• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Purolator Oil Filter Leak

Share this page

TR3MT

TR3MT

Member
Country flag
Offline
I have a Purolator oil filter canister system which appears to have a leak where the bolt comes out at the bottom end. I have a new seal to install but can't figure out how do remove the circlip inside the bottom of the canister. It almost looks like a special tool is required. Does anyone have some insight on this problem?
Much appreciated,
TR3MT
 
I popped mine off with a longish flat blade screwdriver. Then extra-long needle-nose pliers to replace it. Don't recall how I held the spring compressed while installing, but I think a couple lengths of dowel rod clamped to the sides would do nicely.

YIe9NRF.jpg
 
Yep, a long skinny blade srew driver gets it out. Just catch the big loop and twist the driver. Installing is easy too...put everything on the long bolt, and install the clip down near the threads. Then just slide the clip down the bolt until it compresses the spring and drops into the groove. I used a copper pipe I had laying around, but any tube will work.
 
Thanks for the suggestions--it was easier than I thought it would be. I was afraid that I might get it apart and not be able to get it together again. Funny thing about those Purolator filters that they have kind of a bad reputation and some replace them with after market spin on's. After doing it for 59 years on my original TR3 I am finally figuring it out, but admittedly they can be frustrating.
BCF is such a great help and I am contributing today.
TR3MT
 
I finally got the seal out of the bottom of the canister and replaced it with a new one and it still has a small leak from around the bolt. I thought the I.D. of the new seal fit a bit loose when I installed it and I think maybe I was right. I purchased the seal from a large west coast supplier (who I really like), but wonder if anyone has obtained a seal from a different supplier that may fit a little tighter. Any suggestions on how to stop this little "calling card" type leak would be appreciated.
Thanks,
TR3MT
 
Use some aviation gasket seal on the seal and the large metal piece that sets at the bottom like a big washer where the bolt goes through. The aviation is liquidly and not plug lines up like silicone sealer when too much is used.
 
Hey TR3MT--- please take a lot of picture. I love the original owner cars. Pictures under the dash, the brake lines by the wipers, TS build plate stuff and anything like hose routs and fuel line routes. I have a 1959 fuel line set up and anyway the bracket that holds the line seems to be unique to 1959; it was the year they move from braided fuel lines to rubber and some had a bracket at the thermostat housing and some used rubber and a bracket.
steve
 
TR3MT, I Just replace that same seal on my Tr4 and I don’t have any leaks. That seal is a loose fit around the thru bolt shank since it doesn’t really seal around the bolt shank.
The sealing surfaces for that seal are the back of the flange of the thru bolt head and the small flat end of the oil filter canister.
You might consider taking things apart again to verify that those sealing surfaces are in good shape and free of debris, pits, gouges, etc. Also, before you button things up, do a fit check of the canister, the large curved washer and the seal without the bolt. The seal should stick up above the end surface of the curved washer (if everything is good) since it must be squashed by the thru bolt flange in order to seal properly..
I purchased my seal from TRF.


M.
 
Just a thought: Are you sure that's where it is leaking? It can be surprisingly hard to see a thin film of oil when it's running down a surface (like the canister); but the drop hanging from the lowest point is much more obvious.
 
Thanks everyone for all the input regarding my leak problem. I determined that the leak was at the bolt and not at the canister lip, so [ut some gasket sealant on the bolt head flange and the leak has stopped. I will take some pictures to show original fuel line routings as soon as I learn how to post photographs. It is more :peaceful:difficult to work on a car when there is no dreaded PO to blame but myself.
 
Right on TR3MT, I love happy ending. Posting a picture was tricky for me at first, but now it is easier. Basically go to “Go Advanced” click on that then go to “Manage File” then hit “Browse” find the picture you want in your picture file- click on that- the file will move into the screen then click “Up Load" on the right of the screen. Done.

If you get a chance and because you are the original owner, can post a picture of the clutch slave return spring. The original parts catalogue shows a part number for the earlier shorter slave cylinder, Lockheed I believe. In addition, the same spring part number is used for the accelerator pedal spring in the catalogue which must be correct. Anyways, Moss does the same thing, their part number for the slave cylinder spring and the accelerator spring are the same.

My belief is when Triumph changed to the larger Girling slave cylinder that cylinder had a larger longer spring, but the venders selling springs are selling an incorrect spring for the shorter cylinder because they are copying the catalogue and that that spring is too strong. Anyways, long story short, I would love to see what a correct spring looks like for the later Girling system, and if they did change to see if my theory is valid. I have owned four tr3s, one 1961, two 1958, and one 1959 and not one had the spring on the slave cylinder. I never could get an aftermarket spring to work, so I made one to fit.

Peace out steve
 
Back
Top