Just did my first oil change.  It mostly went well except that the old filter was covered in oil and some was dripping from the bottom of it.  After I got it off I held a light up there but still could not see anything, as I can't see well in the dark.  The sealing surface is smooth and clean and the filter was not over tightened.  Is there something in that area that is leak prone?  The engine is a 2004 3 liter V6.

Obviously you changed the filter and seal? I have done it 4 times without any problem. When taking it off I think it mentions unscrewing it 5 turns and then waiting 5 minutes or so. It is in the manual, have read.

Mine is a diesel but I think it is the same.

M

Yes I did change the filter.  I suspect that the leak is coming from above the filter but I could not see anything at all up there.  The sealing surface and the seal both looked clean.  The old filter was not overtightened as the seal was not distorted.

I'm beginning to wonder what you have there. Is your filter in the V of the engine and you need a 32mm socket to undo it. I was under the impression that the filter cover was one piece of plastic. Maybe it is not the same as mine. The only reason Oil could come out the top of mine is if it had been overtightened before, or a simple spanner had been used on it and the "Nut" part had cracked allowing oil to leak out.

M

I have the standard 3.0 V6 with a typical filter such as found in every car I have owned going back to the 1960s.  It is located under the left rear of the engine and hangs down.  It is a canister filter and not a cartridge filter.

I don't think the oil filter has been turned tight enough during the last oil/filter change. Use a claw wrench to undo the filter and a strap wrench to tighten it. Natch - since it is a canister any effort to mechanically tighten might dent or otherwise damage the filter, but the strap wrench turns the filter without even marking it. Mfrs often state 'hand tight' for these filters but you will see the strap wrench will provide plenty of extra rotation. 

 

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cht720-oil-filter-claw-wrench/

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht245-double-drive-oil-filter-wrench/

The old filter was tight enough as I needed to use a filter wrench to loosen it after wiping it down.  I hand tighten my filters and have never had a leak.  It is a low pressure system after all, of 40 lbs or so.  I had someone with young eyes look yesterday and he said it is all dry now.  That leaves me thinking that the mating surface must have had some dirt on it causing a leak.  So, false alarm.  Thank you.