I have a buddy that always prefills his new oil filters before installation
claiming that the engine will be less starved for oil after re-starting it.

Of course, if your oil filter mounts at 90 degrees or upside down like
some Beemers this doesnt apply.

Just wondering if anyone here does this and how much does this really reduce
engine wear. (during initial startup after an oil change)

Kit

[This message has been edited by Kitskaboodle (edited 08-07-2009).]

I do with my truck... It mounts vertically so nothing spills out.
All of my other vehicles oil filters go on empty.

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86 GT
87 coupe restoration project.

I do not pre-fill mine, my KNN filters actually have what looks like a little do not fill icon on them.

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 08-07-2009).]

All mine are at an angle so don't bother either.

I have always been told to prime it by just tapping the motor over a couple times to get the oil going before you start it the first time...

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-Brian

My 87 GT Poly Suspension Upgrade (all pics) thread https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/094633.html

I've always been taught to oil the rubber seal to help stop leaks. never had any leaks/issues.

so changing oil for me goes back to the 60's.

I've never primed the oil filter. When you crank the engine, the first thing that gets oil pressure is the filter.

It fills up really fast. No need in my experience.

Arn

It doesn't hurt anything to prefill the filter. On the Fiero, being mounted at an angle, you can partially fill it, roll it around to soak the element, then add some more oil to partially fill it. We hear so much about engine wear caused by oil starvation at startup, and that's with a fully primed filter. Can't hurt to prefill it.

IF YOU CHANGE OIL ON A TURBO DIESEL i've been told to fill the filter (normally a 2 qt oil filter, mounted vertically) or it will burn up the turbo. just relaying what i've been told/

I always pre-fill mine. As was mentioned, the Fiero's filter mounts at an angle, but its possible to get it at least halfway filled without spilling.

I've had other cars where the filter mounts straight upright, and on those I filled it about 3/4 full.

I alway pre fill and let them sit for a while . The element will asorb the oil. I pour the remaining oil in the engine. I do not want to run my engine with no oil pressure. There is none till the filter fills.

I always prefill as much as possible and keep the filters vertical on engine swaps when I can.

me too

As a tech, I did a lot of oil changes over the years. I always noticed that when you get a car with high mileage and dont pre fill the filter, it makes a lot of noise on that first startup. Sure, the pressure builds up and the filter fills in a matter of seconds, but do you really want to risk the amount of damage it does to run a 150,000 mile engine without oil for even 3 seconds? Im not saying the engine is gonna blow just from not filling the filter, but on ALL my own cars I prefill the filter to REDUCE the amount of wear.

-Joe

Not me. No mess. I did but not now. Sideway filter to fill up? It sucks. Get more on floor that in engine.

If you need to... Just not start it until oil filter fills. If you run engine recently then Oil all ready on engine to protect starting cycle. Bump the starter or if need, kill ignition coil. Kill coil by unplug Primary (low voltage) or DIS PIM power. Not secondary high voltage! You can damage the system.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 08-07-2009).]

I usually run the engine Before the oil change, it drains better hot. then when it starts, the oil is still in the crank/bearings, so it's Not starting dry.

I rookied as an oil changer (and still do sometimes) here at Ford before becoming a technician.

I never prefill the filter,it just makes a mess.

Don't take the filter all the way off at once,unscrew till it pours out from the seal and let it drain till it stops. less messy.

I also don't oil the gasket,there is oil on the mount anyway and it doesn't matter. (maybe old cork style gaskets would bind up?)

I know on the ford diesel's prefilling the oil filter at the top does nothing for you but fill the crankcase. Pulling the cap unsprings the check valve in the filter housing (don't forget to unscrew the housing before draining pan!) and anything in there will simply fall to the crankcase. The turbo oil lines have a checkvalve I think and won't drainback anyway.
Yet we do prefill them on the older 7.3 (and chevy duramax we do) -this isn't due to the turbo,but the injectors which use oil pressure to actuate(direct injection)

After you finish up and fill up with oil,start the vehicle (don't rev the motor on startup people,not much oil flowing for the crank!)
When the pressure guage goes to normal after a few seconds kill it,allow a minute for the oil to drain from the heads.

Check oil,don't fill it to the top of the stick.
Fill it to the middle of the hash marks on the stick. If you are at the top and lose some oil you won't be alarmed seeing it halfway and might not think anything of it when checking.
If you fill it to the middle of the hash marks and lose oil it will be near the bottom and make you take notice.

Biggest issues i've seen is not using the right socket (most vehicles are metric nowadays) and not looking and verify that the old oil filter gasket came off (doublegasketing) thus blowing oil everywhere on startup.

Never ever ever ever ever take your car to walmart for an oil change.
I sound biased against walmart probably,but i'm not-I have much experience with them due to repairs.
They forget to put in oil,put in the wrong oil (yes it matters) leave out the drainplug etc...
I've made many a dollar putting new engine's in from them.
(their gas also sucks and batteries are terrible-even the maxx)

Never realized any benefit from prefilling the oil filter. Just change oil & filter, restart let engine catch and quickly turn off. Wait 10 seconds restart-done. Even with the filter installed dry there is plenty residiual oil in the engine to keep it lubricated for the seconds that it takes to fill the new filter and build pressure.

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

From the cheap garage ,,Tho I seldom bath.. I hate getting oil all over me,, it forces an early bath unless sunday nite..You can punch/drill a hole in the filter to help drain it,, there is little to gain by a prefill UNLESS as stated earlier your engine is a clattering bat/rodent guano nitemare..
Never let the engine drain overnite to get the last drop..ALLWAYS drain hot,,better to let the drain plug fly into the oil drain pan,, than to burn your hand..
remember to plan your oil drain after a lengthy drive ,,have stuff ready the hot oil drains, FAST..
This is another place where it pays to have some cardboard boxes separated and flat so you do not get oil every where .. I understand you never make a mistake ..but go ahead be prepared..
A 6x4 or larger flatten cardboard is better than a creeper especially on a fiero ,quickly slide it under car with drain pan and wrench in place,, voila !! hmmm made a mess any way no wonder Im not married..

My integra has 242k on the original motor, ive never prefilled an oil filter. The split second it takes to fill the filter is nothing. The crank wont have time to burn off the residue oil on the bearings.

No point to it really, unless you just like making a mess.

I do always lube the rubber seal. I build transmissions for a living and from the beginning ive always been taught to properly lubricated the rubber seals when installing apply pistons, so that carries over to everything else automotive.

"Do you prefill your new oil filter with oil before installing it?"

No.

Instead pull the 5 amp fuse to the fuel pump. Crank the engine till oil pressure gauge needle moves off zero.
Stop cranking and replace fuse. Start engine.

That prevents power stroke loading of the rods and bearings with no oil pressure.

Or who needs oil? Just use VMax or Prolong.

I have preloaded oil ilters for over 45 years and only had one engine failure (a 1965 Riviera) It can't hurt.

i tried that once, got oil all over me, didnt bother to ever do it again. sideways ftl.

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88 Quad Coupe
88 Formula 5spd, t-tops (under restoration)
87 GT Blown motor, for now

My Email is: sage14823@hotmail.com

Not on the Fieros, too hard to do, and it holds so little oil that I doubt that it takes long to fill once the engine starts.

I do on my F250 diesel though, the filter holds 2 quarts, and is mounted vertically, bottom down, and the oil stays put while installing, I feel like it's necessary.

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RickN
White 88GT 5spd
White 85GT Auto
White 99 F250SD 7.3PSD 6spd
1956 Ford 860 Tractor w/ Freeman Loader
20Ft Tilt Bed Trailer

quote Originally posted by 30+mpg: "Do you prefill your new oil filter with oil before installing it?" No. Instead pull the 5 amp fuse to the fuel pump. Crank the engine till oil pressure gauge needle moves off zero. Stop cranking and replace fuse. Start engine. That prevents power stroke loading of the rods and bearings with no oil pressure. Or who needs oil? Just use VMax or Prolong.

On most EFI engine's you can enter what's called flood mode by simply turning the key on,pushing the pedal to the floor and starting the engine.
This shuts off the injector's on most vehicles-putting gas to the floor after key on,but before start.
I use it to prime crate engine's when I put them in.
Not sure what all vehicle's do it,just know that most all fords do it.

Be wary of prolong and other cleaners in your trans fluid,sometimes they can clean all the gunk out that helping your trans shift.
I have personally put prolong in my perfectly fine 4L60E and drove to the end of the driveway and trans fell out of gear and never shifted back(until rebuild).
Same goes for trans flushes,don't flush on a high mileage vehicle (I won't do it after 100k if it's never been done).