[Hoppio]

Surely this has been covered before but I haven't found the answer yet. Just went to change the oil and filter. After draining the pan, removed the filter cap and the filter housing was almost full of oil. Seemed it should be empty and don't recall seeing this situation previously. It eventually drained after 15-20 minutes. The drain back valve is in place and looks normal. Can anyone please explain. Thank you.

 

[16WhiteColly]

That’s normal. It looks full because the filter is in it.

 

[Hoppio]

Thank you. Still has oil after the filter element is removed. Drains out very slowly. Took 15 minutes or so.

 

[16WhiteColly]

Before draining the oil, remove the fill cap, and the filter cap, and you will get a better drain. If you just lift the filter about 1/4” just to break the filter bottom seal, it will drain most of the oil.

 

[Homeless by Choice]

Did you warm up your engine before "pulling the plug"? Cold oil is stiff and slow to drain.

LeRoy

 

[16WhiteColly]

I don’t ever warm up the engine but I am not in a cold climate. I prefer to drain after a night of setting, so I get most of the oil out. Being retired, I can let it drain for hours. No hurry to get the job done.

 

[Grey Ghost 22]

Being retired, I can let it drain for hours. No hurry to get the job done.

Yep, nice having time to do things right!!

 

[snowwy66]

You pull the fill cap off first?

 

[Hoppio]

Thanks for the suggestions. Done all that, warm oil, element removed, filler cap off. Weird situation and I don't recall seeing this on the previous two oil changes. Thought maybe someone else had seen it before.

 

[DieselDrax]

Thanks for the suggestions. Done all that, warm oil, element removed, filler cap off. Weird situation and I don't recall seeing this on the previous two oil changes. Thought maybe someone else had seen it before.

So you removed the filter element and put the cap back on the filter housing? Tightly or just resting? If you screwed it back on then perhaps it developed a vacuum that prevented it from draining until you removed the cap again? I always loosen the cap to break the seal before I start draining the oil so that the filter housing has a chance to drain and I make sure the cap is loose enough that it's able to suck air in as it drains.