will screw in oil sender hole) Make sure the Oil releaf pistons are installed correctely and work OK. Make sure some one hasn't installed the HD springs....

The sending unit hole and the oil temp control & pressure relief system are exposed to whatever pressure makes it back to the case from the filter. These are always good recommendations if there's a problem with the oil pressure in the case - but what's relevant to this problem is the pressure between the pump and the filter.

[Bruce2]

Stop using 20W-50. The orifices for the oil to leak out of are small in a new engine. Using thick oil like that means the oil can't get to where it is needed. The result is higher pressure. You may think higher pressure is a good thing, but in reality your flow is reduced. 20W-50 may be fine for a high mileage engine that's really worn out, but not a new one. 10W-40 should be fine.

[NO_H2O]

I had the same problem when my engine was cold.
Put a K&N oil filter on it and forget it. The K&N filter has a 550 psi burst press. rating and the seal is crimped in the case 360 deg. around. Most filters are crimped in 3 places if your lucky, some you can just lift out of their grove.
You still need an oil press gauge.

[MASSIVE TYPE IV]

Coat the or ing with loctite 518 and tighten the living daylights out of it. Most blown O rings on filters are because they are not tight enough.

[turboblue]

I use a Motorcraft FL1A or NAPA 1515 and have never had to overtighten it or have yet to blow a gasket out. I am not using a relief cover either. If you have an aluminum filter adapter, take it off, remove the nipple the filter screws on and take a flat file to it. There were a lot of those that got out on the market that were out of flat. Clean thoroughly before you reinstall it of course.

[vicsvw]

Changing Oil Filters will not fix the problum of two much oil pressure, just cover up a bad thing. Find out what your oil pressure is and then fix the problum. Vic.

[CHAZAVW]

i would go with 30 weight oil.....

i ran 20 50 synthetic modil 1 in my 1915 bug and was getting very very high pressure...

marc told me to try 30 weight.... did it and the pressure went way down......back to normal....

i went with castrol 10w30 or you could use kendall with zinc.... i did not have access to kendall......

[Marc]

Changing Oil Filters will not fix the problum of two much oil pressure, just cover up a bad thing. Find out what your oil pressure is and then fix the problum. Vic.

Vic, you still aren't gettin' it.
The oil pressure between the pump and a full-flow filter is determined only by the size and condition of the pump, the viscosity of the oil, and RPM - and it can be high enough to blow filters even if there is no "problem" with the oil pressure. With a stock setup (no filter) the pressure is relieved internally with no external indication...a full-flow filter is exposed to the full pump outlet pressure - only after the oil has passed through the media or the filter's own bypass valve and successfully returned to the case can any excess pressure be relieved, unless you use a pressure-relief pump cover.
Finding out what the pressure is downstream of the filter is of little use in solving a problem that's upstream of the filter. As Bruce2 and I have pointed out, the solution is most likely to use a lighter-weight oil.

[JohnK]

1. As suggested above get a K&N or equal filter. Fram HP1 is not equal.
2. If running a 30mm or larger pump maybe get a Berg by-pass cover.
There is a certain danger to running a by-pass cover, but I've used a couple for a few years with no problem. I've run 20-50 with no problems with this combination using a 30mm pump and 26mm pump. I mostly use K&N filters, but have used Mann, and Mobil 1 as well.

[Marc]

I ran a Berg cover on my Class 1 engine (26mm pump and 20W-50 oil)...blew filters easily if rev'ed out before up to operating temperature, and lighter oil was not an option when running full-out for hours at a time in the desert. Shimmed out the relief valve which helped some, but if you rapped 'er cold oil would spew from between the pump & cover (yes, Virginia, there's some serious pressure there, enough to bend a cast-iron cover).

...and Vic, that was with stock plungers & springs.

[NO_H2O]

The K&N will work. When I fired up my new 2275 it blew ot both my oil coolers (Volvo coolers-split them wide open) but the filter(K&N) never leaked a drop. Now I have a TIG welded aluminum RX7 oil cooler and it is all good.