Mongo CRX

Anybody ever changed the oil and oil filter, and there was no oil in the filter?
How is this possible!? The oil pressure light does not come on, and the car runs fine.
Car is a 1988 CRX with about 1000 miles on a NOS D16A6 short block and D16Z6 everything else.
This was the second oil change, I ran the new engine 50 miles on Amsoil break- in oil. The filter was not dry when I changed the oil the first time, but I had pre-filled the filter and primed the oil pump before starting the first time.

DCFIVER

The anti- drain back valve is faulty.

Mongo CRX

I can see that a bad anti-drainback valve might let most of the oil drain out. But since the filter is mounted sideways, shouldn't some oil remain in the filter? There is no oil in the filter, nada

10psiLsEf2

i have been working in shops for 4 years and i have seen 2 cars like this. both hondas... idk what it could be.

in for a pro to tell us

DCFIVER

I already did....

doood

iTrader: (1)

what filter were you using?

Mongo CRX

The oil filter was an Amsoil one.

10psiLsEf2

oh i thought it was a joke. sorry bud.

so were is this valve?

hybridmiklo

in the filter.

emaaxRic

in a recently built engine it can well be some problem with the anti drain back valve inside the filter,,,
otherwise... found this happening in a 200k++ D16 stock engine

my thoughts about this are something like:

the oil drains through rod bearings or cranckshaft bearings due to the clearences being too big (ware and teare). the oil it is siphoned out of the oil filter through where he normally exits it in the direction of the lower worn rod bearings... the antidrain back valve inside the filter can't prevent that. this happens over night or after the engine is stopped while it is above operating temperature (cooling fan turning on).

there are some factors that influence the speed with which the oil drains off the filter overnight.

the temperature of the engine oil when the car is parked and the rotational position of the rod bearings (some or all) after the ignition is turned off.

some days the oil drains over night fully others it only drains partially and some days it holds inside the circuit.

if the oil drained from the top end and the bottom end including filter... when the engine starts again there is barely no knocking noise during the 3 to 5 seconds after start-up because the oil rapidly flows... if there is only partial drainage in the bottom end, until the oil is filled and the air inside it is compressed to then push the remaining oil in the circuit there are parts of the engine that run sort of dry and a sound of knocking occurs.

this happens normally in a considerably worn D16 engine baring discreetly earable piston slap sound before reaching operating temperature.

Summing up:
The oil filter is position well high above the axis of the crankshaft main bearings. worst even if one of the pairs of rod bearings stop in the lowest point possible which is @ the piston's BDC.
depending on the position of oil holes of the crankshaft and rod bearings according the oil will drain through gravity off the oil system galleries and is siphoned out of the oil filter. if the oil filter is removed there is not a single drop of oil left that might spill through the gasket or the M20 threads.

this can be fixed cheap by applying a oil filter relocation kit and positioning the filter in the lower position possible in relation to the crankshaft
or an oil cooler adapter with an check valve in place of the radiator, assuming that you don't need one.

on the BITOG forum there was one guy that did that on a S2000 (oil relocation kit with extra bypass valves for better flow) and it happens that he beat the hell of that engine doing consequtive trackways while using 0W30 oil and he had UOA showing virtually no signs of wear and tear in that engine.

Answerman

It's never good to find your oil filter empty during a change, I doubt the bypass valve in the filter is the problem...many things could cause this symptom here are some causes of a dry filter1. Oil level excessively low- the pick up tube attached to the pump in your oil pan when positioned correctly should hover about a half inch above the bottom of the pan and if there's not enough oil in the pan the pump can't reach it
2. Oil pump pick up tube clogged - this can occur in sludgy poorly maintained engines or a new engine. An engine that has been neglected of oil changes will increasingly develop sludge which can eventually clog the screen or an engine that was Recently built may have had too much RTV used on it and can clog a screen.

3. Oil pump pick up tube has fallen off- most people don't realize the importance and proper positioning of the pick up tube..and it often gets.bent or. broken...measure the pan depth then position the pickup screen a half in less than the pan depth
4. Broken oil pump drive rod- this may occur randomly or found in poorly maintained engines
5. Clogged oil passages and journals - often found in sludgy and poorly maintained engines. Your engine could always use a flush but avoid costly flush chemicals and make your own from 3 parts deisel ful one part alcohol...drain the engine oil then add the deisel/alcohol mixture and top off to full, run engine for 10 mins drain and repeat do at least twice your engine will thank you

Mongo CRX

Well... this thread was started in 2012. This engine now has 99K on it, and is doing great. So, it probably was a bad anti drainback valve. Problem has not happened again, so changing the oil filter is always pretty messy.