RH drive car, looking for remote oil filter options

[ProjectBazza]

Imagine all of the oil that is sitting in this filter:

Now imagine where all that oil is going when you spin the filter off, and the mess that it leaves behind.

On a RH drive car, Chrysler had to move the oil filter "somewhere", as the steering box is right where the oil filter normally resides, so in their infinite wisdom (insert sarcasm here), this is where they decided to put it. Double-flare hardlines run from an adapter on the engine up to this....thing.

Here's what it looks like from underneath, and note I had already removed one of the lines before I remembered to take a picture:

Hard to see from here, but the fitting where the line has been removed is about 1/8" from that bellhousing bolt, so getting the engine out yesterday wasn't fun. (Oil soaked rag joint and steering box is visible here as well).

I spoke with the car's owner last night regarding adding a remotely mounted oil filter, and surprisingly enough he gave me the green light on this, as he hates having oil all over his engine compartment, suspension, steering gear, etc.

I imagine I can find a remote oil filter kit for a LH drive (US) vehicle pretty simply, but does anyone know where I can find a kit for a RH drive car? If I have to order from Oz or NZ, so be it, as the engine is out of the car and this is the perfect time to do this.

Thanks, all.

Jim

 

[Dana67Dart]

Replace the hard lines with braded stainless and locate it where ever you want .

Or you could invert it in the same location and make new hard lines to reach it

 

[Professor Fate]

Since the factory adapter is already in place, and it doesn't leak; you're already miles ahead of where any aftermarket kit will leave you.
As Dana said, find an appropriate place to relocate the filter to, and bend new hardlines or use braided stainless to plumb it into the new location- if the filter is frame mounted instead of engine mounted (as it currently is) it will have to use flex lines instead of factory-type hard lines to compensate for engine movement and vibration.

 

[ProjectBazza]

Since the factory adapter is already in place, and it doesn't leak; you're already miles ahead of where any aftermarket kit will leave you.

True, but I sure wish that one fitting wasn't right next to the transmission bellhousing bolt, as it makes working on the car that much harder. And if I do keep it, I don't know that I'll be able to safely move ("re-clock"?) it.

Just not sure what to do. Maybe I'll leave things as-is, maybe I'll replace everything and start over, maybe there's a RH specific (not "universal") kit from Down Under that will work....

 

[ProjectBazza]

Maybe this shows part of my predicament the best (engine is on the stand right now):

The oil hardline and that bellhousing bolt hole couldn't line-up any better, and servicing/working on anything down there is a PITA.....with this adapter.

 

[Syleng1]

Why not take a 1/4” Phillips screw driver and pop a hole in the top of the filter before removing it. Allow the filter to drain back into the return line and then take the filter off. You may drop a drop or two but nothing like taking it off full.
Syleng1

 

[Cal Tonsley]

Yes, that bolt is in a terrible position on RHD cars.
Best option if the engine is coming apart is to remove this adaptor, block off the centre bolt, then drill and tap the untapped gallery to 3/8”npt. Then remove the other gallery plug and you will have two 3/8” npt inlet and outlet ports that you can run some AN adaptors and stainless lines from. I’ve found that 1 x 150 degree and 1 x 90 degree -10 swivel works well, just make sure that the 3/8”npt to -10 adaptors that you get are as short as possible. Best way to then run the lines is between the block and headers just above the sump rail. From there I like the idea of a remote oil filter mount bolted to the chassis rail. Filter changes are easy then. Image of my block below shows the oil lines short circuited when I was priming the engine on a stand.

 

[ProjectBazza]

Yes, that bolt is in a terrible position on RHD cars.
Best option if the engine is coming apart is to remove this adaptor,

I like it! I like it a LOT!

Except....

What kind of secret handshake/special tool does it take to remove this blasted thing?

I was looking into this during my lunch break today, and while I never saw this exact adapter anywhere, I did find mention of an Allen head bolt one could loosen-up for removal on other Mopar V8's.

Except there's no Allen head bolt, or anything else I can find, that holds this onto the block. Shots down the center of both bores shows nothing:

Is this adapter a spin-on of some sort? If so, how does one take it off? Obviously it was removed when the engine was rebuilt (cylinders still show some nice cross hatch in the bottom of the bores), so I have to believe that SOMEONE has a tool that can do this without mucking everything up!

(Edit: Hmmmm. Looks like NPT thread in there. If it's a spin-on piece, can I simply install two short pipe nipples and use a pry bar?)

I fully realize I can leave this on there and learn to live with it (aka: fight with it when the engine goes back-in), but I really hate the interference caused by the "clock position" of that one hole, and if I'm to replace this with something else (a Trans-Dapt kit, for example), I first have to remove this da** thing!

(And I'm now thinking to myself, "All I wanted to do was help a buddy out and get his car running. That's it, Lord! That's all I wanted to do, honest!"")

 

[Professor Fate]

One of our Aussie friends can correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I believe that at this point (with the large center bolt/fitting removed) that it's just being held in there by the gasket/sealer- work around the edge with a hammer and brass drift and it should pop loose... looks like it's attached the same way a U.S. 90* filter adapter is held in place- just by the large center bolt, which you've already taken out. A couple of firm raps with a rubber hammer usually knocks those loose.
Then you can clock the pesky fitting any direction out of your way and re use the base.
Since it mounts in a similar fashion, I am guessing you will need the gasket set for a 90* filter adapter when you reinstall.

 

[Cal Tonsley]

One of our Aussie friends can correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I believe that at this point (with the large center bolt/fitting removed) that it's just being held in there by the gasket/sealer- work around the edge with a hammer and brass drift and it should pop loose... looks like it's attached the same way a U.S. 90* filter adapter is held in place- just by the large center bolt, which you've already taken out. A couple of firm raps with a rubber hammer usually knocks those loose.
Then you can clock the pesky fitting any direction out of your way and re use the base.
Since it mounts in a similar fashion, I am guessing you will need the gasket set for a 90* filter adapter when you reinstall.

Correct

 

[Dana67Dart]

Maybe this shows part of my predicament the best (engine is on the stand right now

Can the adapter be rotated 90 or 180 deg

 

[ProjectBazza]

One of our Aussie friends can correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I believe that at this point (with the large center bolt/fitting removed) that it's just being held in there by the gasket/sealer- work around the edge with a hammer and brass drift and it should pop loose... looks like it's attached the same way a U.S. 90* filter adapter is held in place- just by the large center bolt, which you've already taken out. A couple of firm raps with a rubber hammer usually knocks those loose.

That would be absolutely wonderful! I'll give that a try tomorrow night after work.

an the adapter be rotated 90 or 180 deg

That's exactly what I'm hoping for!

 

[ProjectBazza]

To the Professor, Mr. Dana, Mr. Tonsley, and others:

Thank you! It worked!

A few taps was all it took. And best of all, I can now rotate it to fit the chassis "just so" when I put the engine back in the car, as some of you had mentioned earlier.

(Ya know, sometimes this here "interwebs" thing can be pretty handy! The rest of the time....meh!)

Early night for me, so I'm off to find me a gasket (edit: Done!), have a beer (second edit: Done!), and call it day.

Thanks again, everyone!

Jim

 

[Dana67Dart]

Be sure to have the correct gaskets on hand to put it back on

 

[68Jim]

Jim,

Found this thread today and thought I can add a bit. I have an Aussie Charger with a 340 and the previous owner added a six-pack intake to the engine. As you can imagine, the oil filter was in the way. He reused the filter adapter from the top of the motor and moved it in the right side wheel well. The hoses used were just clamped onto some bent tubing and it leaked a bit... I more or less just kept the same arrangement but improved it. I took the pieces to a hydralic shop and sourced some 90 degree fittings for the block and straight fittings into the side of the adapter. I measured the old lines carefully and added some length where needed and had the shop make new lines. They had lines rated for 100PSI and for a few dollars more they "recommended" the upgrade to a better quality and higher pressure. 3K PSI... Good to know I can support a broke down bulldozer on the side of the highway if needed...lol.... I played around with the orientation of the side plate but ended up that using the 90 degree fittings they mostly wanted to play best in that location close to the bellhousing bolt. I'm not pulling the 4 speed anytime soon so I will just deal with the annoyance when the time comes.

 

[68Jim]

A few more pics. By the way, what car are you working on?

68jim