MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

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 TD TF 1500 - Spin-on Oil Filter Dilemma

For quite a few years now I've been using a spin-on oil filter adapter made by Bob Grunau. It's worked great as a filter with NAPA 1515 filters. But, I've been having a problem that somebody might be able to help me find a way around. When I go to remove the old filter I find that the torque necessary is more than that needed to remove the adapter.
See http://www.ttalk.info/Oil_filter.htm for installation information. The adapter is installed with a torque of 25 ft.lbs. and has no other securing method.
The December 1993 TSO has an article written by the late Phil Marino about an adapter that he was producing. The photo with it seems to show what looks to me to be a hole for a lock screw. This might be the answer. Does anyone have one of Phil's adapters? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks. Bud
Bud Krueger

No personal experience with these adapters but I'd be thinking "loctite"....
Rob Edwards

I have Phil's adapter and I don't recall a lock screw but it's been a few years since I installed it. I do know that the threaded part stays put. Maybe try a thorough cleaning and some red locktite.
Steve S

Hello Bud. I am guessing that you are talking about an adapter for the late model pump(with horizontal filter). The holes on the periphery are what is used to tighten the adapter to the oil pump. They don't go thru and have no locking function. I would second Steve's suggestion of the loctite. Remember that loctite is only good up to 300 degrees.

Butch
R Taras

I have used "Loctite steampipe sealent works like a charm.

Cheers Gerard
Gerard Hengeveld

Thanks, folks. Sounds rather unanimous for some red Loctite. I'm pretty consistent about following the installation spec of 3/4 turn after the (oiled) gasket makes contact. Steve, here's a copy of the image shown in the 12/93 TSO (don't tell the NEMGTR folks). What I took as a set screw hole might just be a smudge. Butch, I think I'll be safe. Don't expect my oil temperature to get up in that region. Thanks again. Bud

Bud Krueger

Alternatively, try some silicone dielectric grease on the oil filter seal instead of motor oil. It is less likely to adhere with heat cycles to the adapter. We use it in aviation oil filters all the time for just this reason.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Bud, the next time you have one of the filters in hand, have a very close look at the threads. The NAPA (Wix) 1068 filters have been causing MGB owners (including myself)some serious problems over the last 10 years or so. The issue is the threads are often not formed correctly and can easily strip the soft aluminium threads on the oil adaptor on the B. In fact I have gone into NAPA and had them bring out 3 of the 1068's and attempted to start the correct sized threaded steel bolt into the filters. One went in just fine, one went in with a great deal of force , another would not go in at all with repeated attempts.

Since I'm related to the owner of this very large store (One of the top sellers in the country) I kept after the issue until they set me up with a conference call with the rep responsible for dealing with Wix.

I quizzed him as to whether the manufacture of the filters has now been out sourced to the Wix Chinese factory (they have many world wide) and he was addament that they are manufactured in the states. I quizzed him further then that perhaps the head came from a Chinese source for the USA plant to assemble. I have seen so many badly threaded parts from China to make me suspicious of the plate origin. Again he was addament that they were USA manufacture.

I had forwarded multiple reports of the 1068 issues with MGB owners to NAPA and Wix but the bottom line is the B owners are a miniscule percentage of their sales on the 1068's. His suggestion was to use another filter available from NAPA ( Bosch German made not Bosch USA I believe). I chose to use a Purolater now for the B.
I have the Moss adapter on the TD and TF and use the 1516 filter on both. With the steel threads I did not believe it would be an issue but I'm wondering if the threads are galled enough on your 1515 to not release from the adapter head.

This isn't the old NAPA from the days when you were at the counter. Gone are the days when they proudly sourced the majority of their parts from quality sources. It's all about maximizing profit now.

Not that many years ago my brother inlaw took a tour of the brake rotor plant...in Tennesee I believe.. and found that the plant no longer actually manufactured anything. There were rows and rows of containers that the employees removed the rotors from China and reboxed with the USA plant name. Just saying.

Not all of the filter threads are bad which leads me to believe that where ever they are made, they are running the cutters or the rollers longer than they used to do to once again get more bang for their buck.

Just my observation.

One other item. I also use a NAPA filter on my GMC 6 liter pickup. I have found the filter dripping oil after a couple of thousand miles on more than one occasion and have had to tighten the filter. My suspicion is it's due to defective thread form, but nothing conclusive.



































MG LaVerne

Thanks for that LaVerne. You seem to recall that I once owned a NAPA store. I just picked up a 1515 this morning. I have an older, still in the box, 1516 on the shelf. I'm sure that when I remove the used 1515 from the car the adapter will come with it. I'll take a good look at the various threads and see what I can see. Bud
Bud Krueger

Bud,
There are other filters on offer at Moss Maybe one of them will fit better
The one I have is longer then the one you are using and is more the length of the original filter?

Cant get to the car to check which one I have, but I can check later, Unless someone else knows which one it is. Not had any bother changing it so far.

Rod

R D Jones

This thread was discussed between 31/01/2014 and 01/02/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now