prefill new oil filter?!?

[2001XJeep]

I've never bothered to prefill the oil filter because it will just make too much mess and waste. But if you're really concerned, why not just pull the fuel pump fuse and crank it over till you get pressure?? Then plug the fuse back in and away you go. Seems a lot easier than trying to prefill a filter that's installed horizontally...

But it all seems like a waste of time to me. Between the 5 4.0's I've owned (total of over 500k miles) I've never prefilled and have never had any engine oil-related problems.

 

[KarlVP]

No, I don't prefill my filters. I've never had any oil related problems.

And for the record, running the motor for a bit before doing an oil change, stirrs up the sediment into the oil, and it goes out when you pull the plug. If you let it get all the way cold before you change it, you are talking sludge factory.

 

[ILLXJ]

I prefill mine, before I start the oil change. The filter has time to soak up the oil & when I put it on no mess. I don't know if it makes any difference but it seems that the pressure comes up quicker. I know it does on the wifes Durango. JIM.

 

[o2bgpn]

Don’t waste my time pre filling. I’ve been changing my own oil since ‘77. I’ve owned many different cars. Honda, GM, Mazda, Toyota, Jeep, VW, even a Russian Lada Niva 4x4 and others. A few I owned over 10 years and most had over 100k miles.

You probably start your car cold in the morning over a 100 times between oil changes. Say it took a quarter second to get from the output of the oil pump to the farthest moving part of your engine (which would be pretty darn fast). That means that part of your engine would be without oil for at least 25 seconds between oil changes. You do far more damage to your engine during morning start-up then the 2 seconds it takes to build pressure when you change your oil. Besides, oil leaves a film (that’s its job). The 15 minutes between when I shut off the engine, change the oil (while drinking a beer), and restart the engine to rebuild pressure (and look for leaks) is not enough time for the oil to “sheet” off the metal.

I agree with others who say pre-filling is silly.

 

[mikeny59]

Decided to fill w/a little oil, not enough for any major leakage, and pull the coil wire and crank until I see prssure,

thanks for all the info, appreciated,

Mike

 

[Jim Mesthene]

If you're going to be silly, pulling the coil wire isn't going to be good enough. You're still loading the bearings from the compression.
You'd have to remove the plugs to unload the bearings while you crank up oil pressure; don't forget to disable the ignition primary circuit to avoid fire risk. You'll need to unplug the injectors so you don't get raw gas washing the oil off the cylinder walls while you're cranking.

 

[lilredwagn]

I agree with others who say pre-filling is silly.

I thought pre-filling was silly, and now I have tape on my face!

 

[mikeny59]

I think we all do things to our vehicles - and in other aspects of our lives - that are overkill/redundant/or maybe just plain old unnecessary, but can't hurt; just waste thirty seconds getting involved in a mineral vs. sythetic thread:doh:

I just wish my oil filter was vertical hasta ....................

 

[mattyg]

For Marine Diesals, manuals will say to soak the filter with oil for a few hours before installation to reduce differential pressure. The filters go on veritcal usaully so spillage is minimal. In my XJ i'll do the same soak filter for an hour then drain half and slap her together. More critical in a big diesal to get instant oil pressure most have prelube pumps aswell.

On a side note i love working on marine diesals, detroit, cummins, yanmar, peilstick volvo penta love them all
yaaar matys

 

[Hellbent]

i've always prefilled mine, my dad always did it. i already have the filter in my hand, and the oil right there. it isn't any trouble, and it certainly doesn't hurt anything. i don't know what other people are doing, but it doesn't make any mess for me. plus it makes me feel better, and that's all that matters.

 

[johnlv6]

That's not something i've ever done.