Morris Minor Owners Club

Not a 1275, I'd say from the 'old' filter. Didn't they all have spin ons already?
It's too dark to go out and fetch a filter to compare, and too long since I looked at one - is the hole in the block the shape/size of the hole in the 'old' filter?

Spridget 1275 was standard oil filter as we know it.

Aha - know nowt about them

Nice thought but the old girl certainly doesn't go like it would have a bigger engine. The new unit fits perfectly on the studs it's just the fact that if you view the old unit in the pic from the front you can see the central oval hole is quite elongated and there is a matching elongated hole in the block (same with both blocks ) and when the new unit is mated up with the engine block there is a good 5mm gap at the top with potentially disastrous consequences as its a daily driver doing 60miles a day at the moment or about 30 feet if i had fitted the new oilf filter and not noticed !!

Any chance it's designed to go on upside down - with the screw on filter sticking up ?

Yeah from a suppliers point of view that would keep them going for years selling moggie owners new bearings every week when they start their engines every morning with all the oil drained out of their filters . Psst don't let the suppliers know they might think they are on on to a new money spinner, at least something would be spinning cos my filter is decidedly stationary at the moment !!

The things I do for you people Just been out and had a look at two blocks by torchlight, one Moris, one Austin - both have a simple round hole in there, not the oval affair. Don't know what you've got, but it doesn't seem to be standard 5 series 1098...

The proper filters have non-return valves - so the oil shouldn't run out. But it was just a crazy thought to try to sort out your problem for you!

Ah bless you thanks for that what a star your kind actions prompted me to get my torch out and have a look at my engines and the van engine in my garage has a round hole as you noticed but with an oval dark area around it which led me to think it was the same as the traveller ie a big oval hole in it . But the torch has got to the bottom of it as the traveller
appears to have an oval hole in it but by the very nature of it it looks like it has been hacked about by a chisel or something worse . Im not sure how im going to get around this, a bit tricky to see in the dark but it looks like im in the eurobox tomorrow. Guess what i will be doing this weekend ? I wonder if i make a template out of steel with all the holes to fit the old oil filter housing and new gaskets might get me out of bother , life used to be so simple. Thanks for all your help guys , what a lifeline.

Just refit the good old filter that's been fine up to now - it's really not a lot of hassle to change the old paper filter once a year! Certainly a lot less hassle than you are having now!
And -for interest - the TR 7 uses exactly the same paper filter as the Minor!

I tell you what after all that i reckon you are on the money there , i guess i was trying to take the easy route by saving me a bit of time but i always think the old ways are the best ways for a very good reason usually and this may be one very good example. Still can't think why anyone would need to hack about with something like that or maybe its a casting fault ? Who knows but if i don't have any joy getting an oil tight seal with the spin on filter at the weekend i will be following decades of Morris know -how and sticking the old one back on. Thanks again, its comforting to have such a support network for these little problems , i would start on choke cable problems but think i will save that for another day , have to sign off now and make ready for the night shift of nappy changing !! Cheers all Darren

For what it's worth, I've just checked four filter heads and three 1098 blocks. They all look like the old one on the left of your picture (page of thread). If I was sold the new one on the right I'd send it back!!

There are plenty of kits that retain the old head but have an adapter beneath them onto which the filter does indeed spin on. I've done around 40,000 miles on this type with no problem (plus about 150 hours on the same type on the 1500cc BMC diesel in the boat, also no problems).

You have too many engines ! I will have a good look at the weekend when i can see what im doing properly , maybe someone hasn't had a go at it with an angle grinder after all ! It does look a bit rough around the edges so i thought someone had got carried away but it is tricky to see at night but if your blocks have the same profile maybe mine is normal after all and if so i shall as you suggest return it and locate another unit, many thanks for the advice.

speedbox wrote:You have too many engines !

So do I - and I'm intrigued now. More inspection here tomorrow too...

You have too many engines !

It's just a shame that more of them aren't in working order

Interestingly, I have found a photograph of a block that has a round hole for the filter head, so I am also intrigued, but not enough to go ans strip one of the running engines

'Lucky' me - I have lots in bits...

Looking back at the pictures which have now appeared - i think you just need a different gasket and all should be well!

Well done Lee -a picture speaks a thousand words!
That's what they looked like on the one's I've had to mess with - the gasket on the spin-on one is normally 'just about good enough' to cover the hole in the block, and the standard studs are too long but can be packed with washers or replaced.
However, the A-series engines were made with differences on different applications (e.g. the Austin LCV block has a few differences to the standard Minor block).

One way around it would be to make an adaptor plate and use the Minor gasket on one side (to the block) and the Mini Gasket on the other side.
Another way around it which you may already be considering (which would be my choice, but I'm a stick in the mud sometimes) is to buy the (less expensive) filter element instead of the screw-on can, and continue with the original filter design?

STILL puzzled by why the same (Morris) engines in the same application vary though.

The one in my pick-up had an elongated hole. Can't say why but that's the A-series for you! Same engine full of differences which is why you have to be very careful (e.g. tips for Mini engines being wrong for Minor engines etc...)