Boom, goes the oil filter

I think I already know the answer to this question. But, I would feel better hearing what you guys have to say. So, last night I planned to crank up my new 460 to break the cam in. I did all the little things that one is supposed to do to prepare for this event. Primed the oil pump with my cordless drill along with oil filter. Checked and primed the carb, and brought motor to TDC on compression stroke. I filled the radiator and had a gallon of water waiting to be poured in as the thermostat opened. I wired up my starter button and proceeded to get ready to crank her up. I hit the switch and she fired up . After 6 seconds at 1800 rpm, I noticed a trail of oil running under the motor. The oil filter came apart at the seams , and the top was crowned like a frisbee. I shut it off immediately. This is a flat tappet motor ,that I smeared red cam lube all over before doing anything. Am I ok, as far as the cam? Do I have a oil pump relief valve stuck? If so, I guess the oil pan comes off . BTW, it does still have about 3 1/2 quarts of oil in it.

Did you get an oil pressure reading when the engine fired?

I remember a deal many years ago, when a friend had a problem with oil filters blowing apart on SBF's. The problem turned out to be a batch of Melling reman oil pumps with bad pressure reliefs. This may not be your problem but it sure sounds similar. That oil pressure reading will be critical info.

What viscosity oil and what was the oil temp at startup?

20w50 cold start, new motor, new everything. Primed the oil system , and used Lucas oil additive. The cam and lifters were dripping in red cam lube.

No idea on the pressure?

Maverick , dude, I just hit the push button and it fired right up. I leaned over to get a look at eh oil pressure gauge when I heard the oil filter hit the floor. I shut it down before I could look at the oil pressure gauge though. Should I install another filter and add more Lucas, and oil and crank it up? Or pull the oil pump first?

If you spin the pump fast enough with a drill, you might get an idea how much pressure you're dealing with...and maybe be no more expense & hassle than a new filter. It sounds like a pump issue to me, but I'd like to know before I yank the engine. Also, for a first startup, I like to use a thinner oil...lots of flow and oil flying around in the crankcase ain't a bad idea, IMO.

BTW, with lots of snot on the cam & lifters, combined with the quick startup and short run time, I doubt you've hurt anything.

Heavy oil, cold, and a healthy pump going right up in RPM with tight clearances can pop a filter just like you did.  Even though the filter has a bypass, the downstream clearances provide the overall back pressure.  What are your bearing clearances, and did they influence your oil viscosity choice (heavy)?  Put a gauge on it and get a clear idea what it's doing before guessing any more..

I bought the motor from an individual who had it built in Jacksonville. Not sure of tolerances. I do have a gauge hooked up , and did this morning, but everything happened so fast ,I had no time to even look at the gauge. Everything happened in about 6 or 7 seconds. Should I use a different viscosity oil in a basically stock motor .

A lower viscosity oil with the additive should be fine for break-in, as you're not loading the engine, just free running at steady state.  I've seen box-stock 6V-71 Detroits with plenty of miles up here in New England explode oil filters when cold & too much RPM..  Concentrate on the cam break-in, and change the oil after for running.

Ok, will do. I will say that I got around 55 psi with my drill before installing the distributor, but it got pretty hard to hold on to once oil got to the rockers. Hahaha

If you shut it off that quick you did'nt hurt anything. Put a good Jomar or Ford Racing filter back on it and get someone to watch gauge and if the pressure starts to build in excess of 70/80lbs. kill it and change pumps.

Ok, will do. Hey guys , thanks for the help. That freaked me out this morning at 3:30am .hahaha

i had 85psi with a stock filter with no problems.you may have just been the lucky guy who got a bad filter. i thought that stuff only happen to me!   

bbf-falcon wrote:If you shut it off that quick you did'nt hurt anything. Put a good Jomar or Ford Racing filter back on it and get someone to watch gauge and if the pressure starts to build in excess of 70/80lbs. kill it and change pumps.

I run nothing but JOMARS


Ace

If you don't mind what filter was you using back in 90 I bought a 71 mustang with the 351c 4v in it that had just had the engine rebuilt I bought another cam and lifters and changed it out. Fired it up to brake the cam in and blew the oil filter apart at the seam it had 85 psi cold and 70 hot before cam change and after I blew the filter up. I bought a cheap Walmart oil filter to brake the cam in I have never bought another el-cheapo filter since I put a Motorcraft filter back and never had another problem with blowing the filter up. Like the others have said I don't think you hurt anything, I have had my remote oil filter line come off my Ranger 2 rimes with the old 460 engine on top end of the track it never hurt the bearings before I found the problem.

Puralator filter. And I guess I wasn't worried about the bearings so much, as I am that new cam and lifters (flat tappet)

Well guys, I went by the auto parts and picked up 2 more quarts of 10w30 oil and Lucas additive, and two Motorcraft filters. Got home, got everything ready , hit the switch , and bam oil pressure shot to 90 psi after the motor started, and blew the seal off my new oil filter. I guess I now need to pull the oil pan and oil pump, to inspect what the hell is going on . Is the relief valve repairable on a new pump like this. Melling stock flow pump.

90 psi shouldn't blow the seal. Unless your letting a pre-teen girl screw the filter on. Had 110 psi, at 9600 RPM and the filter had no issue.

I would look at your filter mounting pad and make sure there isn't an old seal stuck up there. Double seals.... yup they gonna leak every time.

Stock pump should be regulated to relief at 60 psi. High pressure spring at 80 on melling pumps. If your truly getting 90 psi, very uncommon, espeacially at idle. That would be one supper PUMP. The relief might have some crap in it.... but again, at idle RPM.......... that's extremely unusual, unless the oil passage just past the filter is blocked off and there is NO engine oil bleed (flow)>

Well, if you would have read the original post you would know this is the first start on this motor , so no it is not just idling, it is at 1800 rpm. No stray o ring as this is a brand new fresh built motor . No girls in my shop, so that leaves one thing. Oil pump relief valve is stuck. It is a new oil pump, but I have seen stranger things happen.

Don't want to fight, but 90 psi shouldn't blow past the O ring. Titan pump, 9600 RPM, and a motorcraft Fl1a filter. 110 psi on mechanical gage.

Yes, if your getting 90 psi on a stock pump at 1800 RPM there is a problem. Pump relief is damaged, but the filter shouldn't have failed either.

kim wrote:Don't want to fight, but 90 psi shouldn't blow past the O ring.  Titan pump, 9600 RPM, and a motorcraft Fl1a filter.  110 psi on mechanical gage.

Yes, if your getting 90 psi on a stock pump at 1800 RPM there is a problem.  Pump relief is damaged, but the filter shouldn't have failed either.

No fight here ,just facts.ill be pulling the oil pan on Friday ,and will know then.

You said you bought this engine already together? The builder may have stuck a few washers under the spring, I know a guy who did that before. Lol....I also have saw 100+ psi on a stock filter.

Yep, I guess the problem is that as soon as the motor fires up it blows the seal on the filter. It immediately starts, then bam goes the filter, so it's hard to really get an accurate measure of oil pressure. And, I don't want to just crank it without the ignition hooked up and take the chance of wiping my cam .

Didn't you prime it with a drill? That will give you an idea.