I've done a Search and found lots of comments regarding oil leaks from cam seals, rocker cover gaskets and oil caps, but mine appears to be the oil filter in spite of a recent service (before I bought the car, it's in the service records)

I've cleaned and de-greased engine underneath, but after running the engine there is oil dripping (small amount only but stains the driveway) from the oil filter, only leaks after engine has been running, the filter is not loose, I loosened it a bit and re-tightened it thinking I'd fixed it but went for a drive and it's leaking again.

Now I can simply replace the filter (which is virtually new) or could this oil be coming from somewhere else indicating another problem? I've cleaned the whole area completely and cannot see any evidence of oil leaking from anywhere else than either the filter seal or the oil pressure switch located next to the filter.

On my VT the filter is mounted on the engine sideways so removing it is messy, but on the TJ it points down so am I correct in assuming that once the engine has cooled I can simply remove the filter and replace it with a new one with minimal mess? I don't want to do the oil change thing as it was done so recently. Thanks in advance :) I probably simply need a new oil filter, well I hope it's that simple.

might sound silly but is the filter on tight?
also i think the oil pressure switch is just above it, (it is on my 3.0l engine) that might need replacing.
Other than that, make sure theres no leakage from the head gasket just above the oil filter.

could be the rubber gasket on the filter has perished somewhere and under pressure it leaks slighty, best bet would be to remove and replace the filter and see if that fixes it, when you do take the old one off make sure the base of where the filter screws onto has no crap on it and is nice and clean so the new filter can create a good seal against it.


Other than that, make sure theres no leakage from the head gasket just above the oil filter.

Usually head gasket leakage presents itself with oil in the cooling system and 1 or more cylinders being down.

What brand oil filter is it?

could be the rubber gasket on the filter has perished somewhere and under pressure it leaks slighty, best bet would be to remove and replace the filter and see if that fixes it, when you do take the old one off make sure the base of where the filter screws onto has no crap on it and is nice and clean so the new filter can create a good seal against it.



Usually head gasket leakage presents itself with oil in the cooling system and 1 or more cylinders being down.
When mine was blown it was just pissing out from the rear head onto the exhaust manifold.
But always do the simple cheap and quick things first, oil filter and switch are a POP so try them first and then go from there

Maybe when the old filter was removed, the rubber seal stayed stuck to the filter mount. I had this problem in an old Astra/Pulsar I had. Just make sure there is only one gasket/seal between the oil filter and the mount.

Thanks for your replies guys, it was a mitsubishi oil filter and there was nothing wrong with it, I put a new one in (Ryco) and it still leaks :rant: but only under oil pressure, must be the oil pressure sensor switch which is right next to the oil filter.

I'll replace that and see how I go, does anyone know how much they are? Also do I have to go genuine? Because it is Sunday and only sprint, Auto-pro and Repco etc are open and I want to fix it today, I assume it simply unscrews.

Once I fix that then I can move on to the rattle in the exhaust under the engine, apparently an internal baffle or something rattles loose and sounds terrible but I'll keep that for another thread.:)

Thanks for your replies guys, it was a mitsubishi oil filter and there was nothing wrong with it, I put a new one in (Ryco) and it still leaks :rant: but only under oil pressure, must be the oil pressure sensor switch which is right next to the oil filter.

I'll replace that and see how I go, does anyone know how much they are? Also do I have to go genuine? Because it is Sunday and only sprint, Auto-pro and Repco etc are open and I want to fix it today, I assume it simply unscrews.

Once I fix that then I can move on to the rattle in the exhaust under the engine, apparently an internal baffle or something rattles loose and sounds terrible but I'll keep that for another thread.:)

They are like $10 or something, just use some thread tape on the end of it.
Yeah unscrews and screws in but you will loose some oil so have a bit more to top up with.

Thanks TuffTR, I've never done one before I'd assume that you do it up by hand and not a spanner or at least if done by spanner be cautious not to over tighten.

I had the same problem with a Ryco filter a few months ago, it was a problem with a batch they made. Return the filter and they will replace it.

Damn, it is not the filter and it is not the oil pressure switch, I've replaced both (oil switch was easy) but it still leaks the same as before but only after being driven for a while, but no improvement.

What else leaks oil down onto the oil filter? I guess next step will be to remove the timing cover and see if there is anything going on in there, and I'm in no hurry to do that:rant:

It does not lose enough oil to make a major difference on the dip stick but I hate having to keep an oil drip tray underneath a car I've just bought to save the concrete driveway, the VT has leaks everywhere and I was hoping to see the end of that with the Magna, but I guess it is only one leak but it is one too many.

I checked the rocker covers and the 10mm bolts were very loose, almost finger tight only so I tightened them carefully but I can't see how rocker cover gasket leaks could reach all the way down to the oil filter with no evidence of leaking around the rocker cover and heads.

Front main, or cam seals? Has the timing belt recently been done, and these seals not checked/replaced? Could be leaking and heading south...(Hopefully not :cry: !!)

Steve