Oil Filter Adapter Installation

R

Ricks56

Member
I don't have my kit yet but I am preparing for the installation (spin on adapter). I assume that the 1-1/4 inch fitting that is currently in the block has to be taken out? I have a 12 point socket that fits fairly well and haven't been able to budge the fitting with a breaker bar. I don't have a hoist so am doing this with the front of the car on ramps only and flat on my back. No way to get an impact wrench in there either. Any suggestions?
Thanks
 
As I recall, there are two styles of kits for this installation. One style has you simply leaving the plate in the block and the subsequent adapter plate attaches with a fitting that is the same size are your original service bolt that would hold your metal filter housing to the block. The other kind has you removing the old plate from the block and then installing a new plate in its place.

My preference would be to remove the old plate no matter what so that I could 1. clean out all of the old goo and gunk and 2. put a new gasket on there.
 
A six-point socket lessens your chances of rounding off that fitting. I realize that a 6-point socket of that size is not something you would use that often but how often do you need the 12-point?
 
The only reason I went with a twelve point is because I read somewhere that that was what you wanted to use.... more misinformation from the internet. I just had a guy visit and he told me to use a 6 point. Guess I'll wait for the kit (from Mac's) and see what the directions say.
 
Use a 6 point. You will most likely need to spend some time with the socket and the old bench grinder to reduce the outside diameter and to eliminate the lead-in chamfer. That bolt that holds the adapter has a real shallow head. Also an air impact wrench with several u-joints and extensions is probably the only solution if you're doing this with the engine in the frame. Brush up on your cussing vocabulary, too.
Been there, done that.
 
I may try putting the old canister back on. I guess I didn't have it tight enough when I put it on the other day because the seal blew and shot fresh oil all over the garage floor. That ticked me off, so I ordered a spin on kit. However, I have NOT been successful in breaking loose the fitting. I did grind down the lead-in on the socket but just can't budge it. If I can get a gasket to hold I will use the old style filter until the engine gets pulled for a rebuild, hopefully not for a while.
 
The spin on filter kits I have used, both have you leaving the original fitting on the block. I did take the plate off to clean behind it. It was certainly tight but came out easy enough. I always had trouble sealing the canister filter until I went to using o rings on the centre bolt. I changed over because here in Oz the filters weren't as readily available.
 
Try putting some heat into it, then lean on it with the above described modified socket. Get it as hot as you can. You won't hurt anything. The iron will soak the heat up faster than you can put it in.
 
Just as a follow up, the kit I ordered from Macs requires that the old oil filter fitting be removed. Because I have not had luck removing it, I have reinstalled the old canister filter (with a new element of course). I used the thinner gasket that came with the Motorcraft filter element (it came with 2 gaskets, one thicker than the other) and torqued the mounting bolt to 25 ft-lbs as called for in the manual. I also used an o-ring on the bolt instead of the supplied gasket and everything seems to be holding ok. I guess I will leave it this way.... it's been used for 58 years and still works so what the heck!
 
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