MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Experiences with an Oil Filter Spin Adapter..

Bought one of above many moons ago and installed with a small Ryco filter ( after checking nut clearance as per Barneys site). Biggest problem was getting the bango fitting copper seals ( had to ream out some undersize ones ). System leaked ever increasing volumes until it became ridiculous..so I tried to take off the Ryco ..impossible by hand ( no nut attachment ) ..and ended up with a crushed filter by the time I got it off. Removed whole of adapter unit and reinstalled with fresh gaskets and new filter (latter by hand ).Loads of oil everywhere! New assembley leaked so decided to go back to square one and put back the original telecamit unit. This time the dreaded bango leaked so put a big torque on it and stopped leak. Original unit now performing well and love that accessible bottom release nut ....basic lesson well and truly learnt...'Don't fix it if it aint broke'...would suggest you stay clear of this Moss adapter..it has no advantages.
Neil Ferguson

Neil,

When you fitted the Ryco filter did your smear the gasket with oil?
If fitted dry the filter stops turning and feels tight as soon as the seal contacts the steel surface. It feels tight, but it is not.
This dry gasket also makes the filter hard to remove, usually crushing the filter.
Oil the gasket, tighten by hand, and remove with a webbing strap tool.
Or, as you say, leave well alone.


Mick
M F Anderson

Mick..was a very good boy and did all the right things...and both Rycos turned the right amount after contact. I bought a bottom side serrated gripper tool to get the Ryco off the second time..cant imagine how you got a strap tool onto it. I did the conversion to minimise oil spill but more hit the ground with the adapter and the Ryco than ever did with the telcamit.
Neil Ferguson

I fitted the Moss spin-on oil filter adapters to my MGA and MGB-GT over 20 years ago and have never had a leakage problem.
It's always good practice to oil the new filter gasket before installation. I've noticed several professional techs don't bother. TIME!
I usually use FRAM PH3614 filters, or equivalent. Whatever's the best price at the time.
Fraser Cooper

Fraser...Thanks for advice and good to hear of your long positive experience and I am sure I would have got it to seal as well eventually .
However the basic conclusion I reached whilst lieing on my back with oil going up my sleeve is really that the 'idea' of the convenience of a spin on appealed to me but... irrespective of my particular problems installing it ( and I did oil seals etc) ...in the end I found the original Telcamit just as convenient for filter change....and it gave me no problems.
Neil Ferguson

Hi folks. I use an MGB spin on adapter on my 1500 roadster. It bolted on easily, has never leaked, and has been in use since 1981. Fram filters fit and are cheap and easy to obtain Cheers, Glenn
Glenn Hedrich

I have two Moss spin-on adapters, both have worked well for many years without any leaks.
Steve S

I have used a spin-on adapter for years. Bit tricky to mount the first time, but the spin on filters do a much better filtering job than the paper filters, so the one-time tricky bit is well worth doing.

I always had trouble getting the Perolater type to seal, so it's clear that there are divided feelings on this !
dominic clancy

Neil,
From your description it seems that your oil filter is hanging below the adapter. I have had a spin-on adapter on my '56 roadster for about 15 years, and it has never leaked. However, it has the filter fitted on top of it. This also means it is easier to get at the filter.
For filters that can't be undone by hand, I'm told you can drive a large screw driver through it, and then use the leverage to get it off. I have never had to do this as my filters have spun off easily.
Have fun juggling that long bolt through the canister and the frame getting in the way!
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Gentlemen. In these "modern" times our parts suppliers are purchasing their supplies from whomever is least expensive or, in many cases, the only company still making the parts. Many, if not all, of the common parts suppliers do not have any form of inspection program for their incoming parts, much less a quality control/quality assurance program. Thus, when one mentions that they have used some item for twenty years, all that tells us is that, twenty years ago, the item was of good quality. It tells us nothing of the quality of the available part(s) today. Unless the part under discussion is a used part or verified New-Old Stock (NOS) part. (At least some of the NOS parts I have examined were, obviously, bad parts from the factory which may have made their way into the system when various dealers closed and sold off their remaining inventories. (One book on the early Austin-Healey cars noted that, at the end of the week, all of the body panels which did not fit correctly were gathered up and shipped off to dealers as repair parts.)

With the introduction of the 18V version of the BMC B series engine, the factory produced an inverted oil filter adapter which will fit (physically) onto earlier versions of the B series engine. I have one on my 68 BGT and it works fine. I have seen them on MGAs and the owners mentioned no problems with fit or filter access when I spoke with them. I seem to remember that, in a previous discussion of this subject, Barney mentioned that he was either running an 18V oil filter adapter or had seen them installed with no problems on the MGA engine.

There are only two problems with a used 18V oil filter adapter--both inherent to its design. The first is that, holding the filter inverted, there is a small loss of oil when the filter is removed. I have used either an old cat litter box or a large baking pan under the filter to catch the spilled oil with good success. Minor clean up with paper towels required where the oil spills onto the lower engine flange or frame. The second problem is that the threaded portion of the adapter, onto which the filter screws, is made of aluminum (aluminium) which can be damaged by either over tightening the oil filter or by cross threading the filter onto it. Thus, any used part (which should be commonly available in the UK and is available here in the US in more limited numbers) should be carefully cleaned and the threads inspected, under magnification, to ensure they are in good condition.

The 18V adapter, an original one, is a part which has proven itself to work well and hold up over many years of service. To me, it makes a very good alternative to new parts of unknown quality.

Les
Les Bengtson

>Thus, when one mentions that they have used some item
>for twenty years, all that tells us is that, twenty
>years ago, the item was of good quality. It tells us
>nothing of the quality of the available part(s) today.

No, but it is useful to me personally. I've got a Moss spin on adapter of about the same vintage, that I'm using on my restoration project, so it is nice to know that at least one person has had good results from it.
Del Rawlins

Seeing this thread has prompted me to take out and fit a Moss spin-on adapter, which I have been humming and harring about fitting for some time. Following the advice of previous threads, the shoulder of the cental bolt, which holds the adapter on to the engine, has been machined down about a 1/16" to ensure clearance with the filter body so hopefully no leaks at the rubber sealing ring.
Now two questions for those who have fitted one already:
1) As the instructions are specific about quite a low torque of only 12 ft.lbs. on the central fixing bolt, is bending of the lock tab washer against one of the flats on the bolt head sufficient to prevent the bolt unscrewing when removing a filter? Just the bent tab washer doesn't seem much of a preventer to me. Has anyone found this to be a problem?
2) Moss supplied a Unipart GFE 173 anti-drain filter with the kit, which is a short body type and, in the interests of not looking like a glaringly obvious modern addition on a 52 year old Twin Cam engine, I would like to use a long body filter (the adapter, and filter at each change, will be sprayed engine red!). Can anyone advise a suitable filter readily available in UK?
Bruce Mayo

Bruce:
I don't remember having the option of bending locking tabs when I fitted my two Moss adapters.
I did have one case, several years ago, when the centre spigot thingy came out with the filter. I just re-fitted it, didn't worry about torque spec (no instructions on that with my adapters in 1985/6) and no problems, since.
I remember seeing a long-bdy filter that fits the adapter and used it once. It was difficult to fit (vertical clearance on MGA 1500), so didn't get another. If you get desperate, I can look up the part number in my old records.
Nice idea, painting the filter! Try to get the guys at the ten minute oil change places to do that!
Cheers! Fraser
Fraser Cooper

Hi Fraser
Yes, the latest Moss adapter includes specific instructions about bending up one side of the special large diameter washer which fits under the central bolt head, to prevent it being unwound when taking a used filter off. The washer also has an extra tag at the side which locates between two small posts in the adapter and stops it from rotating, and so should hold the bolt also from rotating. My only concern is that filters usually demand a lot more torque to remove them than the comparatively low torque, hand-tightening to instal them. However, no one has, as yet, reported any such problem so maybe I'm worrying unnecessarily.
Painting the filter engine red might sound a bit over the top, but it really is just a five second job with a small aerosol can of maroon from Moss, or whoever. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Your filter reference might be useful even if it is a USA one - I can look up some UK equivalents. Thanks.
Bruce
Bruce Mayo

I use a Flexolite adapter http://www.flexolite.co.uk/cat.asp?cID=4 , pobably a rebadged Moss item or supplied to Moss?

The main point of my post is for UK/Aus/South Africa etc RHD cars. Once fitted with this system, the starter motor cannot be removed without first removing the filter canister. That said, I have been very pleased over the years. Never had a leak except on the initial install when I failed to remove the old hardened upper oil seal and put a new one on top. It took about 30 seconds to empty the entire sump after the seal blew when out on a test drive.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hi Bruce:
About the large filter:
I used a Fram PH3600, which was too long. Made removal difficult.
Other equivalents of PH3600 are:
Kralinator L109
Motorcraft FL400

According to my Kralinator catalogue, the L109 is 121.16 mm long by 73.91 mm OD (4.77 x 2.91 in)
Thread is 3/4-16, of course
Has an anti-drain valve.

It won't be as big as original twin-cam, but should look ok!

The Fram filters are orange; the Kralinator filters ar green.
Cheers! Fraser
Fraser Cooper

I would personally avoid using any filter made by Fram. I was able to find a NAPA part number equivalent for the filter that Moss sold for use with their adapter. This is a quality filter manufactured by Wix (part of Dana corporation). I can get the number next time I am in the garage, but I don't know if that will be useful since the Moss adapter I have is different from the one the sell currently. For more filter information, see the following website:

http://www.knizefamily.net/minimopar/oilfilters/opinions.html
Del Rawlins

I also put on Moss's adapter on in '95.Never a problem and by reading this thread agree with Les.Del brings up a good point also,everyone I know who does things with engines says stay away from fram.
gary starr

Gents... surprised this thread went on so long as I was basically getting rid of some dirty water off my chest after my frustration with the leaky spin on adapter. I am pleased to hear of good experiences and the inverted filter sounds great for access and convenience during engine lift out. For me ,irrespective of the leak problem,my experience is that the original filter set up is better than the spin on.... getting the socket onto the bottom nut and a good postive turn rather than an attempt with a hand around the spin on and ever more desperate methods to. get the horror to turn. I went to my local general motor parts store and they had seven different tools to get a grip from above or below. So easy removal from any car must be a common problem! Just love that little nut and if only the wretched filter makers could incorporate one then ....we may beo evolving.
Neil Ferguson

You can get filters with the nut on the bottom, but expect to pay dearly for them:

http://www.knfilters.com/oilfilter.htm
Del Rawlins

Des...
Fish crawl out of sea, man invents wheel and club, then a little later engine and oil,filter designed with nut, nut discarded then re-appears ....all the huge steps in Evolution!!
Seriously though ...thanks for advice...I have a 4mm deep hole in my right middle finger where I removed some excess flesh from my bod whilst struggling in vain with the last spin on so great to see K&N make them with nuts.I will have a go again with spin on adapter once I am physeicaaly and mentally healed.
Do you know the part number for the filter??
Neil Ferguson

This thread was discussed between 30/01/2010 and 07/02/2010

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.