Oil filter change

[Moodymike]

Just spent a couple of hours trying to change the oil filter on my B32 (MD2020),    Volvo have replaced my original filter ( 3581621) with #no 21549544. Instead of the normal blue box packing this one came shrink wrapped and a product of Mexico.  I was not happy with the overall appearance of metal tabbing and the fact there was no squared gripping on the end for hand tightening.
       Despite my misgivings went ahead and changed the filter only to find oil pouring out on start up. Tightening with a wrench still left a considerable leak. I refitted the original filter hand tight,  result no leak.
       Supplier is sending me a replacement in case this is a one off., but I still do not like the fact you cannot hand tighten easily.
       Another query is the #no 861473 which is a lot smaller but also a different diameter, some suppliers say it is also suitable for the 2020. Does not the diameter notect the seal on the crankcase?
                

[tiger79]

From what I can see, the correct filter for the MD2020 is 861473.  The 21549544 filter is generally specified for the MD21B.

[Salty]

Hi Mike,
You don't say what age your MD2020 is, and I don't know whether there have been any significant changes over the years in regard to the filter sizes for the MD2020. On my B36(2002) I have this engine and as t79 says, the correct oil filter has the Volvo number 861473-7. I don't buy Volvo oil filters anymore, choosing to use one of the alternative suppliers, such that for lube oil filters I now use a Fram PH5803 where I find these generally to be more competetively priced.

Last time I purchased, I stocked up from "Inline Filters" in 2014, and am still using up the stock. These worked out at the time as follows:-
Primary Fuel Filter Fram C1191PL at £1.09 plus vat each
Secondary Fuel Filters Fram P4178 at £4.44 plus vat - Alternative AC Delco part XD9023E
Lub oil filters Fram PH5803 at £3.58 plus vat. They may or may not be the most competetively priced, but essentially I've got what I ordered and have had no problems with them.

[Lyra]

As far as I know the filter for the MD20x0 changed several years ago, and from comparing existing stock to recent purchase I noticed that even this the new filter slightly changed it's appearance sometime during the last 2-3 years - Volvo probably switched a supplier.
At both times I purchase the filter at keayparts.com and generally if you ask them they will answer any question regarding this matter, which I would consider reliable (this is what I did when I purchased the first time and noticed the difference in part number).
I did not notice any problems with the new filter - both old and new stock.

[dawntreader]

Just spent a couple of hours trying to change the oil filter on my B32 (MD2020),    Volvo have replaced my original filter ( 3581621) with #no 21549544. Instead of the normal blue box packing this one came shrink wrapped and a product of Mexico.  I was not happy with the overall appearance of metal tabbing and the fact there was no squared gripping on the end for hand tightening.
       Despite my misgivings went ahead and changed the filter only to find oil pouring out on start up. Tightening with a wrench still left a considerable leak. I refitted the original filter hand tight,  result no leak.
       Supplier is sending me a replacement in case this is a one off., but I still do not like the fact you cannot hand tighten easily.
       Another query is the #no 861473 which is a lot smaller but also a different diameter, some suppliers say it is also suitable for the 2020. Does not the diameter notect the seal on the crankcase?

Check the mating faces on both filters - they should match. Also, I would suggest that the squared end is for removal rather than insertion as 'finger tight' -without the need to use the shape to assist - should make a good seal. I always smear the rubber sealing ring on the new filter with silicon to aid this process.

The filter is a basic piece of equipment and suitable alternate (less costly) replacements that are good enough to be put onto high performance engines on cars can, in my opinion, be used.

Like Salty, I use www.inlinefilters.co.uk for my D1-30 engine. An additional problem that I have is the space allocated for the oil filter will only take very narrow bodied filters  so choosing the right one has to be done carefully.

[Moodymike]

Thanks for all the advice.  Received replacement filter from Keypart. looks identical to the first one that gave me the problem. There is a difference  in the thickness of the rubber seal, it protrudes more on the 861473 which could explain why the 21549544 did not seal on my MD2020 (2003) . The reason I have used the larger one in the past is the fact that it is easier to handle with access limited in the starboard side. Keypart inform me that either filter is compatible.   

[s/y Susanne]

I would not put any silicone on the sealing ring as previously suggested. A smear of clean engine oil and hand tightening has always proved sufficient for me in 50 years of changing can-type oil-filters. Surplus silicone could detach and block an oilway.

[Harry Brown]

I agree, smear of oil is all that is needed and hand tight. Never had a leak yet.

[MarkTheBike]

I agree, smear of oil is all that is needed and hand tight. Never had a leak yet.

+1

[tiger79]

I would not put any silicone on the sealing ring as previously suggested. A smear of clean engine oil and hand tightening has always proved sufficient for me in 50 years of changing can-type oil-filters. Surplus silicone could detach and block an oilway.

You're assuming he was talking about silicone sealant.  He may have been talking about silicone lubricant (commonly used for O-rings) or silicone grease, neither of which pose any possibility of damage to the engine.  I keep a little tub of silicone grease onboard, and find it useful for all sorts of jobs.

[Moodymike]

As a follow up to my original question does the diameter of the filter effect the seal with the crankcase? Due to access I have not been able to look closely at the engine casing to see how the oil flows in and out of the filter.

[tiger79]

As a follow up to my original question does the diameter of the filter effect the seal with the crankcase?

The diameter of the filter body isn't important, it's the diameter of the rubber sealing gasket which is important, as that seats on a mating surface on the engine.

As an example, the filters you've mentioned (3581621 and 861473) have different body diameters but the rubber sealing gaskets are virtually identical in diameter.

[Salty]

The diameter of the filter body isn't important, it's the diameter of the rubber sealing gasket which is important, as that seats on a mating surface on the engine.

As an example, the filters you've mentioned (3581621 and 861473) have different body diameters but the rubber sealing gaskets are virtually identical in diameter.

In the original photos at the start of this thread, there is clearly a difference in the diameter of both filters, and therefore a corresponding difference in the overall diameters of the respective rubber seals.
Do you really mean diameter, or are you talking about the width or thickness of the seal rubber ?

[tiger79]

The diameter of the filter body isn't important, it's the diameter of the rubber sealing gasket which is important, as that seats on a mating surface on the engine.

As an example, the filters you've mentioned (3581621 and 861473) have different body diameters but the rubber sealing gaskets are virtually identical in diameter.

In the original photos at the start of this thread, there is clearly a difference in the diameter of both filters, and therefore a corresponding difference in the overall diameters of the respective rubber seals.
Do you really mean diameter, or are you talking about the width or thickness of the seal rubber ?

I really mean diameter, ie the outer diameter, of the sealing gaskets. Look up the specifications of the filters on cross-reference sites, and you'll see both are around 62.2 - 62.5 mm.

[Moodymike]

Just measured the outer diameter of both,     Larger =  72mm     small = 65mm

Can someone please describe how the oil circulates between the filter and engine block?

[Yngmar]

Can someone please describe how the oil circulates between the filter and engine block?

[Moodymike]

Excellent diagram, so how does the crankcase deal with different size sealing rings as per my first post?

[tiger79]

Excellent diagram, so how does the crankcase deal with different size sealing rings as per my first post?

The correct filter will have a rubber sealing gasket which is a match for the machined area on the crankcase.  If the rubber sealing gasket is much larger or smaller than the machined area, it may not seal properly and there'll be a leak (which I think you discovered).  If you use the 861473 filter, you shouldn't have any problems.

[Yngmar]

The center thread must match, and the sealing ring must match the mating surface on the engine's filter connector ("oil filter housing" on the Volvo diagrams, although I find the term confusing). However, it's quite possible that said engine filter connector has multiple mating surface rings, or even one wide ring and is thus capable of securely mating with multiple different diameter sealing rings to support a wider range of filters. The part is also notorious for being customized by engine marinizers to make the original road engine filters incompatible (Volvo even changed it from the already marinised Perkins version of my MD22)

You can look and measure what seal diameters your engine filter connector supports, although may need some gymnastics and/or a small handheld mirror depending on location. Then you can look up compatible filters (paste page into Excel and filter - don't forget thread must also match) and stop paying people lots of money for printing Volvo part numbers on filters.

[Moodymike]

Thanks to everyone for the informative replies, I will switch to the smaller 861473 or equivalents in future. To sum up I had been using the larger filter for 5 years until Volvo replaced it this year with a different manufacture.

[Spirit of Mary]

In a VP diesel workshop I learned that the VP oil filters also contain a non return valve which prevents that the oil from the lubricatingsystem flows back to the sump when the motor is stopped. Without this NRvalve, when the motor is started again, it runs without oil pressure for the first seconds. So the non VP replacement should apart from the dimensional compatibility also have the NR valve.