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Missing Oil Filter Spring Plate

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homebeforedark

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I disassembled a customer's BJ8 engine last night. The owner said that there was a problem with the crankshaft combined with low oil pressure so he parked it. That was about fifteen years ago. When I drained the oil and removed the filter , I found that there was no plate holding the filter against the housing so there might as well been no filter at all. The spring was there , though. The main bearings were severely scored and the rod bearings were only marginally better. This happened a few thousand miles after the engine got a turned crankshaft and a new rotor oil pump. It's a shame that after all that work a simple oversight led to another rebuild.
 
Well, In any case, What ever you do..... Trash can that sorry excuse for a filter canister and buy a adapter for a modern spin on filter. If you look at the sharp edge of the filter canister where it meets the rubber O ring seal....it is a disaster waiting to happen. Many times the canister is not aligned with the thin O ring seal when you put your new filter in..OR When you tighten the nut too much....which is a hit and miss thing...The sharp edge of the canister slices through the O ring seal which leads to dumping your new oil Change all over the drive way! It happend to me after driving 16 miles on my new oil change, As soon as I pulled into my drive way the Oil canister O ring let go and dumped a full quart of fresh oil on my drive.....After years of knowing the Healey oil canister is a bad design and a accident waiting to happen, I installed a new modern spin on oil filter adapter. Now no more oil seepage and I am confident I have a oil tight seal...They are cheap to buy and give you peace of mind! Michael.
 
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Similar thing happened to my BN4 engine, PO had done a full reco with new pistons, sleeved bores and so on and omitted to clean out the filter housing head. The bypass valve stuck open and sent dirty oil straight to the bearings which deeply scored a number of them and also the cam bearings. Andy.
 
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