Oil Filter - Help please

Post by **twinkle** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:23 pm

The club now do a D.V.D. -Servicing the Minor that just may help the novice and at just a few pounds is worth every penny-( just thought id give Rob a plug)- :its really good fun :-Bill and Twinkle the Traveller.

Post by **newagetraveller** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:01 am

When you buy a new oil filter element there should be a joint washer in the box which is a large rubber o-ring with a square cross section.

The joint washer fits in a groove in the head of the filter assembley (the bit that is held onto the block with two bolts).

When you have unscrewed the bolt and removed the filter element and bowl you should prise out the old joint washer being careful not to damage the seating and fit the new one in the groove. A little grease will stop it from falling out.

Then clean out the bowl, fit a new filter element and carefully bolt the assembley back. As you are tightening up the bolt it sometimes helps to rotate the bowl a little to ensure that it is seated correctly on the joint washer.

Failure to fit the joint washer correctly will cause the filter assembly to leak at the top of the bowl as you have described.

Post by **rdlh** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 5:11 pm

Many thanks everyone for your help. Have now fitted screw on oil filter (quite simple) & am once again mobile.

Will keep an eye out for oil leaks for a few days though....!

Thank you all for your help & advice which has been greatly appreciated.

Am now looking forward to the next problem so that I have an excuse to post messages again!

Richard

PS - Think the inner tube to which Ray of Lemmington was referring was missing.
PPS - Have ordered club tech tips for Christmas!
PPPS - My wife says take car to a garage next time! (She wouldn't say that when it comes to paying garage bill!)

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 4:29 pm

We all have to learn somehow....

.... and think of the money you'll save next time

Post by **aupickup** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 4:55 pm

and a hell of a lot of self satisfaction as well.

the more you do the more you want to do
au

www.xing.com/profile/Neil_Shorney · Post by **hornmeister2000** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 12:24 pm

I have the same problem when servicing mine, but I prefer to persevere rather than fit a non-original part like a spin-off filter. Anyway, my tip, which has seen my fine through the last 2 services without leaks, is don't worry about the top seal! I could never get it in and oil used to pour out, so I tried without it and made sure the bolt was tight enough and it's fine now!

A little tip - you don't need to drain the oil again to remove the seal - just loosen it slightly with some newspaper under it and cut the seal with a craft knife before re-tightening.

Hope this helps,

Neil

Post by **iwant1** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:16 pm

hey all, is it possible to get everything you need for a spin off oil filter from a mini, or allegro etc?

Post by **Willie** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:48 pm

Yes it certainly is from a suitable Mini, but don't forget to obtain the two shorter studs as well.

Post by **johnm** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:03 pm

A couple of things to be wary of.

Are you sure that you removed the original top oil seal completely? Having two in is not unknown and it will then leak

Second the paper oil filters typically come with two large sealing rings when I've bouhgt them. You need the thinner one, the fatter one will leak

Also make sure the metal plate under the filter in the bowl is the right way round. If it is the filter will be just level with the top of the bowl

Finally it is very important to get it fitted fully into the seat all the way round. This is not as easy as it sounds. My technique was to oil the seal and feed it into place by gentle pushing with a small flat bladed screwdriver.

Good luck. Even when you've done it several times it still sometimes leaks when it warms up!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:19 pm

My technique was to oil the seal and feed it into place by gentle pushing with a small flat bladed screwdriver.

I do the same, but I find grease is better for making it stick than oil.
Fill the housing 2 thirds full before putting it back on, to allow oil pressure to come back up nearly instantly. Don't fill it more then 2 thirds as it needs some room to displace the filter when which moves down against the spring on assembly.
Also make sure that you don't just use the big dished washer under the filter - there should be other washer/s to help seal the dished washer to the stud (otherwise most of the oil will flow straight through the hole in the dished washer instead of being forced through the filter)

When you know what you are doing, the element filter is just as quick and simple as the screw on version (certainly easier than screw on filters on many other cars!)