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Blowing out oil filter seals (3x)

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Old Jun 10, 2023 | 3:33 PM
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Default Blowing out oil filter seals (3x)

I have a 2004 Tahoe Z71 with the 5.3 in it. It's got about 180,000 miles on it. My wife and I took it on a 200 mile trip. Did great. Went to go and start it the next day and the seal on the "Fram" oil filter blew out right after starting up. Never happened before, bur whatever. I changed the oil and put on a new Napa gold series oil filter. Got in, fire it up, and the same thing. About 2-3 seconds after running it blew out the oil filter gasket. A buddy told me to try using a band strap wrench on it so I could get it a little bit tighter than I could by hand. So, put on another new filter (3rd filter is a new Napa Platinum), filled it with oil, turned on, 3 seconds later it blew out the seal again. The third time I paid close attention to the oil pressure gauge. It was at 40, which is about right at start up. I'm positive it was the ring around the top of the oil filter. I can see when it has been pushed out after the oil blows out of it. I had a buddy underneath, who saw the oil blow out the seal. I'm positive there aren't two seals on there. I always make sure I can see reflective metal when putting on a new oil filter. Any ideas? Ran great before and has been for almost a year. I'm OCD about oil changes. Running 5w30 not synthetic.

There is an oil bypass hold in the oil filter housing. I can easily push it in with a screw driver. From what I have found there is a oil pressure relief valve in the oil pan for the new models, but not mine. Is there one on the oil pump?

I know it would be nice to have a mechanical oil pressure reading, but if car runs for a few seconds 75% of the oil is shot out. It's a high pressure explosion, and I'm out of kitty litter......

Last edited by ldbranda@hotmail.com; Jun 10, 2023 at 3:37 PM.
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Old Jun 12, 2023 | 8:02 AM
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Originally Posted by ldbranda@hotmail.com
I have a 2004 Tahoe Z71 with the 5.3 in it. It's got about 180,000 miles on it. My wife and I took it on a 200 mile trip. Did great. Went to go and start it the next day and the seal on the "Fram" oil filter blew out right after starting up. Never happened before, bur whatever. I changed the oil and put on a new Napa gold series oil filter. Got in, fire it up, and the same thing. About 2-3 seconds after running it blew out the oil filter gasket. A buddy told me to try using a band strap wrench on it so I could get it a little bit tighter than I could by hand. So, put on another new filter (3rd filter is a new Napa Platinum), filled it with oil, turned on, 3 seconds later it blew out the seal again. The third time I paid close attention to the oil pressure gauge. It was at 40, which is about right at start up. I'm positive it was the ring around the top of the oil filter. I can see when it has been pushed out after the oil blows out of it. I had a buddy underneath, who saw the oil blow out the seal. I'm positive there aren't two seals on there. I always make sure I can see reflective metal when putting on a new oil filter. Any ideas? Ran great before and has been for almost a year. I'm OCD about oil changes. Running 5w30 not synthetic.

There is an oil bypass hold in the oil filter housing. I can easily push it in with a screw driver. From what I have found there is a oil pressure relief valve in the oil pan for the new models, but not mine. Is there one on the oil pump?

I know it would be nice to have a mechanical oil pressure reading, but if car runs for a few seconds 75% of the oil is shot out. It's a high pressure explosion, and I'm out of kitty litter......
Very odd. I swapped out a cartridge filter on my father's C-60 366 C-I, to a spin-on filter and never had an issue.

I stay as _far_ away from Fram filters of any kind as I can. If it's not Wix, Purolator or Bosch I won't touch it. I'm old-school, but once an oil filter was clogged up, it would use the bypass route to keep oil going to the motor.

A lot of idiots will not do an oil/ filter change on time. I once did an overhaul on a F**d 289 C-I V8, that was so badly taken care of that many of the push-rods were blocked with carbon deposit. I had to literally drill the crap out.

It was carbonized in other parts of the engine, but it was the owner's fault for not changing it regularly, not the oil.
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Old Jun 12, 2023 | 2:13 PM
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Originally Posted by ldbranda@hotmail.com
From what I have found there is a oil pressure relief valve in the oil pan for the new models, but not mine. Is there one on the oil pump?
There has to be. Maybe it's sticking.
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Old Jun 12, 2023 | 5:36 PM
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I'm probably just going to spend 3/4 of a day off work and replace the oil pump and pull the oil pan to see what is in there, and replace any valve I can find. I'm suprised that I can't find anything about this online.
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Old Jun 12, 2023 | 5:38 PM
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I will be trying different oil filters again after a small tear down of the engine. Thanks for the response.
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Old Dec 3, 2025 | 3:52 PM
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Originally Posted by ldbranda@hotmail.com
I will be trying different oil filters again after a small tear down of the engine. Thanks for the response.
this exact thing is happening with my 2000 suburban. We’re you able to come up with any answers?
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Old Dec 3, 2025 | 3:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Gmt800dude
this exact thing is happening with my 2000 suburban. We’re you able to come up with any answers?
I wasn't able to find a for sure answer. I took off the oil pan and found some of the oil had turned to a gravy type texture. I'm guessing the oil channels in the engine were blocked from the oil changing to jelly. There is also a oil pressure release valve in the oil pump that can hypothetically go out. I was going to replace the oil pump and see if they would help, but seeing the gravy oil everywhere I just decided to put an entire new engine in it. Sorry for the lack of an answer.
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