Wife had her oil changed and tires rotated a month ago at our preferred independent shop. They always do a good job for us.

I noticed a small oil spot under her vehicle this weekend. There appears to be a leak from above the filter. Pic is a screen grab from video I took when I used my phone to see what is happening.

I might be able to tighten it without taking off the splash guard. But that hole isn't real wide.

Any chance the old gasket was still on the vehicle and that's the issue? I would guess the leak would be worse.

This weekend was the first temps near freezing since the vehicle was serviced. Is that a contributing factor? We left no oil spot at the restaurant we visited for dinner last night. We checked before we left.

I'll at least try and hand tightening and see if it's just that loose.

It says leak tested on the bottom of the filter. Was it loose? Was the dipstick showing to be low on oil?
Do you know how to check the dipstick?
ETA is the filter scuffed up on the bottom and side in the photo or is that a shadow?
If so, maybe they put it on with channel lock pliers.

Mas89 said:

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It says leak tested on the bottom of the filter. Was it loose? Was the dipstick showing to be low on oil?
Do you know how to check the dipstick?

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Dipstick actually looks like they overfilled a bit.

If it's above max on oil, you'll want to remove some to get it in range. It's as bad as being low.

I bet they left the old gasket on there. That was usually the culprit back in my High school oil changing days. I'd take it back.

I checked it out. Filter was loose. I tightened it up.

But they are gonna hear about it. The owners will want to know.

Why is it that when I have a shop change my oil, the next time I do it I find that they barely snugged up the filter, but the last several vehicles I've bought, the filter was so tight I had to destroy it with pliers to get it off?

(When I do my own back to back oil changes the filter is tightened the perfect amount, by the way)

This thread is reason #836 why nobody touches my vehicles but me. As for new car filters being installed so tight, I assume they're installed onto the engine block before it even goes into the vehicle. Probably some combo of automated / robotic install along with dry gasket and mating surface that seizes up good. /Speculation hat off

Dipstick reading. Not as bad as I thought when I saw it over the weekend but still high.

akaggie05 said:

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As for new car filters being installed so tight, I assume they're installed onto the engine block before it even goes into the vehicle. Probably some combo of automated / robotic install along with dry gasket and mating surface that seizes up good. /Speculation hat off

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Oh I don't buy new vehicles. These filters are probably tight because they haven't been changed in a year.

sts7049 said:

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if the gasket was doubled up you almost certainly would have had oil spraying everywhere almost right away.

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This! Doubled gaskets don't drip oil. They gush oil.

Your engine is ruint

Nah