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Re: Spitfire 1500 oil filter problems

To: David Massey <105671.471@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Spitfire 1500 oil filter problems
From: Dan Buettner <danb@thelittlemacshop.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 22:22:21 -0500
>Spitfire guru's
>
>A friend of mine has a 78 Spitfire 1500 with the spin on oil filter.  A
>bizarre thing happened, the oil filter popped off.  It was found laying in
>the engine bay off to the side.  It looked normal and the threaded pipe
>unto which it screws looked normal.  When I tried to reinstall it it
>appeared that the filter gasket contacts the seating surface before the
>thread is engaged.  As if the threaded pipe is too short.  The last ones to
>change the oil (a service station) must have had it on by one thread at
>best.  Typically these filters require 5 or 6 turns before the gasket
>contacts the seating surface.
>
>Has anyone words of wisdom about this.  Is there a particular filter that
>is necessary for this application that has a more convex shape to it?
>
>Help me. Help me.
>
>Dave Massey

Hi Dave --

Well, it may simply be the wrong type of filter for the car.  Are the 
threads in the filter recessed?  My Spit filter has the threads up 
very close to the gasket surface.

For late Spits like ours, I believe there were two kinds of filters 
used, depending on which thread adapter you had.  The two were AC 
PF13 and AC PF53 (or obviously any of a number of other brands; you 
can look them up in a cross-reference catalog at any auto store).

I'm curious what you mean by "threaded pipe".  My Spit has an adapter 
that you thread into the engine block; there's a hex portion in the 
middle that allows you to tighten/loosen it, and then a threaded 
portion (different threads than what goes into the block) which mates 
with the oil filter.  Does this sound like what your friend has?

Hope this helps.

Dan

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dan Buettner  -  Des Moines, Iowa  -  mailto:danb@thelittlemacshop.com

1977 Spitfire, FM64159U, now with an O too.  Runs & drives, but the 
motor is blown and the suspension is shot.  Most likely going to 
sleep for a few years.
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickndan/gmachine/greenmachine.html

1957 TR3, TS15098L. Needs an O.  Undergoing frame-off restoration begun 9/99.
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickndan/TR3/TR3.html

1988 Honda Civic 4WD Wagon.  178,000 miles.  Gets me to work and back 
home again every day.  No home page. (go figure) 

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