26 http://www.militaryvehiclesmagazine.com
element before you pulled it out? Likely it’s also hot.
Incidentally, if you don’t loosen or remove the cover before
you open the drain plug, you will usually have an air-lock inside
the fi lter case and the oil will take much longer to drain.
*Because the bottom of the case isn’t fl at, there will be a little
oil left inside, but when you’ve drained all you can, remove the
element from the case. If it was the correct element, it should fi t
tightly around the center tube, and some effort may be required
to remove it. Twisting it while pulling may help.
*Thoroughly clean the inside of the case to get all the guck
out of the bottom. On fi lters that don’t have drain plugs, this will
be a messy job because you’ll have to use rags or paper towels to
sop out all the oil and goo. If using paper towels, make sure they
don’t come apart and leave wads of paper in the fi lter case. If the
fi lter is full of sludge, you may want to fl ush it out with solvent,
or remove it from the vehicle for a thorough cleaning.
Some fi lters may have a tension spring under the cover bolt
to hold the element in position. Other types may have a spring
in the bottom of the case. Some may have springs top and bot-
tom. But the important thing is that your new element must seal
tightly around the center tube.
*Assuming your old element was correct, compare the old
and new to see if they’re the same. The correct element for this
type of fi lter not only seals tightly around the center tube, but it
also fi lls the fi lter case. Some “universal replacement” elements
don’t seal on the bottom, and these are of no use in this type of
fi lter. They will not fi lter at all!
Many “one-size-fi ts-all” elements are smaller than the cor-
rect originals. If you fi nd one of these inside your case you’ll
have to do your homework and go shopping for the right ele-
ment.
*After you’ve cleaned the fi lter case, you’re ready to install
the new element. If there are any additional sealing washers,
usually fi ber types, make sure they’re in place.
*Put some new oil on the element’s seals and slip it down
over the center tube until it’s fully seated. Oiling the tube itself
may be helpful.
*Install the case’s drain plug (if any).
*Now prime the fi lter by fi lling it with new engine oil. This is
important! If you don’t prime the fi lter, it will take longer for the
engine to build up oil pressure after you start it. Priming a fi lter
takes a little time because the oil has to soak into the element. Be
patient and keep adding oil until the case remains full. You may
not be able to fi ll the case all the way to the top because oil will
run back into the engine through the outlet, but fi ll it until the
level remains constant.
*Now replace the fi ber washer under the cover’s top bolt, if
such a washer is used. If your new element didn’t come with one
of these washers, it’s okay to reuse the old one if it seems in good