Oil Filter Head Leak?

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myoldjalopy
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Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by myoldjalopy »

Hello peeps,
The top of my 'Purolator' oil filter head seems to be showing evidence of a slight oil leak in the immediate area. Not much, just a film of oil. I can't see a crack and assume its coming through one or both of the two fixing studs. I tried to tighten them but they are already tight as the proverbial duck's DONT SWEAR OR YOU WILL BE BANNED. Could the gasket behind be the culprit?
Thoughts welcome.....
RobThomas
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by RobThomas »

Well, it has 60psi of oil pressure behind it so it may well have blown. Not hard to change it. Worth flattening the back face if it is slightly curved/deformed.
Cardiff, UK
philthehill
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by philthehill »

Whilst I have never seen an oil filter head to block gasket (Pt No: 88G402B (Purolator)) blown - the gasket does get very hard/stiff and therefore can weep.

When replacing the gasket lightly smear general purpose grease on both sides of the gasket.
The grease keeps the gasket soft so it takes a very long time for the gasket to harden.
The greased gasket can be reused if necessary.

Make sure that the block to filter head pipe fitments are tight and the pipe not cracked. Also the two copper washers either side of the block union should be malleable - if they are not anneal the washers before re-fitting.

myoldjalopy
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by myoldjalopy »

Thanks for your replies. A couple of questions:
Rob - why would the back face be curved or deformed and, if it was, how would you flatten it?
Phil - how do you remove the filter head? Your mention of the copper washers either side of the block union suggests the oil pipe itself needs to be removed from the engine block as well as from the filter head..........is that the case? Or can that end be left alone? I assume the dynamo doesn't have to be removed to get at everything?
Thanks,
Pete
IslipMinor
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by IslipMinor »

have never seen an oil filter head to block gasket blown
Mmm! Neither had I, until last year at a track day at Goodwood when coming round Madgwick, the back of the car tweaked out very slightly to the left, which on a dry track was odd, and I happened to glance down at the instruments to see the oil pressure dropping quickly!

Pulled over on to the grass, and waited for recovery. The session was red flagged, as there was a sizable oil slick around the second part of Madgwick! Looks like I had slipped my own oil slick as it was being created!

Once back in the pits, added some oil and there was a big leak from around the oil filter head, checked the spin-on filter and it was tight, so that was the end of my track day. Fortunately Heritage Car Insurance cover track days, and within 40 minutes the recovery truck was in the pits and the car and I were on our way back to Oxford.

My first thought was the filter rubber, but that was fine, so removed the filter head, and found that the gasket had failed, with a piece about 3/8" long missing at the bottom. The gasket had been replaced about 18 months previously, and run for no more than 5,000 miles. I now check the 2 filter head bolts regularly.
Richard


philthehill
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by philthehill »

The later spin off oil filter head has a totally different oil filter head to block gasket (Pt No: 12A2035) to that fitted to the Purolator filter head.
The later spin on filter head gasket is quite narrow around the circumference of the gasket and yes there is the probability that the gasket could fail.
The Purolator gasket (Pt No: 88G 402B) is reasonably wide all around the oil transfer hole and is therefore very unlikely to fail and to reiterate I have never seen a Purolator gasket fail - just weep.

Below is a link to the pre spin off Purolator filter head to block gasket:-

http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... assic/spin on oil filter head gasket.aspx|Back to search

Below is a link to the later type spin off filter head gasket:-

http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... .aspx|Back to

Richard if I remember correctly you have the MG Metro filter head with intercooler & spin on oil filter fitted.
Was the gasket that failed the later narrow or early wide type?

The Purolator filter head is secured to the block by two long studs, two plain nuts and two spring washers.
The later spin off filter heads dependent upon type can be secured by either two long bolts or two short bolts (with formed heads incorporating a flat washer) and two spring washers.

Phil

IslipMinor
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by IslipMinor »

Hi Phil,

The early wide one! It has the early longer spin-on filter head, and the shape suits the early type gasket.

The same filter head has been on the engine for around 15 years and never had any sort of problem, so did not look there to begin with.
Richard


philthehill
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by philthehill »

Richard
Many thanks for the reply.

With the Metro intercooler and the spin on oil filter fitted there is a lot of weight (the intercooler weighs with adapter just over 1Kg) suspended by just those two studs/bolts. Whilst the Metro/early Midget spin on filter heads are quite robust and with a large contact face to go against the block a brace supporting the outer end of the filter head would not go amiss.

myoldjalopy

Remove the filter bowl/element, remove the pipe between the filter head and block using two spanners at the filter head so as not to twist the pipe on the male/male adapter which is screwed into the filter head., remove the two nuts/washers securing the filter head, slide the filter head off the studs.
Clean up the gasket faces of the block and filter head, replace the gasket (lightly greased) and refit the filter head in the reverse order.
It is better if the oil transfer pipe is removed completely.
The job can be done with the dynamo in place but it is better if the slotted adjustment plate is unhooked/removed and the dynamo is lifted up on its two upper mounts to give a bit more clearance and to obtain a better view of proceedings.
When fitting the pipe between block and filter head tighten everything up progressively so as not to introduce any strain/distortion into the pipe.
Phil

myoldjalopy
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Re: Oil Filter Head Leak?

Post by myoldjalopy »

Thank you, Phil, for your clear instructions..........
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