Re: oil filters

["Leslie J. Singh" <Les.Singh@domain.elided>]

At 02:24 PM 6/25/02 -0400, you wrote:

> Michael wrote:
> >In addition to overtightening the filter (tight means no leaks right? or
> >are they afraid the thing will vibrate loose!)
Tony Sims replied
> It happens.  It's good idea for a car used for track days (or certainly on a
> race car that has a spin-on filter) to fabricate a (technical term coming)
> "filter anti-vibrate loose thingy".  Big hose clamp and a strong spring
> works.  Pumping 7 quarts of hot oil onto the track right in front of your
> rear tires will not make your day better, nor will it make you the object of
> affection of your club mates...

Well said! It happened to me the first time I was on a track with a 2000 
GTV; previously I had only raced a 1750. I had changed the oil and put a 
new filter on in preparation and had taken the instructions too seriously 
to "tighten to touch then slightly more till firm" or words to that effect. 
I was enjoying myself immensely till the car filled with smoke and a huge 
cloud of smoke blanked out part of the track behind me. I cheked - oil 
pressure ok, no knocks etc so couldn't be a rod. Yup; the filter had spun 
loose and the hot oil had sprayed all over the even hotter exhaust. Got 
towed in by a Pontiac Firebird - great tow vehicle ...?? Now I don't use a 
clamp (which is about the best insurance) but instead I tighten that filter 
real tight, as tight I can get it with bare hands, then recheck 
periodically. Makes it hard to get off but its better than the sort of 
drama I had.

Les (still remembered by classic racers as "The Oil Filter Guy"... :(
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