Oil change tips

[oddbod]

I'm about to change the old style oil filter on my new Moggie,any tips as its leaking like an Italian Cruise Liner at the minute from said filter.

[chickenjohn]

You will probably need to change the big O ring in the housing if it is leaking that badly! Hold new O ring in the groove with a dab of grease. Also check a load of old O rings have not been jammed up in the groove in the past.

Can be a little tricky to push the bowl up against the spring pressure to get the long bolt started on the thread, but persevere. Once you've done one you get the hang of it, it gets easier! Make sure the flat plate is there inside the filter housing. This was missing on my convertible. Without it the paper element is not held against the top of the housing so no filtering of the oil is happening.

Put newspaper underneath the engine as some oil will be spilt!

[oddbod]

I've removed the Banjo Bolt,the housing doesn't want to release . Any tips before I resort to brute force and ignorance?

[brucek]

Be VERY careful with the return pipe from the block to the filetr housing!! It is VERY fragile and this is often not helped by the fact that the connection to the filter housing itself is usually gunged up with oil and crud making it even more difficult to separate. Be aware that there are two connections here - the pipe itself screws into a threaded connector which itself then screws into the filter housing. Clean the joint between the housing and the pipe union and use plenty of WD40. You will need two spanners to make sure that when unscrewing the pipe from the housing you don't inadvertently sheer the pipe at the same time as many have done in the past!

BE WARNED!

[bmcecosse]

DON'T TOUCH THE BANJO BOLT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oddbod]

Sorry if I caused some confusion, I am trying to change the "paper" oil filter,is the Bolt that holds the metal cannister, which contains the filter, NOT called a Banjo Bolt then?

[bmcecosse]

Errrr NO! The 'banjo bolt' is the bolt that passes through the 'banjo' connector where the oil pipe connects to the block..... So - thank goodness - you are simply undoing the long bolt at the base of the oil filter casing ? Yes ??

[oddbod]

Yep,just the long bolt,I reckon that leak issue (touch wood) is sorted for now