oil leak near oil filter

[sehaare]

Had been seeing fluids in the driveway, so today I stuck my head under there and it looks like I have an oil leak up near the oil filter on my 98 V6 SOHC. I used the search function and found some very old post about a leaky o-ring on the filter housing. I believe it is where the housing bolts to the engine.

The post I found were all ancient and none really had a good way to fix it with the engine in the car. Is there any new info on this type of leak? Has anyone fixed it with the engine still in the car. It doesn't look like it will be a whole lot of fun getting tools up in there.

Thanks in advance for any help

Steve

 

[windsors03cobra]

Yes you can change it in the car, its a PITA. If I remember correctly the main problem lies in the fact that you can only get like a 1/16th of a turn on a wrench which makes it hard to get on the next set of flats on the 6 pointed head.
Kind of a special orange o ring in there if I remember correctly

 

[CrAzEd412]

sehaare, I am experiencing the same exact problem. I happened to change the oil one day and noticed that there was oil leaking down the side of the filter. Proceeded to change the oil, made sure that there wasn't the original gasket stuck to the filter adapter. Ended up thinking it was the type of filter, 2 motorcrafts and one fram later and still same problem. Began thinking it was coming from the same area, searched via the search button found similar posts with the same problem but no end conclusions if that fixed the problem. Would like to find out if the gasket that mates the adapter up to the block is the problem?

 

[sehaare]

looks like this would be an easy fix if you could only get up in there to do the work. Hoping to hear from someone who has done it recently with any advice

Steve

 

[swetrid]

I have done them but you need a special allen wrench to do it in the car. It is a PITA and very hard to break the bolt loose.

 

[sehaare]

I have done them but you need a special allen wrench to do it in the car. It is a PITA and very hard to break the bolt loose.

What kind of "special" allen wrench? Is it really a torx or a triple square? How about an Allen socket and a fine tooth socket wrench?

Thanks
Steve

 

[sehaare]

I took a look up in there today, and with the filter still installed you can't see much, but it looks like the Filter housing is held on by one large hex head bolt in the center of the housing. I didn't see any allens. was I looking at it wrong?

 

[swetrid]

Allen keys and hex head are same fasteners, there isnt enough room for a allen socket.
The allen key is very large and not something easily found at stores, thats what i meant when I said special allen key.