Hello,

Changed the oil in my 96 Dodge ram 1500 V8 360 yesterday and when I took off the oil filter it was pretty dry. It usually drips all over when I unscrew it.

It was heavier in weight than the new filter so I knew there was some oil in it, but none of the oil would spill out when I turned it over.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

I called a local oil changing place and the guy there had never seen it. I called a auto parts store and the guy there had never heard of it.

Could the oil have been so low it didn't get to the filter? When I drained the oil from the pan it was low.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Trip

 

No. If it was too low to get to the filter you would have had "0" oil pressure. The filter sits vertical with the threaded end up?

 

Late thought - and one of the pro mechanics will have to jump in here - if there's a bypass valve in the oil filter mount and it was stuck in "bypass", that might do it. Would also mean you'd been driving around with no filtering going on.

 

I do have oil pressure acording to the gauge.

I do not know anything about a valve.....hopefully someone with some experience can jump in and give me some info on that possibility....

Trip

 

Yes. The filter thread are up.

 

Seems like the bypass valve is normally in the filter? Possibly you got a bad one last time?

 

I believe you are right on the bypass in the filter. HOWEVER, Ford 460's had a bypass above the filter. I know, the housing came loose once on my old one.
Didn't matter much, however, if you checked your oil at every fill up. You were filling it up every day, it seemed 8 mpg, sheesh!!

 

could also be the brand of filter - possible no built in check valve - cheapo filter - veh sat over night before filter removal / oil had drained down out of filter.
that is why - just for the cost savings of a dollar or 2 - I never use the cheapo filters