Question about Oil Filter Orientation on Early 100-6

[blueskies]

I'm still working on preparing the engine for installation in the car and have another question.

This engine has the original canister type oil filter, with the replaceable filter inside. Right now the canister points straight down, in front of the starter. My two other Healeys have the filter canister turned more or less horizontally, above the starter.

In looking at the 100-6, I'm not sure that replacing the filter in the future will be possible with the canister pointing downwards. I'm wondering whether the frame rail will get in the way. If so, what's involved in reorienting the filter canister?

Thanks for any help with this.

 

[drambuie]

The best advice I can give is to get rid of that badly designed original oil filter canister... They are a disaster waiting to happen. I have dealt with them on my Healey's and triumphs, they leak oil onto your starter and orientating them center on the thin rubber O ring is a hit and miss proposition, not to mention the knife sharp edge of the steel canister cuts right through the thin O Ring when the center bolt is tightened. After dumping a full quart of oil on my driveway after a fresh oil change...I had enough! I installed a aluminum oil filter adapter from Moss which is a fraction of the weight of the old canister and let's you use modern more efficient oil filters that are much cheaper to buy at your local Walmart for $5.00 or less. They make changing your oil filter extremely simple, fast and they are oil tight! I no longer have to wonder if that old canister oil filter will let go and dump 8 quarts of oil on the road like a old James Bond movie!

 

[blueskies]

You have a good point there Drambuie, and thank you for the suggestion. For now, I have no choice but to go with the original filter cannister. It takes weeks for parts to arrive here and I already have a new traditional filter(s) for it.

Given that, can anyone tell me whether it is necessary to turn the filter canister/housing to the horizontal position, or is it possible to do filter changes with the canister in the vertical position, once the engine is installed in the car?

 

[British_Recovery]

I would mount it in the horizontal position as original. Check the Moss catalog page to see the two sections needed to locate it that way.
Bob

 

[healeyblue]

Heres how it is mounted on our 100-6. Of course the engine looks much better now that Randy has rebuilt it.