The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop oil canister overflow

54 chevy truck and it ran for about 30 secs and oil began to flow out of the canister. first thought is oil line is blocked. anyone tell me what could be the problem?

Maybe you have a leaky gasket on your canister?

you have a leak, find it and fix it. Sounds like you need to get the manual, and simply look around a bit and familiarize yourself with your engine. there are hoses or tubing going to the canister, and gaskets in the canister. Just look at it, it should be fairly self explanatory. Keep in mind the canister has a tube up the middle with a tiny hole that only lets a small amount of oil through about halfway up. There may be something plugged, as this is most likely a bypass filter, and it isn't required to have flow through the filter to supply oil the engine.

When I took the top of the canister off, the oil was filled to the top of the canister and had to be drained out with a turkey baster. With that being said, does the indicate the seal/gaskets weren't on right or a blockage somewhere?

How did you drain the oil out? Does you filter have a drain plug near the bottom?

If there is a drain plug at/near the bottom, and the oil level is at/near the top, and you were leaking at the top, this leaves you with the explanation that your seal between the cover and the base/canister was/is bad.

" the oil was filled to the top of the canister and had to be drained out with a turkey baster"

..good thing we're past Thanksgiving.

Be sure the hoses are correct to the proper opening. I think it may be possible to get enough back-pressure from the drain hose to fill the canister if the hoses are reversed. Others will probably disagree but I always look
for all possible explanations.

kks,

Sorry, I was writing my second reply while you posted your second post.

Can you post a photo of your filter and where it is plumbed into the block?

There were several brands and styles of canister oil filters. They filled and drained in different ways. The outflow of the filter should go to the hole closer to the front of the block. Here is a photo of the locations of the holes on a 1954 block.

Even if your oil filter was/is blocked, I think it should not leak.

Even if its plugged up it shouldn't leak. Sometimes they leak at the top bolt. It very likely the cover gasket. A new one comes with a new oil filter. It should be quite obvious where the leak is comeing from. It can be a cracked hose or loose fitting.

I am having a hard time believing this is actually causing you trouble. It should be very extremely apparent where the leak is coming from. There are no moving parts and all the components are right there in plain view. Just simply looking at it should be adequate. If you are concerned about something being plugged unhook the 2 lines and see if they are plugged, obviously the pressure line isn't plugged that leaves one, that drains directly into the crankcase. It is a bypass filter, it doesn't filter the oil before it goes into the engine. It just takes a tiny amount and filters it in a parallel system and returns it to the crankcase. There may very well be something plugged, but that would have nothing to do with it leaking.

The oil will not completely drain from the canister.
As mentioned you can pull the plug at the bottom of the canister if you have a plug.

I use a suction tool, looks kinda like a grease gun.

The orifice is very small in the canister
...pic...

...pic...
Check for blockage
Mine leaked at the gasket at the top the canister , and one other time at the center hold down bolt which also uses a small gasket.