I'm about to do my first oil change on my truck and go to synthetic oil. I was just browsing through the forum and in one of the how-to's, the person said to fill the new oil filter with oil before you put it on. I've been changing my own oil for years and have never done this, nor heard of it being done. Do you do this before screwing on the new filter?

 

No, that's just stupid to fill the new oil filter with new oil. Or he might meant to lubed the filter thread before you screw it on.

 

I'm glad I'm not crazy. I always lube the filter gasket before screwing it on. He specifically said to fill the filter with oil.

 

What weight oil are you guys using in the Hemi? 5W-30? What brand? Thanks

 

we do this with our desiel engines because the filters are so large and take so much oil, but the filter on a gas engine isnt that big, i wouldnt worry about doing it.

 

In the HEMI with MDS got to use 5W 20 motor oil. If you don't the MDS won't work right. The dealer done my first oil change @ 3000 miles free of charge. They use Mopar oil 5W 20.


I always fill my new oil filter with oil before putting it on if I can. Builds oil pressure quicker on start up, just makes me feel better.

 

Filling the new filter with new oil is hardly "stupid." Required? No. Good idea? Yes.
Sure, it "only" takes a second to fill up the new filter when you put it in dry, but that "just a second"' is not good on the engine, and is 100% preventable wear.

 

Exactly! The rule I use is if you can fill the filter and install it without spilling the oil out then you should. This is absolutley not a stupid idea.

 

I run an oversized M1-301 filter on a 6k mi OCI. Since the filter is 2x bigger than the stock sized M1-204, I fill the filter with oil before putting it on. Since the filter mount is vertical, there's no spilling anything. When I didn't fill the filter first, I had several seconds of 2000 rpm operation with zero oil pressure. I heard the bearings tapping "loudly." After that experience, filling the filter is definitely in book as a best practice. OTOH, my Toyota (horizontal) and Caravan (angled) just get the gasket lubed, too much spillage to make filling the filter practical.

Roger...

 

OMG?!?!
It never occurred to me that there are people out there that actually change their own oil that DON'T fill up the filter before installation.
I thought that was one of those official Miller Lite Man Laws... or did I see the wrong commercial? [8D]

I'd never do that way (dry filter).

Lord only knows what kind of bad things could happen in those few(split?) seconds where oil isn't flowing while the filter is filling (remember, it holds 2/3rds of a qt!!!!)
If you can reduce the "dry time" by filling up the filter, you should... it's cheap/free protection, and makes a lot of sense when you're working on a $30-$40,000 vehicle.

Heck, the filters on my boat, which is powered by twin 3196 Caterpillars, hold 5 quarts each. Each engine holds 8 gallons, and costs $75,000 to replace, NOT including labor....
You better believe those filters get pre-filled at each oil change.