GT350 Cartridge Oil Filter Adapter Kit

I have been reading about some people who have been having issues with their oil filters coming loose and losing oil.

I have a 17 GT350 with a Sept 16 build date. My car has the screw on filter which appears to have some reliability issues with staying tight on the car. After reading of some of the other people headaches I am starting to wonder if it might make sense to purchase the Cartridge Oil Filter Adapter Kit and have the dealer install it. I'm thinking this might be a good insurance plan against any potential issues down the road.

Now knowing my luck the week after I do this Ford will do a recall and have all the screw on oil filter cars recalled to have this mod done.

Ford changed the filter housing for a reason and I wish they would just address it via a recall but I suspect the amount of money it has cost them to fix certain engines hasn't exceeded some threshold to just address this issue.

Has anyone on here done this mod? If so, just curious to hear your experience and what it cost.

Here is a link to the GT350 Cartridge Oil Filter Adapter Kit for those that are interested.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6881-52CA

-Thanks

My filter never loosened up, after being tightened to spec... Not sure how it would either, 24 Nm is pretty tight... 2 track days later, no change.

I made a mark with a sharpie on the side, and I can see it if I look under the car, just in front of the front right wheel...

didn't your oil adaptor kit come with your car? I bought mine used but the seller included it in the sale...

I just added a hose clamp that's up against the housing.

Of course I tightened to spec before I put the clamp on.

fastd said:

didn't your oil adaptor kit come with your car? I bought mine used but the seller included it in the sale...

Click to expand...

No, I bought the car new from a dealer and no adapter kit.

JT1 said:

I just added a hose clamp that's up against the housing.

Of course I tightened to spec before I put the clamp on.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, interesting idea. I might do this when I do my first oil change if I decide not to do the conversion kit.

In all of these oil filter failures, I wonder how many were due to not properly torquing down the filter?

Just torque it to spec and use the Sharpie method. The problems people were having were a result of some dumbass mechanic who didn't bother to torque it to spec.

On my 16 track pack, I torqued the filter to spec, marked it, and after 3 track days, it didn't move. Don't lubricate the o ring either with this vehicle, wipe the housing clean and spin the filter on.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the spin on filter is a better performing filter than the generic cartridge filter that is now installed on the newer vehicles.

Tomster said:

Just torque it to spec and use the Sharpie method. The problems people were having were a result of some dumbass mechanic who didn't bother to torque it to spec.

On my 16 track pack, I torqued the filter to spec, marked it, and after 3 track days, it didn't move. Don't lubricate the o ring either with this vehicle, wipe the housing clean and spin the filter on.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the spin on filter is a better performing filter than the generic cartridge filter that is now installed on the newer vehicles.

Click to expand...

^ I 2nd this...I have a trusted dealer that has preformed a total of 3 oil changes so far and I have yet to have any issues with the filter coming loose. It seems that as long as the filter is installed and torqued properly, you'll be fine.

I've also heard that the spin on filter is a better filter than the cartridge style (though I am not expert myself).

JT1 said:

I just added a hose clamp that's up against the housing.

Of course I tightened to spec before I put the clamp on.

Click to expand...

This! Works great and never have to worry about it coming off.
Don't need to put a lot of clamping force onto the filter, you don't want to destort it. Very easy, simple reassuring way of taking care of this.

If you do a search on GT350 oil filter, there was a thread on this some time ago. I posted a picture of it on the filter with it timed against the aluminum housing. I don't fear it in the least now.

fastd said:

didn't your oil adaptor kit come with your car? I bought mine used but the seller included it in the sale...

Click to expand...

To clarify, Ford Racing sells an "oil filter adapter kit" for the GT350 that allows using the newer style cartridge filter as opposed to the older style, canister filter.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6881-52CA

The adapter is a large chunk of cast aluminum/machined that sandwiches between the engine block and the oil filter.

What was sent out to GT350 owners was a complimentary box containing an oil filter and wrench for owners of vehicles produced before January of 2017 - not an oil filter adapter.

Guys, thanks for the input and sharing your real world experiences. This gives me more confidence in staying with the screw on type filter.

Tomster, thanks for the tip on not lubricating the o-ring. I have always oiled the o-ring on the filter as a habit when changing the oil on my cars over the years, but it would make sense in this case not to do it.

Well this subject has come up before. The owners supplement says to oil the oil ring and if you put it on dry your really looking for an issue that if it comes loose and you loose your engine it won't be covered by warranty (and they will be able to tell). Its all a matter of the torque being at proper specs so that its on tight enough. And you won't have an issue with it coming off. "oil that gasket just as it says to do"

^^ +1 - You always lubricate the rubber seal, otherwise you are looking at the possibility that it does not seat properly or it distorts or tears. A lubricated seal has NOTHING to do with the filter vibrating loose.

Ford test driver that helped developed this car has told me personally to upgrade to cartridge type filter if you track it hard.

btw. the upgrade kit is nationally backordered tilled mid October.

I stand corrected. The manual says to apply oil to the oil filter gasket. I was working off of memory that a respected member said not to.

Oh well