Recommended Spin On Oil Filter Adapter?

[FHCINSC]

Hello all. I had a fun couple of days after my first oil change resulted in the canister not being seated correctly and about 6 quarts of oil sprayed just about everywhere you can think of....engine bay, underside, rear bumper!?
I finally was able to use another filter and the canister seated correctly. I will not be doing that again. Which spin on oil filter adapter do you recommend? It seems there are several different options.

PS. Planning to spend time this weekend doing LED light strips for my gauges.

Thanks
Anthony

[Heuer]

None - they reduce oil flow and are just as messy to change. When the original is fitted properly they do not leak. Procedure is:

1. Drain oil with engine warm
2. Remove drain plug from the filter housing and ensure all oil is released from the filter
3. After removing canister check the rubber gasket has come out of the housing; it is in a deep groove and needs to be lifted out with a small screwdriver
4. Replace felt and rubber washers on canister assembly
5. Rotate canister on emery paper to ensure clean flat surface

After filling with oil run the car for a short time and check the tightness of the canister bolt. I converted both my cars from spin-off filters back to the stock system and never had any problems.

[JJC]

Anthony: I have used, as have several of my fellow E-Type owners, spin on filters from several vendors, and I can tell you, without question, they do not restrict oil flow at all. Back to back tests have shown, including by me, that the oil pressure, using both a mechanical Smiths oil pressure system, and an auxiliary pressure tester, that the oil pressure is exactly the same. Exactly. New, clean , filters were used at all times. In addition, there is not a cleaner, simpler, more efficient way to change an oil filter. I have found that, since the spin on filter, so easy to use, cheap, and easy to get a new one, I probably change the filter twice as many times as I changed the old nightmare canister filter. Its just so easy, with no mess. Spin on the way to go ! I have been using one for over 20 years....never spilled a drop, mostly because I used high pressure oil hoses, with proper fittings, and mounted the spin on adapter up high, within easy reach. Easy to figure out....place canister replacement adapter on original fitting on bottom of car, and run hoses up to a spot, perhaps upper frame member, next to, but not right next to, the radiator. Make sure you research the suppliers, and get the kit like mine, the adapter to replace original canister, and spin on filter adapter. Don't get the one piece adapter, thats a pain. You will have to measure on your on your own the high pressure oil hoses you will need, and fittings. Any auto speed shop can do it. Nothing to it. Easy and clean....you won't regret it.

JC

[Bfastr]

Personally I like the original setup. filters are dirt cheap if you look around.
the key is practice. it can be frustrating the first few times. but once you learn it takes the skinny o-ring and learn to use a couple small flat blade screwdrivers to coax it into the groove its not too bad.

my other "secret" is that I remove the air cleaner and tank so I can look and reach straight in from the side. that may sound like extra work, but its four bolts and a screw. and the payoff for not having to try and work from the bottom is worth it.

additionally as David says, replace the felt washer, you don't have to each time as it will last more than a few changes. Hold the outer can so it doesnt rotate as you tighten the bolt or it could twist the o-ring. and dont over tighten it. after the car warms up you can snug it up a little if there are no leaks.

this isn't meant to be an argument for one way or the other, but I have yet to see any real recommendations for a specific brand of adapter thats perfect. and certainly they can be benefits to the simplicity of a spin on.
only thing I would say is SAVE your original parts, even if you never plan to go back. when or if you sell the car someone else might like to.

I get that I am an odd ball, I still enjoy things like points and condensers, original oil filters and things that allow me time to fuss and tweak my car. and my car is a driver, its not pampered or rides in car carriers. it drives thru puddles and dirt.

Bob F

[abowie]

I routinely replace the originals for spin ons on all my cars.

The last couple have come from SNGB but my guess is they they're all made in the same place anyway.

[flatfloor 3.8]

Oil Pressure is not the same as Oil Flow. You can have high pressure but with low flow.

[JJC]

You can learn something new everyday ! Difference between flow, and pressure? I think I know what you mean, but please explain. Thanks !

JJ

[Heuer]

Oil pressure is the resistance in the engine which the oil overcomes to establish a certain flow rate. The most important criterion for good oil lubrication is optimal oil flow and not oil pressure. Oil pressure is not built by the oil pump, but by forcing oil through small passages. Small oil passages with high viscosity oil will have low oil flow rate, whereas large oil passages and low viscosity oil will have a higher flow rate. A fast flow rate with lower oil pressure will result in minimal wear and optimal cooling. A low flow rate with high pressure will result in a less efficient lubrication and cooling and therefore more wear on the engine.

The paper filters are high flow, approximately twice that of the spin-on canisters, so changing to the more modern system is very possibly a pointless and harmful down grade! In normal use I doubt any harm would come of it but why spend upwards of £250 on a modification that is not required and offers no improvement?

[E600]

Just my 2 pence worth. I change the original for the S3 XJ unit, this was designed and fitted by Jaguar. No flow issues and the option to feed the cams direct from the filter head, also has the benefit of oil cooler outlets should you wish to fit one.

[Heuer]

Yes, but that filter housing is another iconic part of the E-Type engine bay. Seems a shame to replace it with a modern white logo'd canister:

[Jaglex]

@David: Again and again I'm very impressed by your immense knowledge of all things E-Type - related (including even sources for younger ladies scratching E-Type's paint).
But in case of the oil flow I really wonder, where you found this information.
Before I did the conversion I checked the flow rates of the two filters and found the following data für Mann - filters:
MANN H827/1 (as original) is said to have a nominal flow rate of 38 l/min.
MANN W950 (the spin on I use now) is said to have a nominal flow rate of 50 l/min.
"Said" means I found it on data - .pdfs from MANN's website.
MANN-4.pdf for the old type and
M-H_Fluessigkeitsfilter_de.pdf for the spin on.
Sadly I don't have the URLs at hand.

@all: enjoy the brilliant weather we shall have this weekend

Alex

[Heuer]

There was a study done by someone well qualified and published in one of the Club magazines (I don't have a copy unfortunately) which showed the standard paper filter having a greater flow than a spin on filter and adapter in an E-Type engine. There was a big argument about the whole thing led buy those who had (blindly ) installed the spin on conversion and wanted confirmation and countered by those who had not bothered and thought the stock filter was totally appropriate to the context. I did not get involved with any of it though.

I changed both my cars back to stock filters because a) that was what Haynes, Hassan and Baily had specified, b) the filter is iconic and part of the XK engine c) changing the spin on filter was just as messy, if not more so, than the stock filter and d) previous owners had fitted them to my cars without my permission

As I said no harm will come from using either filter just as owners fit Weber's, wide wheel, low profile tyres, electronic ignition, four pot calipers, tubular manifolds, poly bushes etc etc because they feel it improves the E-Type which is OK but a bit of a kick in the teeth to Norman Dewis.

[mgcjag]

Just to add....was,nt there also some discussion that the flow was restricted by the actual aluminium adaptor and that some manufacturers modified their later adapters to increase flow..seem to remember also that some had 3/4 and some 1in connection useing different spin on filter..dont ask what adapters are best i have no idea....Steve

[politeperson]

Yes, but more to the point David, where do these pictures of E types with nice scantily clad ladies come from ?

[docdcc]

I put on one from a more modern series 3 sedan that had a xk engine. Therefore, if it was good enough for jaguar etc, instead of the original spin on filter. I find there is much less oil spilled. I hooked it up to an oil cooler under the radiator. Appears to work well for oil pressure.
docdcc

[Mark Gordon]

"As I said no harm will come from using either filter just as owners fit Weber's, wide wheel, low profile tyres, electronic ignition, four pot calipers, tubular manifolds, poly bushes etc etc because they feel it improves the E-Type which is OK but a bit of a kick in the teeth to Norman Dewis."

I'm all for originality, David, but wouldn't you admit that components have improved considerably since the late '40's when the XK engine was developed and the late '50's when the E type was developed? Surely, Jaguar would have gone with electronic ignition had it been available in 1961 (they did put it on the Series 3, XJ's, etc) and for racing, the D's and most E's were fitted with Webers. Webers might not be the best option for a street car, but I don't see how some of these upgrades would be a kick in our beloved Mr. Dewis's teeth.

[Heuer]

My comment was aimed at vendors who hype up 'performance' or 'upgrade' parts without doing much real world testing. In the case of spin on filters I cannot see how they are either "better" or an "upgrade" to the stock item other than being better at moving money out of your account.

The spin on filter was developed to reduce service times at dealerships without reducing the bill accordingly. As an owner who does his own maintenance any increase in workshop time is immaterial to me. I drain the oil, remove the filter drain plug (usually the cause of complaints of 'mess') and replace the paper filter after checking the felt and rubber washers. I reverted both cars to the stock system after trying to remove a spin-on filter that the previous owner had well and truly tightened. I used a chain style filter removal tool which promptly sliced through the canister depositing oil everywhere.

Norman signed off on a car that he evolved and thought was fit for purpose. I question whether wide wheels, simple electronic ignition, 6 pot calipers, vented discs, LED lights, poly-bushes, high output alternators, coil-over shocks etc etc are anything more than cynical marketing or owner vanity. The cars will run perfectly well as delivered but I have to admit it is fun trying to find better ways of doing things. To that end about the only upgrades I think worthwhile are the EDIS/Megajolt ignition, Mangoletsi cable throttle and MX5 seats (from a safety perspective). If you do night driving or navigate through long mountain tunnels in Europe then the headlight relay's are worth considering. But spin-on oil filters - really?

[Simon P]

To that end about the only upgrades I think worthwhile are the EDIS/Megajolt ignition, Mangoletsi cable throttle and MX5 seats (from a safety perspective). If you do night driving or navigate through long mountain tunnels in Europe then the headlight relay's are worth considering. But spin-on oil filters - really?

Says the man who's so heavily modified his own E-type, that at a recent gathering most of us mistook it for a Range Rover.....

[Gfhug]

[Heuer]

Nice one!