Pro tip: A dab of grease on the oil filter gasket really does stop leaks

I had a 2015 Civic that kept weeping oil from the new filter, even after I hand-tightened it. After the third try, I smeared a thin coat of fresh oil on the rubber gasket before installing, and it sealed up perfectly. Anyone else have a different trick for stubborn filter leaks?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_thomas29d agoProlific Poster

Oh man, that trick is a lifesaver. Had the same headache with an old Corolla, a slow drip that drove me nuts. Cleaned the filter mating surface on the block with brake cleaner too, just in case there was some grit. Putting a thin film of oil on the gasket lets it slide and seat properly without bunching up. It's one of those simple things that makes you feel silly for not doing it the first time.

patricia_chen6729d ago

Honestly I used to think that oil trick was pointless until @adam_thomas saved me from another leak.

dylan_anderson22d ago

Yeah, the oil trick is good, but what really gets me is the torque sequence. People will do the oil film but then just crank the bolts down in a circle. You gotta follow the star pattern and do it in steps, like the book says. If you just muscle them down one by one, you can warp the whole housing and cause a leak no matter how much oil you used. Seen it happen.