Puking oil front driver side :(

[its_me_walt]

Good morning folks. I wanted to run car up to temp before i left for work (in storage for winter). Oil started dripping/puking out from driver side near oil filter. Lost 2 quarts in like 2 minutes before i noticed.

I had to leave for work before being able to get it jacked up or on ramps. did the oil filter gasket maybe blow out because it was cold/high pressure? what would cause this. is there an oil cooler or something else located near there?

stops leaking when not running, or leaks more slowly

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[CJJon]

There is an oil cooler there by the filter. A filter gasket is the easy button fix, so it's probably not that.

 

[EFI]

Could be the filter is not on tight enough. Or the whole cooler housing is loose against the block.

 

[CJJon]

 

[Genxer]

I get some seepage in that area as well. I know the filter is tight, I've checked it. It isn't enough to warrant a repair at this point, but over many miles I see an oil film on everything down there and there's an old oil spot in my garage that is mostly dry, again a film. Seems like these Fords aren't as tight as the Japanese cars I own. To me the plastic connectors that Ford uses are a little sus.

 

[CJJon]

I get some seepage in that area as well. I know the filter is tight, I've checked it. It isn't enough to warrant a repair at this point, but over many miles I see an oil film on everything down there and there's an old oil spot in my garage that is mostly dry, again a film. Seems like these Fords aren't as tight as the Japanese cars I own. To me the plastic connectors that Ford uses are a little sus.

The OP is having a serious leak where quarts of oil are coming out. He is beyond a simple weepy filter gasket.

 

[Jackson1320]

Oil filter, oil cooler, oil sender, or housing to block gasket

 

[MyStang]

Retrace your footsteps. What was the last thing you did to the car before your parked it ? If it was an oil change maybe you have the gasket from the old filter stuck up there. 50+ psi at start up could dump quite a bit of oil in a short time.

 

[GreenS550]

It has been my experience that simple things explain most issues. A thought is that the oil filter was not real tight and evernight with cooler temps which usually means contraction of anything metal and cooler temps mean the rubber gaskets get stiffer, hence the pressure and thicker oil could cause oil to squirt out quickly.

I can see how 2 quarts could come out in 2 minutes, no problem. The slower leaking when hot could explain this as the metal expands along with the gaskets. Could also be a faulty oil filter that under the higher pressures at startup finally separated from the pinch weld area.

 

[ICU812]

Retrace your footsteps. What was the last thing you did to the car before your parked it ? If it was an oil change maybe you have the gasket from the old filter stuck up there. 50+ psi at start up could dump quite a bit of oil in a short time.

Yup, very easy to forget to look and make sure the old gasket came off with old filter and then leak bad once the two gaskets walk .

 

[GreenS550]

Yup, very easy to forget to look and make sure the old gasket came off with old filter and then leak bad once the two gaskets walk .

This occurred on my brother's Fairmont 40 years ago. The dealership left old gasket on. Half way home from the dealership the filter started leaking badly and he didn't know until the oil pressure light went on. Too late by then.

 

[its_me_walt]

sorry for late reply, got busy at work.

Ill get under the car tonight and report back. the transmission was out (clutch replaced) and longtubes installed prior to winter storage. But i had put 800 miles on it with no issues until now. Not sure if anything regarding the oil system would have been touched for the longtubes/clutch

ill report what i find tonight.

 

[its_me_walt]

all gravy, there was a dent and hole in oil filter (facing up)

im thinking when they did the headers they hit it with something without knowing. 800 miles it was fine. sitting cold and then starting with high pressure popped the weakened part.

swapped filter and topped off with oil. good to go.

 

[Genxer]

Good catch. The very reason when something unexpected happens soon after doing some work, it’s always a good idea to start there.

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