The wrong oil filter bought on Amazon destroyed my engine

[Motorpsychology]

Anything over about 12-14 hours would seem very generous and cause me to immediately want to get a second opinion.

Retail on everything at dealer MSRP and a serious shop rate, maybe so?

But then, pulling over just when the oil light came on, resulting in a seized engine, seems a little far fetched as well. But a lot gets lost in every communication between adults these days, so who knows?

My wife (before she was my wife) ran her BMW out of oil and drove it until the engine seized, got it pushed to the side of the road by a handsome stranger and then called me, saying she got no notice there was a problem until the engine stopped, so...

The oil loss would have been total and almost immediate in this case, IMO, as the filter came completely off and the engine pumped the pan dry in less than a minute, probably 15-30 seconds. At 35-40psi, It pumps in the neighborhood of 12-14 quarts a minute.

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[deleriumtremor]

The oil loss would have been total and almost immediate in this case, IMO, as the filter came completely off and the engine pumped the pan dry in less than a minute, probably 15-30 seconds. At 35-40psi, It pumps in the neighborhood of 12-14 quarts a minute.

I understand what you are saving.

Having had a few total OP losses on the track, I think I have a pretty good feel for the actual sequence of events, but frankly the debate is an unimportant side light.

The OP seems to really have his head screwed on straight and understands life's priorities better than most of us.

 

[VAMike]

Thank you for sharing your story. Tough lesson for sure. I know I will be sticking to the OEM when I do my own changes.
I'm wondering if the dealer will do the long block or short block when they put it back together.

Given the state of things, they might make their money back just using it for parts.

 

[rydfree]

Missed a perfect chance for a Coyote swap

 

[Theslim_spaydee]

I can't be the only paranoid person who cross references three to four different sources when buying any part regardless of the website confirmed fit.

 

[NotBudule]

If my truck , and I had to eat it , 5k would get it done methinks... or take a chance on a used engine, 2500 , and 1000 to get it in ... then if your scared of it , trade in ... but "just get a new truck " works much better...

 

[Big Blue]

I can't be the only paranoid person who cross references three to four different sources when buying any part regardless of the website confirmed fit.

Yeah and the Amazon fit is the last one I would rely on. Of course I wouldn't buy a Fram filter anyway. Motorcraft only for Big Blue.

 

[NotBudule]

Unless factory plastic sealed , I wouldn't use any filter from Amazon, most people hate working there and might take a piss in your filter, or worse , people send back used oil filters to Amazon, yes they do , boxes get switched , sand got in this one somehow ? ...just pay more and get it local , might run into an old buddy at the parts store , or an old girlfriend .. or a NEW girlfriend perhaps ? ?
or some non binary hookup thingy that we have now ?

 

[Grumpaw]

Ford puts a Motorcraft filter on every IC vehicle that it builds, from the bottom line Maverick to the $100,000.00 Lincoln Navigator, and backs them with a warranty.
What would make anyone think an aftermarket filter is better ? Why would you spend more for something that is of less quality, or buy a cheaper aftermarket just to save a dollar ???
Ranger only sees Motorcraft filters.
Same goes for our Subi's...only Subi filters for them.

 

[NotBudule]

Missed a perfect chance for a Coyote swap

 

[Blmpkn]

Thanks for sharing this story! This puts up a red flag about aftermarket and online product purchases for important vehicle components.

Not exactly.

It should tell an individual that personally confirming part number compatibility is a virtue, though.

 

[JohnnyO]

Sorry for what happened and glad you got things resolved. But am I the only one here having all kinds if red flags flapping with this failure scenario? Sure the filter may have been wrong but to suddenly just unscrew itself and fall off with no forewarning? ?

Glad it worked out for OP but if it’s me I’m calling a lawyer and making Amazon pay for a new motor.

 

[Progeny2021]

Last Friday my wife was driving our 2020 Ranger XLT when the oil pressure light came on and she pulled over immediately as the truck shut off. Upon arriving to where she was, I saw there was no oil on the dipstick. I had brought along two quarts just in case, and put them in the truck, they promptly flowed right back out again. I pulled the rubber flap off in the driver's side front wheel to look at the oil filter and it had come off the truck and was laying in the inner well. I had changed the oil myself four months earlier and had bought the oil filter off Amazon, a Fram that Amazon set "Fit my vehicle". When installing it in April, It seemed to be slightly smaller that OEM, but that happens a lot so I didn't pay much attention to it. I went down to the Auto Parts store, bought a new OEM Motorcraft oil filter / 6 quarts and figured it would start right up after all was put together again. It did not, the battery was fine but the engine would not turn over. I had the Truck towed to the local Ford dealer.

Three days later they called me up with the bad news, my engine was seized. I went up to look at it put a breaker bar on the nut on the harmonic balancer and it would not budge. A new Long Block with labor was $ 13,500 installed. I said "Why a Long Block? This truck has only 13,200 miles on it, let's price out a short block and move the components over." Their lead mechanic said we could do that, but once he gets into the engine the Turbo will likely be fried from oil starvation, the cam journals ruined, passageways problematic, he didn't recommend it.

I paid $ 31,500 for this truck new two years ago, before pandemic pricing cranked the prices up. It's a company truck, so I was able to Section 179 Deduction on it back then, Both my wife and I really like the Ranger and its been super solid. I'm not big on junkyard engines, so did I want to spend $ 13,500 and have it down for a month to fix it? The dealer had a exactly one new Ranger on the lot, the limited edition "Snow" in the Avalanche color (Lariat) and I had them put a number on the 2020 with the locked up engine towards the MSRP on their new one. I was expecting the dealer to offer $ 8K to $ 10K on the truck, instead they told me $ 17K towards the new 2022, so I took the deal and can Section 179 Deduct the new one in my business as well. No headache on engine replacement and no down time.

I researched that oil filter from Amazon that "Fit my Truck" in the Amazon Garage. Turns out it's a Honda Civic oil filter and fits a few Hyundais and Toyotas as well. Obviously. the thread pitch was different and over those four months vibration loosened it enough to come off the engine. I went back to Amazon and see that it no longer lists that oil filter as fitting a 2020 Ranger, but I cannot prove that it did back in April when I purchased it, either. This was an expensive lesson to ALWAYS double check your oil filter fitment when going cross brand and doing it yourself. If it is not the same exact size, or the threads don't feel right, stop and check. I've done probably 1,000 oil changes in 50 years on all sorts of equipment, never had this happen before but you can be sure I won't trust third party oil filters to fit based on a website any more.

It's not all bad though, I got a new and nicer Ranger. Still the best truck in class even if it does have an oil filter access point that clearly was an afterthought.

Perseverance and experience pays dividends. The 'education' received as a result is priceless.

 

[rydfree]

I can't be the only paranoid person who cross references three to four different sources when buying any part regardless of the website confirmed fit.

At least one more here
The Ford parts counters have sent me the wrong part more than a few times over the years. Twice on the current Ranger. If something like an oil filter is a slightly different size then that is certainly a red flag for me. Internal bypass may likely be incorrect also that would allow dirty oil to bypass the filter media . There are other things to consider on some very important parts other than , " it fits".

 

[Blmpkn]

Glad it worked out for OP but if it’s me I’m calling a lawyer and making Amazon pay for a new motor.

I'd wager that Amazon's lawyers are miles better than a lawyer any of us could afford.

Not like it would even take a lawyer that good to get that case squashed anyways..

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