First Oil Change Questions

[Hudson]

So I tackled my first oil change today on my 2018. I have watched oil change videos and read most of the forum instructions.
The truck was level, I let the oil drain from the pan for 15 minutes (top cap was off and the oil dipstick was removed)
I went to start to unscrew the oil filter and about half way while un-screwing i saw oil drips on the outside of the filter. I screwed it back up and waited 5 more minutes. Tried again, same thing. This time i unscrewed the filter completely off, put a plug in it and took it out. Had to wipe off oil from the frame and the catch piece of plastic above the axle.
My question is why is my experience different than every video I watched that claims no oil will spill from the filter once it is unscrewed?
Did I not wait long enough?
Did I warm up the truck to much and made the oil too thin?
Should I be bagging the filter before unscrewing with a Ziplock?

Your expertise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JHoward]

So I tackled my first oil change today on my 2018. I have watched oil change videos and read most of the forum instructions.
The truck was level, I let the oil drain from the pan for 15 minutes (top cap was off and the oil dipstick was removed)
I went to start to unscrew the oil filter and about half way while un-screwing i saw oil drips on the outside of the filter. I screwed it back up and waited 5 more minutes. Tried again, same thing. This time i unscrewed the filter completely off, put a plug in it and took it out. Had to wipe off oil from the frame and the catch piece of plastic above the axle.
My question is why is my experience different than every video I watched that claims no oil will spill from the filter once it is unscrewed?
Did I not wait long enough?
Did I warm up the truck to much and made the oil too thin?
Should I be bagging the filter before unscrewing with a Ziplock?

Your expertise would be greatly appreciated.

I've had my RAM truck(s) on ramps at the front wheels with my personal oil filter draining devise with no oil spill issues ...I used an used up modified discarded 1/2 gallon plastic Clorox bottle placed under the oil filter after loosing to direct and catch the oil from the filter into my drain pan ...

My method worked excellent for me ...

 

[RedcardRam]

They all have oil that drips....sounds like you probably did things correctly.
Be prepared for next time is all. Make something up like Jhoward or have rags and catch basins underneath prior to.
Good luck

 

[rzr6-4]

Oil has always run down the filter on every brand of vehicle, its just parts of the job. I've never thought of it as right or wrong, it just "is".

A little old oil still up there isn't going to hurt anything, and getting some oil on your hands is just part of doing an oil change.

 

[ramffml]

I agree that oil is always going to run down, but if you have 4x4 and the oil gets into your actuator harness which is conveniently located right under the filter, it can prevent 4x4 from engaging. Had that happen to me twice before I got mad and installed a relocation kit.

 

[Hudson]

Thank you for all your replies.
Sorry folks I should have specified that this oil change was on my new to me diesel. Never had issues with my Hemi, was always prepared with a cut out 1 gallon milk jug not to get oil on the steering rack. On the diesel though there is no way i can fit anything under the oil filter except maybe a ziplock. From the research i did it seems that if you let the oil pan drain long enough (30 minutes to 1 hour) there seems to be some sort of syphoning magic that happens at the oil filter, to syphon enough oil not to drip. On the next one I will be ready with a bag just in case

 

[06 Dodge]

Thank you for all your replies.
Sorry folks I should have specified that this oil change was on my new to me diesel. Never had issues with my Hemi, was always prepared with a cut out 1 gallon milk jug not to get oil on the steering rack. On the diesel though there is no way i can fit anything under the oil filter except maybe a ziplock. From the research i did it seems that if you let the oil pan drain long enough (30 minutes to 1 hour) there seems to be some sort of syphoning magic that happens at the oil filter, to syphon enough oil not to drip. On the next one I will be ready with a bag just in case

When I changed my own oil I let the oil drain a minimum of 25 minutes preferred 40 minutes then pulled the oil filter, as others have said a small amount of oil running down the side is normal

 

[Green_Manalishi]

Get one: https://www.amazon.com/DEF-57180-Fi...dp/B07GF7Y5F8?ref_=ast_sto_dp&tag=ramforum-20

After you remove the filter from the boss, screw it in and pull through the wheel well. "No runs, no drips, no errors." - Bob Uecker

 

[JHoward]

Thank you for all your replies.
Sorry folks I should have specified that this oil change was on my new to me diesel. Never had issues with my Hemi, was always prepared with a cut out 1 gallon milk jug not to get oil on the steering rack. On the diesel though there is no way i can fit anything under the oil filter except maybe a ziplock. From the research i did it seems that if you let the oil pan drain long enough (30 minutes to 1 hour) there seems to be some sort of syphoning magic that happens at the oil filter, to syphon enough oil not to drip. On the next one I will be ready with a bag just in case

Well, dang ok ...

 

[1979PowerWagon360]

On certain vehicles in the past, I've used aluminum foil as a shield because it's easily moldable but also doesn't change shape when some oil hits it.

 

[BossHogg]

Get one: https://www.amazon.com/DEF-57180-Fi...dp/B07GF7Y5F8?ref_=ast_sto_dp&tag=ramforum-20

After you remove the filter from the boss, screw it in and pull through the wheel well. "No runs, no drips, no errors." - Bob Uecker

This is what I use; it is hard to beat this method.

 

[truck2014]

This is what I use; it is hard to beat this method.

It's hard to believe that not everyone want's or does it thru the fender well . made a bit of mess first time trying the ziplock . So the next attempt was from up above ,removing turbo hose ,and whatever . IMO that was even worse leaning over doing that . Anyway after someone posted not long after I bought my 2014 new , showed a link for that filter cap that Geno's sells .

I always let mine drain overnight ,no rush . That filter is pretty empty , although I haven't tried it , might come out of there without the cap . I only say that , that it might be an option . Would I try , probably if I had of known that it drains the filter down quite a bit if given time when I first started doing the Cummins oil changes . But now with the filter cap ,makes it an easy job . For those that may not know, or just starting out with the oil changes , turn your tires all the way to the left before starting ,it helps reaching in there to remove ,and replace the oil filter .

And no , when I have just let the oil drain for say 30 minutes ,never experienced any oil dripping down the side of that filter . Although I do let it straight down as I unscrew it , and a towel stuffed in the cavity to rest the filter on when ready to screw on the cap , it has no where to go in there except down to the bottom of that cavity ,and It sits too low for my liking if let down in there .

 

[1979PowerWagon360]

It's hard to believe that not everyone want's or does it thru the fender well . made a bit of mess first time trying the ziplock . So the next attempt was from up above ,removing turbo hose ,and whatever . IMO that was even worse leaning over doing that . Anyway after someone posted not long after I bought my 2014 new , showed a link for that filter cap that Geno's sells .

I always let mine drain overnight ,no rush . That filter is pretty empty , although I haven't tried it , might come out of there without the cap . I only say that , that it might be an option . Would I try , probably if I had of known that it drains the filter down quite a bit if given time when I first started doing the Cummins oil changes . But now with the filter cap ,makes it an easy job . For those that may not know, or just starting out with the oil changes , turn your tires all the way to the left before starting ,it helps reaching in there to remove ,and replace the oil filter .

And no , when I have just let the oil drain for say 30 minutes ,never experienced any oil dripping down the side of that filter . Although I do let it straight down as I unscrew it , and a towel stuffed in the cavity to rest the filter on when ready to screw on the cap , it has no where to go in there except down to the bottom of that cavity ,and It sits too low for my liking if let down in there .

I also try and let my vehicles drain overnight. It's unbelievable how much more will drip out. I also run about a half qt of new oil through when it's done draining just to wash the bottom of the pan.

 

[BigTJohn]

Here is a hard one, how does one get the new filter to turn back onto its threads? Each oil change seems to get harder and harder to get the new filter back in place. There had to be a little trick I do not know. It takes me 15-30 minutes of try and try again and lots of "bad word, bad word" to get things back together. Thanks. And all forms of calling me stupid is compel understood.

 

[jejb]

Here is a hard one, how does one get the new filter to turn back onto its threads? Each oil change seems to get harder and harder to get the new filter back in place. There had to be a little trick I do not know. It takes me 15-30 minutes of try and try again and lots of "bad word, bad word" to get things back together. Thanks. And all forms of calling me stupid is compel understood.

Yeah, that can be a *****. I took a felt tip and drew lines that parallel the sides of the filter. Drew them on whatever I could find close by to the filter. That helped, at least I knew I was in the right area. I took the wheel off once, before I got the idea for the lines. That helped a ton.

 

[Hagar1]

Always pull the oil filter first before pulling the oil drain plug. By doing so, you "break" the let's call it air lock in the oil galleries and the oil drains from the oil galleries more efficiently. If in doubt, drain you oil, put the drain plug back in, then pull the filter and wait for about 5 minutes and pull the drain plug again. You will be surprised at the amount of oil in the oil galleries.

 

[truck2014]

Yeah, that can be a *****. I took a felt tip and drew lines that parallel the sides of the filter. Drew them on whatever I could find close by to the filter. That helped, at least I knew I was in the right area. I took the wheel off once, before I got the idea for the lines. That helped a ton.

Usually I get it on first try ,hand fatigue sets in pretty quick doing that filter . For me I use just one hand. As said in a previous post ,I have an old towel stuffed down in the cavity for the filter to rest on , so it's partially elevated to start with . For me I can just feel the threads when I go up with the filter . It's just a matter of being straight with the threads to screw it on . There have been times when I have had to take two or three stabs at it , but most of the time I get it with one try .