Oil filter leak

[brick8]

Having an issue when changing the oil on my 2016 explorer piu with the 3.7 liter engine. I think I must have cross-threaded the new filter because oil came spurting out when I started the motor. Fortunately, I checked before driving it off the ramps in my garage. Question that I have is do I need to drain all the oil before removing and replacing the filter? Would prefer not to waste five/six quarts of new oil, but also don't want to make an even bigger mess.

 

[jade97]

You might have left the gasket from the old filter stuck to the engine. If you did, the oil will spray out between the 2 gaskets.

No, you don't need to drain the oil. Remove the filter, check to see if the old filter gasket is not in place (remove it if it's there). Clean the filter base, reinstall the filter, and top up the oil level.

 

[brick8]

Thanks. I think the "new" filter (Motorcraft) was defective. It pretty much just fell off. Put on another new filter, different brand (WIX), problem solved. Have a pretty big mess to clean up on the floor of my garage.