Why are some oil filters on top?

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07-29-2014, 10:24 PM HappyRider  

Location: Montgomery County, PA

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I changed the oil on couple of our trucks past weekend, an Explorer and a Dakota. Neither of them could be reached from the top, so as I was doing contortions to get under the engine I wondered why can't the oil filter be moved to the top of the engine? Has any car ever had it like that?

 

07-29-2014, 10:28 PM Electrician4you  

Location: Riverside Ca

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BMW and a few others. The ford 6.0 diesel. I believe they are called oil bath filters. The canister has a screw on lid and the filter element is replaceable. Then you simply screw the top back on when you replace the filter itself. Some old Chevys used to be this way. I'm sure some others

To me it makes sense cause you're replacing the filter element and the case stays. Where in traditional screw on filters you throw everything out and install new.

 

07-29-2014, 10:56 PM TrapperL  

Location: Texas

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All of the old cars were on top. That's before they came out with the screw on cartridge type filter that almost all car makers use now. The biggest issue with one is that sludge and grit has a tendency to settle in the bottom of the can. A quick change oil place isn't going to clean it out and they probably won't even wipe it out. I don't remember many broken oil lines but I'm sure it could be an issue. The cartridge type is a lot easier to use....usually. There are kits out there for the old style canister filters if you have the want.

 

07-29-2014, 11:02 PM HappyRider  

Location: Montgomery County, PA

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I don't understand why the cartridge style makes it more suitable for top location? The other thing is if it went in horizontal or vertical? I have seen horizontal filters on stationary diesel engines.

 

07-30-2014, 04:46 AM sunsprit  

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M-B diesels used a replaceable element oil filter for many years, and the engines in the 240D and 300D had a vertical housing accessed at the left top rear of the engine. Two nuts to hold the top on, remove those and the element lifted out to the top. Easy to access and quick to change. The earlier models had a replaceable filter element and a user serviced nylon/plastic pre-filter that was supposed to be cleaned in solvent before re-use, with the housing easily accessed from the bottom of the car.

Have seen many easily accessed spin-on filter locations on euro cars, some horizontal, some vertical ....

I share your frustration with the location of the spin-on oil filters in the USA diesel truck engines. Recently changed the oil on my 7.3 powerstroke and my Cummins 12v ... neither has good access to the filter to get a strap wrench on it or to remove it and the access to install a new filter is limited. It usually takes a few tries to line up the filter correctly to get it started on the threads for install. The filter on the later model Dodge diesels cannot be accessed from the top side, they've gone to a shaped bottom on the filter so that a cap wrench can be used to remove/install it from the bottom.

 

07-30-2014, 05:26 AM motordavid  

Location: Mtns of Waynesville,NC & Nokomis, FL

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Our '01 3.0 IL6, BMW X5 has its replaceable drop in cartridge filter up on top of engine...
GL, mD

 

07-30-2014, 05:47 AM Hemlock140  

Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area

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I had a 1989 S10 Blazer which had hoses from below to just behind the grill next to the headlight where the filter was located, made it so much easier to change.

 

07-30-2014, 06:34 AM Merc63  

Location: Pikesville, MD

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The main problem with them on top is the oil spillage when you remove or install them (since you're supposed to partially fill them before installing). Catching the spilled oil that comes out when you take teh filter off is problematic at best. So having them spin on from underneath means that they spill less AND the spilled oil is easier to catch with a tray or tub.

My BMW engine had the oil filter right up front of the engine on top, seen here as the silver cylinder with the black cap. So easy to get to and replace the filter in:

The older Mazda rotary engines had the spin on filter right on top, as you can see in this picture:The main problem with them on top is the oil spillage when you remove or install them (since you're supposed to partially fill them before installing). Catching the spilled oil that comes out when you take teh filter off is problematic at best. So having them spin on from underneath means that they spill less AND the spilled oil is easier to catch with a tray or tub.My BMW engine had the oil filter right up front of the engine on top, seen here as the silver cylinder with the black cap. So easy to get to and replace the filter in:

 

07-30-2014, 06:52 AM MckinneyOwnr  

Location: Prosper

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I've also had a BMW with top filter.

I vastly prefer a bottom mount filter. One, particles in the oil settle down, not up. You want that stuff out of the oil stream and not fighting gravity. Two, I've had an oil filter burst before, and this was on an engine that had it horizontally mounted in about the middle of the engine. The oil got all over the turbo heatshield and caught fire. If it had been under the car, that would have never happened.

My 911 has it on top, but it's a cartridge type filter so there's no mess when removing/installing really. I'd rather it was mounted below somewhere since you have to get under the car to remove the drain plugs anyway, so it's a bit of a pain to have to crawl out from under the car to finish the job.

 

07-30-2014, 07:03 AM Vannort54  

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The dodge 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 oil filter is on top also. Thats a great motor also. I have a 2011 Dodge jorney with the 3.6 and it runs like a dream, suspension was designed by Mercedes-Benz and floats down the road.

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Wow, you really have been saving up oil filter questions for 50 years, Randy. I'm glad you didn't wait another 10 years or I'd have to take over the Real Estate section to finish this answer.

The reason there are so many different filters is because engines are all different. And space is at a premium. Most engine compartments I work on these days have no room to spare. So when designing an engine, all the immovable parts are designed first. Then later in the process, they find a place for the filter, preferably right on the engine block. In order to fit oil filters into the nooks and crannies manufacturers ultimately allot for them, filters have to come in all different shapes and sizes.

Generally speaking, more expensive filters are better than cheap ones, because they use better filtration materials. Instead of plain old Charmin, filters now use materials like synthetic glass microfibers, which do a better job of filtering the oil. That's also why smaller filters can be used. With better filtration materials, they can provide all the filtration the engine needs in a smaller volume.

We tend to stick with OEM filters -- the filters made by the car's manufacturer. You can never go wrong with those. Modern filters also have check valves, which explains why the oil doesn't drain out of your Subaru filter, even though it's mounted upside-down. Without a check valve, the oil would drain out, and that would be a problem. If the oil drained out, every time you started your car, your oil pump first would have to fill the oil filter, leaving other parts under lubricated for those first few crucial seconds that the engine is running. But the check valve keeps the filter full and completely solves that problem.

So, basically, Randy, there's nothing to worry about. Stick with a Subaru filter or other quality brand, and you'll get all the filtration you need. I'll look forward to hearing from you in 50 years.

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