Symptoms: Recently tried to overheat pegging out once on temp gauge. Refilled fluid and couldn't find a leak. Coolant was down to about 25% full in radiator.

Status: Oil change last night including new filter. Today my wife calls and says van started billowing smoke from under hood but temp gauge was normal. Left it where it was and I came home from work and went to look. Found that what I thought was going to be a radiator leak was actually oil. Thinking I may have just overfilled the engine with oil I started the van and found that oil was pouring out from between the oil filter and the exhaust manifold (i think that's what it is since it's front wheel drive and covered in that silver metal shield). All of the engine oil has pumped out of there.

There were no signs of an oil leak when I did the oil change. We're suspecting cracked head or head gasket blown. Maybe a seal of some kind. The oil was clear like new when it first poured out and when I started it the rest came out which was brown. Probably whatever didn't drain from the oil change. None of it looked milky like you'd expect if the water or radiator fluid was leaking in to it.

Maybe I just misthreaded the oil filter? What do you guys think?

 

no leak before you changed so I will suggest
get a good filter wix puralator and more oil.... remove old filter...inspect maybe missing seal or the old filter seal is stuck to the engine sealing surface...

 

I agree if the old filter gasket is stuck in the filter retainer groove and a new filter and gasket is installed, under pressure,oil will be everywhere. Been there,done that and it is not pretty. Take the old filter off and make sure the old gasket is not stuck in the filter retainers groove.