Morris Minor Owners Club

Just swapped the head gasket out, while I was about it changed the oil and the oil filter. I love old engines but my my some of the designs of things are shocking! The oil filter housing being one of them.

She's leaking so tomorrow I want to have another look at the seal that goes on the top of the cup. Is there a trick to getting it in the gap and screwing the holder on all at the same time?

Also, if I take the filter off how much oil will come out? Just the handfull left in the cup and pipe work?

Oil filters usually come with two sizes of seal, you need to fit the wider one that is a very snug fit in the groove...and make sure that the old one has been removed first.

Taupe

Exactly! Dig the old seal out first. Then glue the new seal in place with grease. DO NOT 'screw' the can in place......push it straight up and tighten the bolt. Make sure the spring and plate are there under the filter..

My kit only came with what I would naturally describe as a 'skinny' seal, but obviously I have nothing to compare it against. I have the best feel / look that I could but couldn't find an old seal in there!

Will all the engine oil drop out if I remove the filter housing?

I've just got the seal in there, started the engine and oil has immidiately started [Don't swear or you will be banned - Admin] out of the housing.

Is there meant to be a plate on top of the filter? What am I doing wrong? I want to run my engine after this gasket change and I'm being held back by this sodding filter housing.

You can always change it for a spin-on filter which is much more practical and less troublesome.
Regards

There WILL be an old seal in there. Fish it out with something pointy. Only a v little oil. Plate above should not be loose.

First of all my apologies for swearing, I was at my wits end this morning watching another fiver's worth of oil all over the road.

I'm sure that given several attempts and an amount of luck I could get this thing to seal up again but it should not be this hard to change an oil filter. Pressing the cup up and then screwing it is no doubt the correct technique but owing to the spring is very difficult when you're on your own and the car isn't on a ramp.

I've ordered the spin on oil filter kit, got to be more sensible.

So annoying to have an otherwise successful head gasket change hampered by a sodding oil filter.

In future, check for leak by spinning the engine on the starter with plugs out. This circulates the new oil - and reveals any leaks without spills...

bmcecosse wrote:There WILL be an old seal in there. Fish it out with something pointy. Only a v little oil. Plate above should not be loose.

90% sure the old seal still in there will have been your problem ..if not you have used the wrong size seal. The seal should completely fill the groove...Once you have the old seal out compare the size with the new one.

Taupe

bmcecosse wrote:In future, check for leak by spinning the engine on the starter with plugs out. This circulates the new oil - and reveals any leaks without spills...

This is sound advice, I had been rushing which is never ever good.

Tomorrow I'm going to start digging for this old seal, I'm told they can go really hard and can feel almost like metal. Wish me luck!

I got impatient and went digging. Got the old seal out, really difficult to prise free. It would be hard enough and then it's upside down and covered in oil. I ran a stanley knife in to it and managed to get it off that way. Fitted the new seal, same size, same groove. What a nightmare. like trying to fit a tiny 2 inch bike tyre on to a rim, only again upside down and covered in oil.

After a second attempt to put the seal in it has 'sealed'for the very large part. It's now leaking at a rate of approximately one drip every 5 seconds. Anyone got any advice on what that might be? Tighten it up?

exactally that dont go mad just nip it up

It must not leak at all...

The internet is fitering any sarcasm that might have come with. But I really don't want it to leak, nothing like at that rate anyway.