Metal marker tab on oil filter canister..

I know this has been talked about a hundred times. But are we still thinking that metal tab is to line up with a notch on the attachment point to the block? At 18 ft lb mine usually came about a half inch short of that spot. However, I discovered yesterday well putting on the oil filter that my torque wrench is incredibly inaccurate. So I just ran it up to that point and it felt incredibly snug... If that's what it's for, do we even need a torque wrench? And why have torque specs? Now I have myself concerned I actually over torqued it

 

It will always align every single time. Hand tight only. No torque wrench required.

 

Mine gets very snug well before the lip bottoms out...This concerned me a while back so I got a new one. Same thing happened

 

As long as it's snug you are good.
If you are concerned, after the filter change, just start your vehicle and wait for a few minutes. If it has to leak, it will leak by then.
Make sure you clean any residual oil on the filter and around it before starting the vehicle.

 

Before you take that oil filter out, mark the housing and the spinoff part each with some blue paint or whatever. When it goes back together, maintain that alignment. The little clip is dedundant.

 

At 18 ft-lb mine goes about a half inch beyond that spot.

 

I use a sharpie and mark where it torques correctly.

 

I just tighten by hand until it's all the way in and call it a day.

 

I’ve always tightened the canister to the mark on the tab and stopped. The tab seems to be there deliberately. If you notice it’s extended just enough to keep it from reversing itself when bumped.