WaringstownTR7s.co.uk

Converting to spin on oil filters
(by John)

This is an easy one - and one which will save you some time & effort over the coming years. If you are 100% into keeping things original - stay away! If like me you like things original on the outside, but like to add the odd 'improvement' here & there under the skin, then read on!

The original oil filter on the 2.0 engine is a cannister type, with a cylindrical filter element held inside.

Pic of original oil cannister - just remove the centre nut to withdraw the assembly

I bought my conversion kit from Rimmer Bros. It consists of 3 main parts and 2 oil seals. When this adapter kit is fitted in place, it allows you to use new style spin on oil filters which are much easier to fit & less messy to remove. I got a 3 pack of filters off Rimmers for £15. I remember hearing somewhere that these are Ford Escort spin on's.

Conversion kit parts
3 parts to the kit plus 2 oil seals

Parts assembled ready for fitting
How it looks when put together.
This top face screws up into position, the spin on filter screws up to this assembly from below

Firstly, remove the old assembly. Just unscrew the centre bolt & it will all drop away from its position. Watch out for the oil and have a container ready to catch the downpour! I did this job at the same time as an oil change with the sump drained - not sure how much oil will flow if you are just changing the filter mind you.

Once you have removed the old assembly, give the area a bit of a wipe down. You will need to make sure that the outer oil seal has been removed. In my case, it was well bedded into place & was tough to remove. I didn't spot it at first and couldn't understand why the new kit wouldn't fit right - DOH! So, using a sharp pointed knife, hoke out the old rubber seal as shown in red in the picture below.

Now, replace the old seal that you have just removed with the new one provided in your kit. It will push nicely into the recess and should stay in place OK. Lubricate it first with a bit of grease or fresh engine oil so that it will make a perfect seal. Next, get the centre part of the conversion kit ready for fitting. The instructions recommend that you grease the centre 'O' ring first. Once greased, secure the centre part into place, making sure the 'O' ring makes a good seal. You'll need a 26mm Deep Socket for this job.

Pic of centre part bolted into place making sure 'O' ring is making a good seal

Next, offer up the outer part of the kit. It goes with the thin flanged end up, so that the top slips into the recess and makes a good seal with the outer oil seal that we replaced earlier (in red in the pic 2 above). Push firmly into place and it will stay there. Its only when you screw on the oil filter that this part gets firmly put in place.

Outer part in place - note that the thick flat outer edge faces down,
ready to make a good seal on your spin on filter

Now put on the new spin on filter. First, use a finger tip of fresh engine oil to lubricate the rubber seal on the filter. Usual rules apply - hand tighten and then when the faces contact, turn another 1/2 - 3/4 turn by hand. And... thats it. All done.

The finished job!

The filters supplied by Rimmers are black and look really neat in place. Just make sure that there are no leaks when you first run the engine - although this is an easy job to do, its a crucial part of the engine and if it leaks.... you're in trouble!

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