• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Oil Fiter Fitting Frustrations

ckeithjordan

Jedi Trainee
Silver
Country flag
Offline
I'm having a tough time getting the original Purolator oil canister to seal. I was changing the oil this past week, and had difficulty getting the new gasket up in the filter head, then attaching the canister. I thought I had it, wrenched down the canister, then when I started the car to circulate the oil (after cranking it some with the key off), it spewed a quart or so on the garage floor!

After researching fitting the gasket on this and the Triumph Experience forums, I found that there can be different "sizes" of the o-ring. I ordered the correct ones from TRF but I still can't seem to get them to fit in the groove properly. The cross section in the shop manual shows the o-ring to fit in the groove almost flush, mine stands proud and I don't think the groove is deep enough (the TRF o-rings are not as tall, but the same thickness as the ones I already had). How deep should they be? I've changed the oil before (in my old pre-Macy's rebuild engine) and don't remember this trouble.

I think I'm going to order the spin-on adapter from TRF and be done with this. Help, if you can. I miss driving my car!
 

2liter4cyl

Senior Member
Bronze
Country flag
Offline
The slot for the rectangular seal "o-ring" is 0.100 wide by 0.187 deep the seal should be snug and a bit shallow. Le T.
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Double (or triple) check that there isn't another ring in the bottom of the groove! It seems strange, but this is a fairly common problem. It may take extended digging with a dental pick to get the extra ring out, but if you can't see shiny metal at the bottom of the groove, that's almost certainly the problem. A single ring should fit well inside the groove; you have to hold the canister to get it started into the groove before it will even touch the ring.

Unfortunate, the spin-on adapter seals to the filter head exactly the same way the canister does, so installing the adapter won't solve the problem. You've got to make that joint work.
 

trglory

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
It's easy to fit a second o-ring on top of a compressed o-ring that is embedded in the slot. When you do that, the o-ring will not seal properly. Disassemble and check the slot with a probe or dentist's pick for a second o-ring.
 
OP
ckeithjordan

ckeithjordan

Jedi Trainee
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Thanks to all. I was well aware of the old seal dilemma, however, I didn't think it was the issue since the filter had been put on and was fine, earlier. Upon closer examination, there is an old, hard seal, which I'm having difficulty getting out with a dental pick. I may have to chisel it out with something no wider than .100!

As Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady said, "****, ****, ****, ****!"
 
OP
ckeithjordan

ckeithjordan

Jedi Trainee
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Update: I was able to get under it with a very small screwdriver and finally force it up and out. Very hard/brittle, but only enough to break in two pieces, fortunately. I cleaned out the groove, then put a new gasket in, which seated nicely and fit overall. The canister was attached and screwed in. I had to tighten it quite a bit to stop the drips.

I'll think about the spin-on when I next change the oil, sometime this winter. Thanks to all for your valuable help, particularly calling out the obvious!
 

CJD

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Not really obvious...but we’ve all been burned by the same deal, and that’s why we know!
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Thanks to all. I was well aware of the old seal dilemma, however, I didn't think it was the issue since the filter had been put on and was fine, earlier.

Oddly enough, that is also almost always the case! I don't know exactly why, seems like maybe the old ring is good for two or three (or more?) filter lifetimes; but eventually it breaks or warps or something, so it will no longer seal even with a new seal on top of it. I've never gotten one out in one piece to find out!
 

sp53

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
When I change the oil on canister filer, I usually make a morning of it. After I have cleaned the inside and outside of the canister, I put a thin layer of aviation gasket sealer on the outside in between the 2 metal piece and the canister and some on the small thick rubber O ring. I do not put any on the large O ring that sits in housing by replacing them they will seal. Let that sit for an hour or so then drive it, or let it sit for a day. The Aviation gasket sealer never really dries anyway. Plus I only tighten things up a little after snug.
Steve
 
OP
ckeithjordan

ckeithjordan

Jedi Trainee
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Follow up:As I mentioned earlier, I was able to get the old, hard gasket out and fit one from TRF. I then put the canister (with the filter inside) back on, but I had to tighten it up pretty good once it was filled with oil and under pressure with the engine running. I had a very tiny leak/drip at the end bolt, but figured that would go away or was from handling.

The drips continued and in about a week, I had leaked around a half-quart. Not good. I was afraid that I had tightened the canister too much and risked stretching the bolt. Tired of messing with it, I ordered a spin-on adapter and WIX 51516 filters. Today, I removed the original canister and carefully put the spin-on adapter with the correct torque. I put the threaded adapter on with blue Loctite and torqued it down, per the instructions. I spun on the new filter (painted a teal-green to mimic the original) and gave it one three-quarter turn by hand after it was seated. No drips, no runs, no errors. Success! Thanks to all for the advice and help.
IMG_4559.jpg
 

CJD

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Just for reference...the bolt has another seal which is easily replaced. Don’t know if you plan to repair and save the original canister?!?
 
OP
ckeithjordan

ckeithjordan

Jedi Trainee
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Yes, John, I do plan to keep the original canister and will replace the seal(s). Steve’s ideas above also make sense. Thanks again.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
1 TR2/3/3A TR2/3 Oil Leak Where Oil Sending Pipe Connects to the Block Triumph 4
Jim_Gruber Correct Transmission Oil for Datsun 210 5-speed Spridgets 1
af3683 TR2/3/3A Recommended Oil Filter Cartridge for Purolator Triumph 8
R oil pressure Spridgets 2
RickPA Overdrive Oil Pressure Austin Healey 8
6 Valve Oil Seals Spridgets 10
RJS TR4/4A Smiths Oil Temp Gauge Triumph 11
J MGB Oil Pressure Gauge Gives Constant Reading -- Doesn't Seem Right MG 15
Lotuswins Dry Spin-On Oil Filter Austin Healey 14
Todd78d Oil Spridgets 6
Erica General MG Oil Drain Valve -- mine is an MGB, but they have others MG 3
G Right-Side Shock Weeping Oil Austin Healey 1
scottkilpatrick TR4/4A Gear oil and choke question Triumph 4
D TR2/3/3A cylinder head oil plug bolt size Triumph 6
G High Oil Pressure Austin Healey 2
T Spin-On Oil Filters for Cars with a Brake Servo Austin Healey 3
Bayless What oil for Datsun 5 speed? Spridgets 7
T Spin-On Oil Filters Anti-Drain Back Valves Austin Healey 0
T Spin-On Oil Filters Austin Healey 1
K TR2/3/3A Old school penetrating oil? Triumph 24
R TR6 question re: Engine Oil Triumph 3
nevets Spin-On Oil Filter Adaptor Austin Healey 12
D Overdrive Stops Working After Oil Change Austin Healey 26
AUSMHLY BJ8 Differential Oil Change Austin Healey 6
Celtic 77 General MG Lever shock oil refiller MG 0
I MGB Sprung an (oil) Leak! MG 2
sim oil pressure gage bad or engine needs rebuild It starts our cold at 60 psi but when warm it down to 10 psi Spridgets 21
S TR2/3/3A Aluminum oil gallery plugs Triumph 9
WHT Oil Sump Question For Dougie Austin Healey 0
Joel Lester TR2/3/3A Priming new engine with oil Triumph 9
A TR6 spin on oil filter for tr6 Triumph 4
RJS General TR Oil Pressure Gauge - Test Triumph 11
RJS TR4/4A R&R Oil Pressure Gauge Triumph 7
LD-Ordie TR2/3/3A Canister Oil Filters Triumph 9
B Oil (or Coolant) Leak Austin Healey 10
K Usual 1275 rear main oil leak question Spridgets 0
S TR2/3/3A Removing a stuck oil drain plug Triumph 13
kodpkd 1961 BT7 engine oil Austin Healey 31
Celtic 77 MGB 77 MG B oil cooler MG 5
KVH General Tech Oil Pump Woodruff Key Triumph 10
prb51 Oil Viscosity Austin Healey 10
A MGB Oil pressure MG 9
NutmegCT Oil comparisons Restoration & Tools 2
Gliderman8 TR6 Would you change oil? Triumph 5
af3683 TR2/3/3A TR3 Purolator Oil Filters Triumph 7
A 1978 MIDGET 1500cc engine oil leak Spridgets 4
KVH General Tech Gaskets—Head/Oil Pump Triumph 4
L Oil Pumps Austin Healey 6
D MG Midget 1275 rear oil seal. Spridgets 0
A Rear Axle Oil Seal Austin Healey 4

Similar threads

Top