[gotzoom]

Evening everyone!
Hoping someone can lend some advice on my sons 2011 Mazda 3 with 74k miles on it. I believe it has the 2.5 as well.

Noticed a small oil patch in our driveway where he parks. It wasn’t much but enough to notice it. Checked the level and it was fine. Looked under the car and didn’t see anything. Ran a towel around the oil filter (blindly through the hole in the plastic shield). Sure enough it had some fresh oil residue. Again not much but some was present.

Parked over night and no new signs today. It was time for a change so he went and had that done today. He asked they check for any leaks which who know if they did or not (quick lube) but told him they didn’t see anything. He came home and parked it around 3:30.

I just checked it when I got home. No new spots on driveway but they sure didn’t clean up the mess from the old oil. Bunch sitting in the plastic shield. I also grabbed a photo of the oil filter. See attached.. WTH? That is clearly old oil. This again was after an oil change today and after the leaks we spotted yesterday.

Back to the leak.. He has only had the car for about a year and the last week has been brutal cold with -55 Saturday. I don’t see anything top side at all. Could the cold have caused the seal on that (old) filter to fail?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Regards

 

[G ~ Mini]

Oil on filter likely the filter :

• not tightened all the way needed to do
• seal on filter giving way
• debris between seal , path for oil to escape
• filter canister puncture

Simple solution : remove , inspect , clean seal and contact point on the car re install and see if it continues
The seals on those oem filter usually last 5 plus years on the shelf before they stiffen up

When was last time oiil filter was changed?

 

[gotzoom]

oil has been changed 3 months prior and was due. Noticed leak on the driveway so went and had it changed yesterday. The pic is what I found a few hours after the oil change yesterday.

Oil on filter likely the filter :

• not tightened all the way needed to do
• seal on filter giving way
• debris between seal , path for oil to escape
• filter canister puncture

Simple solution : remove , inspect , clean seal and contact point on the car re install and see if it continues
The seals on those oem filter usually last 5 plus years on the shelf before they stiffen up

When was last time oiil filter was changed?

 

[Davids3]

Obviously it's coming from somewhere. Whether this is old or new oil who's to say? New oil can almost immediately become "old" oil if the crankcase wasn't fully drained by the oil change place. You either have a leaky filter to engine junction, or somewhere else. Where the oil filter attaches to the engine is a separate piece from the engine, with a thin metal gasket. Those of us who have converted the earlier cars from a cartridge to a spin on filter know what I mean. It is possible you have a leak there. You could also have a leak higher up, like the valve cover gasket. Additionally, I will add that any oil spilled on the engine under tray can dribble out for several days after, so be sure to clean this off really well as you start your investigation.