Best spin-on filter lubricant

Camdo

I am wondering what people use to lubricate the gasket of spin-on fuel oil filters such as the Garber R. The Garber instruction sheet recommends petroleum jelly and further states that sticking will occur if fuel oil is used.

I have tried Vaseline petroleum jelly with less than satisfactory results with sticking being a problem a year later, and as a practical matter, it is hard to insure the gasket does not get fuel oil on it during installation.

The instructions say to tighten 3/4 turn after contact but experience has shown hand tight is a better practice to avoid massive sticking at the next removal.

Also the Garber filter head has no good spot to apply a wrench to counter torque the filter removal if a filter wrench is required to remove a stuck filter. Is there a special tool out there for this purpose?

I like this filter as it seems to be more leak free than canister types, but the removal torque poses high risk of breaking the tank piping and oil spill possibility.

The problems can be solved with a gasket lubricant that works practically in the field. What are you using and how well does it work?

HVACNUT

I don't know if its the best but I use this and never had a problem. Hand tight only. 

STEVEusaPA

X2…never had a leak. If you do get one stuck on, don’t use a filter wrench. Pliers on the rim and use the housing as leverage to rotate the filter a 1/2” at a time until you can unscrew by hand.

EdTheHeaterMan

I try not to install the filter "in-line". that is to say I will install the filter with hard pipe directly to the fuel pump or use the L shape mounting bracket to mount the filter to something rigid like the side of the furnace or a wall.

In the event that I find the filter supported only by 3/8" copper tubing on either side, I will use a pair of side cutting pliers to grab the crimped top of the filter just under the top filter hub, then pry the filter anti-clockwise about 1/4" turn per grab. repeat this several times until the filter spins freely. I believe @STEVEusaPA uses the same procedure.

STEVEusaPA

Yes, better explanation @EdTheHeaterMan (although it's clock-wise looking at it from the top).
I was looking to see if someone did you YouTube video, but no luck.
I don't like hanging anything off the tank, I like some copper in between (plus the ridiculous expansion loops).

EdTheHeaterMan

Agree. @STEVEusaPA never hang a filter off the tank valve!!! The small hammer action to free up the old general filter every year by tapping the top bolt can take a toll over the years. Have you ever had one of those L shape tank valves break off?!? ...It's not fun! Picture a 18 year old oil burner mechanic with his finger in the bottom hole of the tank! "Ma'am, ...can you call my office and ask them to send another service man over to assist me here?"

ratio

@EdTheHeaterMan, those are the lessons that stick with us!

EdTheHeaterMan

ratio said:

@EdTheHeaterMan, those are the lessons that stick with us!

LOL That is when i learned about using a Soot-Vac on the vent pipe to create a suction in the tank to remove the broken valve threads. Always carry a 1/2" pipe Easy-Out in your service truck and it's nice to have a couple of spare tank valves too.

STEVEusaPA

Never broke a tank valve but I was filling an outside tank and it started to tip over. Luckily the balance point was good enough that I could hold it up. And also lucky that I had a cell phone 20 years ago on me-pre iPhone, during that short window where the phones were really small. I sat there holding up the tank, truck running, pto engaged, called in an air strike (my Dad). He got there in about 30 minutes to help me shore it up. Typical Philly, row home tank on blocks on the mud...

SuperTech

STEVEusaPA said:

Yes, better explanation @EdTheHeaterMan (although it's clock-wise looking at it from the top). I was looking to see if someone did you YouTube video, but no luck. I don't like hanging anything off the tank, I like some copper in between (plus the ridiculous expansion loops).

I don't ever see those expansion loops on systems in New York, but I have seen them on pictures here and on Steve Lavimonieres videos.  What is the purpose of the expansion loops?

STEVEusaPA

Suppose to take expansion/contraction pressure off of the oil components. I do it on new/replacements, but we all have old existing systems in use that don’t have them and they work fine. And it’s code, although no inspector in my area would ever know what that is.

Camdo

I once broke a tank valve trying to unscrew a stuck spin-on filter. Luckily the valve was in the off position and it was the threaded exit spud of the tank valve that broke, so no spill. It was a close call, and for this reason I am a little gun shy of these spin-on filters. I like the suggestion to use pliers on the crimp of the filter. I can envision two vise grips on opposite sides of the filter to balance the force, but the counter torque is still applied by the tank piping. Most tank setups, around where I am, are one pipe off the bottom of the tank with the filter mounted on the piping. Given the risks of an oil spill, a two pipe system off the top of the tank seems a better way to go. Lines run overhead, in full view, no floor cement or trenching issues.

STEVEusaPA

https://www.facebook.com/strikeking64/videos/10225223304636556/
Like this but with pliers. For some reason I can’t copy/paste the video from FB

Camdo

EdTheHeaterMan said:

I will use a pair of side cutting pliers to grab the crimped top of the filter just under the top filter hub, then pry the filter anti-clockwise about 1/4" turn per grab. repeat this several times until the filter spins freely. I believe @STEVEusaPA uses the same procedure.

I had to think about this for a while, but I think I have it envisioned now. I will give it a try next filter.
Thanks for the tip.

STEVEusaPA said:

https://www.facebook.com/strikeking64/videos/10225223304636556/
Like this but with pliers. For some reason I can’t copy/paste the video from FB

Unfortunately I don't have a facebook account to look at the video but thank you anyway.