Remote oil filter mounts - Does oil direction/flow matter? Can I swap the pipes?

[stradlater]

I'm thinking that I might have caused damage by accidentally swapping the pipes around on my remote oil filter setup.

IE, normally the pipes would be Engine OUT to Filter IN and then Filter OUT to Engine IN.

HOWEVER - I think I might have done: Engine OUT to Filter OUT and Filter IN to Engine IN.

Now, looking at the oil filter diagrams I've found, it would appear that this wouldn't be a problem because it would just send the oil back through the other way.

UNLESS there is a bypass valve in the filter, which I'm tipping would probably LOCK when the oil is going in the reverse direction.

I've lunched an engine in the process, anyone got any ideas?

[lexsmaz]

When you lunched the engine was it due to lack of oil flow / pressure ..

My thoughts are that running the flow in reverse through the filter if it has anti drain back flaps in the filter could possibly stop or certainly restrict the oil flow to the engine ..

[mr75]

ouch! if it had a anti drain back valve it because of that. the filter also if it wasnt new would have all sorts of shit in it and when you reversed the flow you would have flushed the dirt metal stones etc back into the engine. filters are made to filter from the outside in not the other way around

[takai]

Yeah, will be the antidrainback flaps, youll have hydrolocked the oil system.

[allencr]

Take a look through any one of the holes at that anti-drain flap. If there was 100psi trying to force it through the hole, there should be a nice impression where the edge of the hole has cut into it.
If a reverse flow caused restriction was actually your problem, I think ALL the rods would have made noise or seized way before any of the mains would have been affected. A problem with a single main doesn't point in that direction.
What about the rod/s that are feed from that main?

[stradlater]

Well, it is the middle main bearing that has completely shagged itself, that doesn't mean to say that the others haven't started too, I just haven't gotten far enough to check.

Suffice to say, that this bearing 'going' hasn't just resulted in a rattle, as I would expect from ONE bearing going.

It has resulted in the engine virtually seizing. the battery and starter motor REALLY struggle to turn it over, so it's obviously in a bad way everywhere. I'd imagine that if it was just one bearing that had gone, it would be easier to turn over.

That said, I haven't pulled the entire sump off yet to know whether it's killed other bearings worse.

I can't see about the rods yet either.

[LeeRoy]

Take a look through any one of the holes at that anti-drain flap. If there was 100psi trying to force it through the hole, there should be a nice impression where the edge of the hole has cut into it.

Doesn't the oil pump have a pressure relief valve to avoid blowing oil coolers, filters, damaging bearings etc from excess pressurisation?

I have heard of filters being blown open but this is only when the relief valve jams shut.

[stradlater]

Problem is, the relief valve is AFTER the anti-drainback flap.

Whether it's one way or not, the relief valve releases oil back past the drain back flap.

If your trying to push against the drainback flap, it's just going to force it more and more shut...

Which is precisely what i did.

[mr75]

as said before 100psi for a engine is really high. when i run an engine the first thing i do is check oil pressure too high and too can cause the same damage. all engines are different i have had engines run with rods out the side. but if the main seizes because of no oil it will basically weld itself to the crank