Oh..then a look at the cat is warrented......or see if that section of car is a bit hotter then it should be...I know, hard to say whats considered too hot, but, usually the area above the cat will be toasty but should not be able to be felt from the inside of the car( floorpan)
Ex had one that was back by the trunk and just about melted eveything in it....

Well guys, thanks for all of the advice. I have a long list of things to check, but since it isn't as bad as it was the one day (in fact, it hasnt' really been doing it again). I'll get some good gas in it, see how it does, and I'm putting it away for the summer. I'm just ready to get the truck out, and I figure I'll worry about it come fall when I get the Lumina out again.

This week looks kinda crappy (and my grandpa lives on a dirt road) So it might not be until next week...but I'm going to change the oil, wash and wax it, and put it away I think. Would be nice to get it out again and fix some rust spots, but we'll see if money allows.

Thanks for all the help again guys! I'll let you know if anything happens between now and when I put it away, but hopefully not.

Good..now stay away from the burrito gas..........

Ok, so the car hasn't acted up on me now in a while. Changing the oil to put it away for the winter. One thing that is an issue on this car is the seal on the oil filter seems to get cut once in a while... I think it might be during the installation of the filter. Anyways when I took the filter off I see the cut is even deeper than normal, and it actually cuts through to the inside of the filter lip. so the seal is torn from the inside, about half way through to the outside of the filter... So this tear is pretty large, more than normal. (which isn't normal). Don't know, but could that have anything to do with it? I don't know if water could have seeped in through that cut and got into the engine? Would that even cause the symptoms I had? Or would that kill the engine? I don't really know...

I'm a little concerned because the new filter was a little hard to thread, so I'm afraid I may have torn the new one again. I don't know why it happens or if that is even the reason why...but it happens almost every time or every other time on this car.... Never a problem on my truck or any of our other cars....

Although that wouldn't really make sense because the oil I took out is clean... If that were the case, rain water is pretty dirty so there would be dirt and other contaminants in the used oil...

Hmmm...interesting. That sounds like an install issue. Maybe there is a burr of some sort where the filter seal buts up against the block. Next time you pull the filter off, run your hand (carefully!) around the metal that comes in contact with the seal. If it is happening regularly, then there is a constant problem. Is it in a difficult to reach location?? Maybe when you put the filter in, you bump it on something sharp? I know that some cars have exceptionally hard-to-get-to filters that require yoga and triple joints to get to if you don't have it on a lift. I'm tossing poo against the wall here...

Either you have a burr on the mounting flange or maybe you are over tightening the filter or putting it on dry. (going by the look of the pic you posted, it's not perfectly clear that it's cut as much as bulged and torn) Does it leak oil from there?

about your other question...... IF any water got past that, and I doubt it could, it wouldn't have caused the problems in your original post...... you would also see it in the oil just like a cracked block or bad gasket... that oil/water foamy stuff....... and there wouldn't be enough to cause harm. More likely to leak oil out than let water in, oil is under pressure there.

Not really sure if it leaks oil from there. Some part of the engine leaks, but it's barely any. The bottom of the engine has oil all over it though from it spraying when you drive. (Not that there's much flying around, but one little drip flies, and hits something, now add a few years to that...) I don't believe it leaks there though, because I never see any oil on the filter. I would assume it must be an install issue, since the filter goes in at a 45 degree angle, around a metal support for something, it is kinda tricky to reach. I wouldn't be surprised if I accidentally run it across some thread or something that it doesn't touch that kinda tears it when I start it or something... Don't think I over tighten it though because my dad has put it on before and it did the same thing... Also, I do lubricate the seal before I put it on, so it's not dry...

For those of you that didn't see the picture, (I forgot to post to the thread...:lol:)

https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil...FilterSeal.jpg

I know it's kinda hard to see. Oh, and never mind the dirt all over the seal. That's from setting the filter down after removal.

After zooming in it appears as if there is an edge on the motor where the seal overlaps...in othe words the seal is bigger then the motor sealing surface...also appears to be over tightened..Should only be 3/4 turn after soft contact....there are metal pads clocked around the seal area that retains the seal in a set position, it looks like the seal is crushing and tearing at one of those pad areas...maybe at this point on the motor there is a larger sealing area the doesn't allow the excess rubber to lay over ( a larger flat area..hard to explain..need to see motor pad area)..you shouldnt see any leak here as the seal is contacting the motor all the way around.The tear is excess rubber...only concern here is if the rubber breaks off and enters the eng.....also water is unlikely to enter here unless the motor is off and submerged,,,otherwise this area in under pressure while operating.Look closely at te seal and you;ll see an indentation around the whole seal, this is the edge of the motor seal pad...anything on the inside of this ring is excess...outside is making contact.

Oh, ok... Yeah I thought it was 1 turn after you can't tighten anymore by hand. My dad told me that when I first changed the oil on my truck when I was 16, but he never thought I was strong... Seriously.... :roll: