No oil in filter and odd oil pressure?

[Matt Lyman]

Doing my end-of-season oil change on my QSC 8.3’s and I pulled the port on-engine oil filter and it was borderline empty! Is this something I should be concerned about? It is not a ‘remote’ filter, and is located right on the middle side of the engine. 

My oil pressures all season were 52-55 PSI between both engines when running. Now they’re 55 on starboard, 75 on port, but this is also just at idle at the docks, so maybe Port would drop down when running? 

I followed the ‘Oil Pan Capacity’ steps outlined by Tony and re-marked my dipsticks, so they’re dialed in. 

Thoughts? 

Thanks!

Topic

[Matt Lyman]

Ahhhh

Now that you mention it. I haven’t been running the engine prior to an oil change because I have the Wolverine pan heaters on the oil pan, because the oil has been hot enough to flow well. That’s probably why!  

[Fireisland1]

Next time . Start and shut down . Then take the filter off. I bet you have a full filter. 

[Jason Leslie]

I have the same set up on my QSC 500. I have always been happy that when I pull the filters off the oil is always a couple inches below full on the filter. I believe it does do a little bit of siphoning back out. It comes in really handy because you can just unscrew the filter and even tilted a little bit to remove it without any oil dumping out. My filters are not all the way down at half level or below. But they are a couple inches below full. If this helps. 

[John]

What’s the color of the oil on the dipstick?  Black, right…

I know you said filter’s almost empty but sure seems to be filled with some liquid.

I’d look at the oil cooler.  Start there by taking that off.  Likely drain the coolant first (collect/reuse) but there’s def a problem in there somewhere, IMO.

Good luck

[Matt Lyman]

Pulling up this tread again because I did my end-of-season oil change and once again the port on-engine filter was nearly empty! I even cut the filter apart to inspect. Photos attached. 

Could it be siphoning out? 

Any cause for concern? 

Anyone else with the QSC’s and side mounted filter ever see this? 

I filled up the filter when I replaced the oil, started up. Oil pressure was 70 PSI for a cold engine. It will usually drop off once warm and cruising to the mid-50’s. Starboard was 59 at startup for comparison.

Thanks everyone. 

[John]

Regardless of the oil pressure pull that filter again to see that it’s full or not.  

If not full there must be some kind of bypass that is working to create a path that excludes the filter for some reason.

Not sure how those bypass valves work but no good reason for that filter to be empty.

[Matt Lyman]

Wow! Thank you guys! I’m the beneficiary of the previous owners care… but I do break out the simple green and toothbrush and hit a few spots here and there. Easier to stay up on it then let it go and try and bring it back.

I’ll run it this week, see how the oil pressures are and report. I’m assuming if there’s a clog it’ll show up there? 

We’re planning a big cruise from Oregon to Alaska this summer, so need everything to be ship-shape going into it. 

[Tony Athens]

Be very proud of the way you keep things down there — VERY PROUD!

Thanks  for the pics  The installer / builder did his home work and ordered the port engine filters options to  where you can get them them.

You do use the boat, RIGHT ????? 

LOL   !

I think you have set a new standard.

[John]

First of all, I am annoyed at how clean that engine is. Like seeing a super hot chick walking down the street that I know I have no shot at (compliment).

The fact that the oil filter is empty is really crazy IMHO and the change  in oil pressure could be indicative of a blockage.  Half talking out of my ass on that a bit but I can’t imagine why that would happen other than no (or not enough) oil is getting into it.

If I pulled either OF off my motor and it wasn’t full I’d start investigating for sure.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

[Matt Lyman]

Here’s some photos. If you say it’s nothing to be concerned about, then I wont worry about it. 

[Tony Athens]

Not sure if I’ve seen a marine QSC with a side mount filter?–Only industrial, truck versions

Like to “see” it from “not to close up” 

I would not be concerned with the amount of oil in the filter but I would use a genuine Cummins Fleetguard unit, just in case

[Author]

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