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MG MGB Technical - Which Oil Filter?

I posted this on the MGA page but there are probably more people in the know here:

My A has an MGB engine with an adaptor for spin-on filter. The filter is "upside down" ie the oil comes in from the bottom. THis suggests to me it ought to have an antidrain valve in the filter. I don't know who supplied the adaptor so I can't check. The existing filter is a Mann W712 and I do see it takes a few seconds for the oil pressure to build up, consistent in my mind, to filling the filter first. I thought of trying the W712/80 which has the anti drain valve built in.
Any harm in that?
Graeme Williams

There are quite a few oil filters that will fit the inverted oil filter adapter fitted by BL. The base thread is 3/4"-24. The major concerns are that the gasket, at the bottom of the filter, matches the diameter of the of the adapter. Also, there should be a standpipe in the center of the adapter. Often, these are missing. The top of the oil filter should be about 1/2" above this standpipe or it will allow a large quantity of oil to drain back through this standpipe. The filter should indeed have an anti-drainback valve to prevent the remainder of the oil from leaving the filter when the engine is shut down. The Mann filter is considered one of the best oil filters on the market today. RAY
rjm RAY

NAPA 1068, if available i the UK.

Cheers

Gary
79MGB
gary hansen

Graeme

I have replied on the other thread.

There is some interesting reading on Paul Hunt's site...

http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/enginetext.htm#filtertypes
Dave O'Neill 2

Many filters come with an anti drain-back valve, which is usually a rubber flap behind the holes around the base of the filter, but the quality and hence effectiveness over time will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. However the W712 doesn't appear to have one from the Mann site. I use Mann W916/1, which is longer than the W917/1 which also fits, both have the anti drain-back valve. W712/80 has a narrower and shorter can than the 916/1, although the rubber seal is in the same position, otherwise being the same including the anti-drain-back valve and bypass valve pressure. If the filter doesn't have a bypass filter then 20W/50 oil pressure on a cold start can blow the filter medium, then you have no filter.

There should also be a tube in the filter head that projects a couple of inches up through the mounting hole of the filter as shown in the attached. Both the valve in the filter and this tube are required to keep th filter at least half-full. Note that some filters can be so short that the end of the filter blocks off that pipe and you get no oil flow.

Left overnight you should get near instant oil pressure next morning, but in my experience this then increases the longer the car has been left. 'A few seconds' is a long time in my book, mine is probably no more than 3 secs after several weeks.



Paul Hunt

K&N HP-2004 fits perfectly and it a high quality filter. It also has a 1" nut welded on top to aid in removal. Paint it engine color and it looks like an original canister.
Steve Simmons

I have a 18GG engine in my B which had an inverted element type filter fitted, with no drain valve, as I only use the car when the weather is nice, sometimes it gets parked up for long periods, so I converted it to a cartridge type filter with drain valve, I tried a few different makes, but the one that gave me the quickest oil pressure reading was the Mann 916/1, even when left for a few weeks, I still get almost instant oil pressure, I have had this type filter fitted now for about 40,000 miles, which is quite a few years, you can also buy these for about £3-00 each. A.T
andy tilney

I have (but not fitted) the Mann W712/80. Currently car has a straight W712, the difference being the non-return valve is fitted on the /80.
I checked the MGOC site for information about their adaptor and the filter they recommend is the equivalent to the W712/80. But because I don't know the adaptor make and because the fitted filter has that subtle difference of not having the non-return valve I thought I should ask the question.
Graeme Williams

The thread and seal position are the same on the W712, W712/80, W917/1 and W917/6 as well as a number of other filters. I would be amazed if the adapter from the MGOC differed to the original inverted adapter. There may be a slight benefit with the W712/80 in congested engine bays in that it has a narrower can, but I don't know how or even if the filtration media differs.
Paul Hunt

Is the oil fed from the centre tube, through the filter
and out through the ring of holes, or the other way round?
Graeme Williams

Up through the outside then down through the middle. That way the flap that forms the anti drain-back valve is lifted away from the outer ring of holes by the oil flow.
Paul Hunt

When I removed the W712 that was fitted by the po I could clearly see the benefit of having an inbuilt non-return valve. In fact I can see it on the drive every day - oil when everywhere!
Installed a W916/1 which gave a better clearance over the top of the steel tube.
Graeme Williams

It goes everywhere anyway - if you drain it hot that is - unless you fit a newspaper 'nappy' underneath the adapter to catch it.

The V8 is exactly the same even though that is a hanging filter, as it is tilted slightly, and needs the same preparation.

The ZS is also hanging, but that is replaced from underneath so can overflow direct into the bucket.
Paul Hunt

The NAPA 1068 is the same as WIX 51068. It is the best filter for the application if available in the UK.
Glenn Mallory

The NAPA 1068 has different filtration levels. That filtration level is prefixed the by numbers 3 and 5.

WIX is one of the major manufacturers of oil and air filters. They service both the OEM and aftermarket sectors. I was surprised to learn this while working in the Parts Division of Volvo Cars N,A. WIX was our supplier of oil and air filtration products.

Cheers

Gary
79 MGB
gary hansen

Wix prefix 3 as part of the 5 digit number indicates fuel, not oil filters.
Glenn Mallory

Hey you need to be running Castrol GTX 20-50 or risk total destruction of your internal engine thingies that spin around in there real fast and make it go like the wind to the stars.
R Cintas

I prefer the Mann W917/1. And it is readily available at Volvo dealerships in the U.S.
Richard Smith 1

This thread was discussed between 25/03/2016 and 14/05/2016

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