Oil filter housing leak.

[Chief]

Perhaps a stupid mistake, but I appeared to be having a small oil drip leak from the bolt head of the Purolator housing after finally getting the oil change done.

Photos online of a housing in-situ showed a visible oil seal which could not be seen on mine, so I bought one.

Opening the filter housing up, I discovered a seal in place inside the external collar.

I replaced it anyway and then thought, what if I put the old seal between the bolt head and collar so there's a seal above and below? (so one seal in the collar as usual and one below - so not double gasketed).

Everything was screwed up tightly, and no more leaks (previously it was constant).

That was until I started the engine and the whole half cannister of oil was thrown out through the bottom of the cannister in one quite impressive stream.

Now, is it likely that if I re-do it with just the new seal everything will be leak free, or is there anything else to do to keep the leak at bay.

Over three days the originaldripping leak filled up the first knuckle of four fingers on an L-size rubber glove.

[philthehill]

Attached is a link to an exploded parts diagram of the Purolator oil filter housing.
https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-m ... 51-71.html
Assemble your filter as per the diagram and you should not have any problems.

[Chief]

Thanks for the link, I'd been using ESM's diagrams, though it is useful having all the part numbers to image search from your Moss link.

I do notice that Moss shows a retaining clip (126) for the pressure plate which is missing on ESM's.

Is this something I should have as parts-wise mine is the same as the ESM image.

Thanks

[philthehill]

The clip is not important. It was there to keep all the parts together. If missing it does not impact the operation of the oil filter.

[Chief]

In so far as I can tell, I no longer have the leak at the bottom, however there appears to be a leak at the top, possibly two.

I dried the housing with paper and then tried the engine, there was one area which was definitely visibly wet (the large red 'V') and another which may have been slightly wet or may have not been as well dried due to access.

The side that is definitely leaking appears to have a gap between the housing and the part attached to the engine, while the other edges are all flush.

a.jpg (365.8 KiB) Viewed 1364 times

My worry was I was making new threads as the bolt never reached a point where it stopped, just kept turning and was becoming too painful to turn (now having to rest my arm) as I could only get it turning now less than 1/4 at a time and the housing appeared to no longer have any upward movement.

[philthehill]

I would suggest that you discard the current oil filter set up and fit a spin on filter element head and spin on filter.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175712666185 ... R9qc-rWMYg

[Boomlander]

I agree, had the same problem with Willum's original filter. Even the restoration guys could not stop the leak so we fitted a spin on conversion kit. Only one part to undo (the filter itself) and totally leak free.

[taupe]

I agree with Phil....When you fit a replacement (as your casting and the mounting studs sound like they are damaged beyond repair) bear the below in mind whether you decide to obtain an original type or a conversion (spin on) type....


David Jay posted this elsewhere

"I am posting this so that hopefully no one else makes the mistake I did. I decided to do this 'simple' conversion this afternoon. Everything went ok, original studs came out ok. Noticed that the original gasket was stuck to the block but it was in perfect condition so decided to leave it on. Put the new gasket on and built up the new unit. Everything fine so far. Put new oil in and started the engine. Oil light went out, I was cooking on gas. Checked underneath for leaks and oil was pouring out from the new oil filter body. Oh dear I said or something meaning the same!!!
The mistake I made was leaving the old gasket on. The new filter body and therefore the gasket is a different shape and when it is mated to the old gasket it leaves a gap that allows the leak.
Took it all off, removed studs, carefully scraped the old gasket off. Then put it all back together again. This time no leaks.
What a silly boy(?) I feel, this simple job took three times longer than I expected ...not to mention the mess on the garage floor.
Be Warned "

Taupe

[jaekl]

It's typical for the gap between the side of the canister and the casting not to be uniform. Your tighten experience may be the issue. It doesn't take undue force to tighten them. Over tightening rubber seals can cause them to misbehave. As stated going to a spin on filter is the way to go.he

[oliver90owner]

A common reason for a leak around that area is of the old sealing ring not being removed - hence two seals being installed.

If the bolt is cross-threaded, that issue needs urgent attention as the engine relies on a pressurised oil delivery system!

[Chief]

Thanks for the replies, however I'm taking my car back to its' original stock form, so I'm converting from the spin on system to the original Purolator amongst other things.

I couldn't say it is cross threaded, but for now I'll have to leave it as-is for a bit to allow my bad shoulder to recover.

[philthehill]

Chief
The filter head fitted to your Minor appears to have the blocked oil filter light switch on its forward face.
That type of filter head was never fitted to a Morris Minor. It was fitted to the early Cooper S.

[Chief]

I thought the blocked oil filter head had an upward copper tab for the connection? (which mine doesn't have).

I couldn't find an image, but you probably know what I''m referring to.

[philthehill]

Early filter heads did not have the blocked oil filter switch. Later oil filter heads had the blocked oil filter switch which was located adjacent to the two mounting studs on the top face of the filter head.
The photo of your filter head appears to have a boss on its front face, or is that something in the way? The Morris Minor Purolator oil filter head does not have the boss. The boss is for mounting the blocked oil filter switch. See photo below of Purolator filter head with boss and blocked oil filter switch.

Cooper S oil filter head.JPG (78.1 KiB) Viewed 1232 times

The type of switch fitted to the filter head in the photo above was not reliable and could be removed and replaced with a blanking plate.

[Chief]

That's the copper tab I was meaning on the right in your photo.

I think what you're thinking was the switch area is the alternator cowling obscuring the filter head in my original photo:

b.jpg (308.55 KiB) Viewed 1228 times

[philthehill]

Thank you for the clarification.