Oil filter splitting on early 4.6

[mikeescott]

What would cause the oil filter to split on an early 4.6 in a '93 Marquis? It did it about 3 months ago when I started it after work and it did it again when I started it to go to work this morning. It has a small oil leak between the valve cover and oil filter that I have not tracked down yet and it has around 175,000 miles on it. Any help here would be greatly appriciated. Thanks

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Split? Do you actually mean spit? What brand oil filter?

 

[mikeescott]

seperated

The base stayed screwed on and the can came off of the seam at the base. the first one was Microguard that came on the car when I bought it and the second was a Wix racing filter.

Split? Do you actually mean spit? What brand oil filter?

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

Reasons: cheap oil filter, to heavy of oil(weight) or a stuck pressure relief valve in the oil pump.
now way-back in @1997 FoMoCo had a TSB about oil filters "ballooning" because people were using oil that was to thick/weight, you should never use anything greater than 10W30 in a Modular engine.

 

[white-04]

They aren't cheap, but you could buy a K&N. They can handle higher pressures.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

K&N oil filters are garbage. Use Motorcraft.

 

[merc123]

+1 Motorcraft. Usually you'll see more problems like that from cheap filters.

 

[BennyBlown2v]

Motorcraft or Napa GOLD. Wix is a good brand though...so I'm not sure... I would go with Randy on this one and check the oil pump, and make sure you're not running way to thick of an oil.

 

[mikeescott]

On the road again

The Wix filter did not split. It mushroomed out and the seal popped. I now have a Motorcraft with Motorcraft semi synthetic 5W20. I had used some new 20W50 from my '66 F100 in with the 10W30 last time I changed the oil and I think that was the problem. If it happens again, the motor is coming out for a rebuild and new pump. Thanks for the help.