Dry Spin-On Oil Filter

[Lotuswins]

So I'm in a quandary on what to do.

I decided to change my oil on my BJ8 yesterday, and for a change I didn't start the car and warm it up before doing this. I have a Moss spin-on filter adapter and use WIX 51516 filters. I drained the oil cold, and then when removing the filter found it to be almost dry inside, no oil came gushing out when I broke the seal. This is the first time this has happened. The filter seems to be in good condition and the anti-drainback seal seems to be in good nick. The small amount of oil in the filter seems to be enough to get up to the threaded portion, but all the oil above that is gone, apparently drained back into the engine.

Is this normal? So the oil pump has to recharge maybe 60 percent of the filter before it can build pressure on the bearings? Has anyone any idea if this is the way of the spin-on filters?

I'm considering putting on a 90-degree adapter so the spin-on will sit vertically as the original did, which will also make changing the filter much less messy.

Jerry Rude
1967 BJ8

 

[Michael Oritt]

Jerry said "I'm considering putting on a 90 degree adapter so the spin on will sit vertically as the original did, which will also make changing the filter much less messy."
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I agree that there should have been more oil in the filter and perhaps the anti-drainback seal was in siome way damaged. That said I doubt any damage would be done to the bearings, etc.

In any case please let us know if/when where you find such an adapter--I'd like one as well for the reasons given but have not seen one to accomodate a spin-on.

 

[Lotuswins]

Michael,

Thanks for the reply. So far I've found this one which will bolt to the bottom of the original 90 degree adapter:

FA017: Austin Healey 3000 to 1968 - Oil Filter Adaptor Kits - parts | Flexolite

<p>Spin on oil filter conversion kit - including adaptor plate, two extension bolts (to deal with 3/8"UNC and UNF thread variations - only one will be needed),

www.flexolite.co.uk

I've also been looking at the ford 90 degree adapter, if I can find dimensions to compare. It will take a different filter though, having 22mm threads. (ford filters....apparently very common). Available on amazon, ebay, etc.

jerry

 

[Lotuswins]

So since I've never had an original filter on mine, and most don't, I didn't realize the original filters were actually horizontal and at a higher elevation than the spin on filters, so even worse for drain back. So utilizing the Flexolite kit isn't an improvement unless we can rotate the original, which probably won't work. I guess the ford adaptor is the only potential unless anyone else knows of a different option other that the hoses and remote mount.
Jerry

 

[Michael Oritt]

I replaced the original filter housing shortly after I bought my car in 1999 and no longer have it so that adapter is not attractive to me.
I am surprised that no one has yet come out with a 90 degree adapter for our cars that would bolt to the engine and receive a spin-on filter.

 

[Lotuswins]

So I found an old oil filter gasket from a old gasket set, and traced it onto paper, then rotated it 180 degrees and traced the oil inlet/outlet again in dotted lines as shown on the image. The bolt holes align perfectly and the inlet/outled are only 1/16 out of alignment. So it looks like rotating the old adapter is possible. I hope to the attach the spin on adapter to the other end, pointing the filter down. I ordered an original filter assembly off ebay and it should be here by Saturday. This may actually work.....
Jerry

 

[Lotuswins]

So further investigation is the centerline of the spin on adapter (filter outlet) is at approximately the same level as the oil gallery on the opposite side of the block, as there is a cross drill through to join the two (filter feeds the gallery). That being said, the filter will drain back through the oil gallery, through the bearings, into the pan. The drain back preventor in the filter does only a minor bit keeping only about 30-40 percent of the filter full. Pretty much a major oversight in the design of the spin on adaptor, wouldn't you think?

Putting on a 90 degree down pointing adaptor on should at least lower the filter to prevent it from draining as well as making its replacement easier.

Jerry

 

[MikeAH100M]

I experienced the same problem with my 100 with a spin-on adaptor so will be glad to hear if these ideas work. I still have my old vertical oil filter.

 

[Lotuswins]

I found this on the AustinHealeyExp website: > Oil Filter Adapter Head / Filter Housing (Page 2) : The 100 Forum : The Austin-Healey Experience <

Interesting in that there may be a third way to do a 90 degree with bolting the Head of the old filter to the block and using the Flexolite adaptor.

Jerry

 

[dezand]

Thanks for the link Jerry, interesting information!

 

[Lotuswins]

So I got the old can type filter from Ebay, and I tried option A, with the 90 degree portion attached to the side of the block and the old Moss spin on adapter on the other end. Unfortunately the filter will sit too far out and too low unless you put a short, fat filter on it. Otherwise, it bolts up okay and should work. I used to use the same filter as used on my 06 Dodge Dakota V8 which was short and fatter. I didn't have one to do a trial fit and I think option B is better for me although it will require some machining and another version of a spin on adapter. More to follow.....
jerry

 

[Lotuswins]

Option B - use of original Purolator filter head bolted to side of block:

So yesterday and today I worked on machining the Purolator filter head down to fit a spin on adapter for a Triumph TR4 which looks suspiciously like the Flexolite spin on adapter mentioned earlier. Diameter fits good, but the Purolator head has a center protrusion unlike
the earlier can type filter assemblies. The first picture is of the head on the milling machine, having been bored to be tapped to 3/4-16 thread and then shaved down.



Also, I've included a picture of my notes for the machining of the head and the manufacture of the adapter to affix the spin on adapter to the head. I used blue loctite and torqued the 1" hex to about 30 ftlb. Note the crush that I measured directly with a dial indicator.

The fit up went fairly well but I had to go with a shorter filter than the 51516 that Moss recommends for the horizontal adaptor. The new filter is 51348 WIX and is available readily at O'Reilly's off the shelf. All filter specs are the same except height and bypass pressures (which are okay at 8-11 psi).





Note the tight clearance to the lip of the oil pan, and also the distance to the motor mount. I would have liked a longer filter to increase filter area, but alas nothing in the 4.0 inch height range with the narrow diameter, at least listed by WIX.

If you have a Tecalemit brand filter head you may be able to shorten the TR4 adapter and possibly gain enough to put on a longer filter. Also, you may be able to get the flexolite adaptor mentioned earlier and avoid all the machining I had to do but the filter may have to be shorter as I suspect the flexolite one is longer since it boasts being able to fit any of the filter heads on the big Healey.

Anyway I'm quite happy with the conversion as now the engine won't have to fill the whole filter upon each start and I can get a wrench on the filter to install and remove it plus it won't dribble down the side of the block and oil pan each time it is replaced. Now to see if the thing leaks...

Jerry Rude
BJ8
Lotus Europa TCS

 

[Lotuswins]

Here is a bigger image of the note page:

 

[Lotuswins]

So after getting the car back running...no leaks TYVM....I got curious about the tecalemit brand filter head so while browsing ebay found one for only $20....what the heck?


Here is a comparison of the tecalemit and the Moss adaptor bolted to the 90 degree adaptor from the original. Note the 90 degree is about 2 inches longer from the side, and sits the filter out from the block about 3/4 inch more but of course there is the angle difference also.

So I made a bushing on my 3D printer and used a bolt extension from the bin (which is a little too short). Also there is an o-ring that seals the inlet to outlet since the surface on the top of the extrusion is cast, not machined. I assembled the setup and achieved a .020 crush on the square o-ring and it appears very useable.

Of course this still requires at the minimum a lathe to make the bushing and the bolt extension, but it doesn't require a mill (or a lathe with a milling attachment), and will take the same filter as I used on the Puralator version.

Jerry Rude
BJ8
Lotus Europa TCS

 

[Lotuswins]

Here is a bigger image of the note page:

View attachment 93687

Revised Purolator build notes:

and a few pictures of the Tecalemit version assembled. Note the restriction to the flow in the center of the center fitting where the cross sectional area reduces by 1/2 or so, but which seems common with these spin on adaptors. Last picture is with wrong filter though.
Jerry