Un-wedging an oil filter

[grady]

I have an US spec '86 280i which was de-catted. In the process, it appears that the prior owner substituted the forward swept US style exhaust manifolds for a European under floor double system with the exhaust turning down at the rear of the engine.

The oil filter unscrews cleanly, but I can't figure out how to get the filter out, it's trapped between the frame(s), body, oil filter housing and the welded on knuckle for the exhaust manifold/down pipe joint. There is enough space to rattle the filter around but it's an inch shy of coming out in any direction (up, down, forward or aft). (The filter appears to be correct size.) I also have a oil cooler fitted.

This is what the Bible refers to as - in a bit of an understatement - as "a problem accessing it". Before I cut the frame (just kidding) or chop through the footwell (I'm considering it) any ideas? Is there something otherwise different about the European fittings?

Grady

>>> Edited by grady on Tuesday 6th August 03:01

[danny hoffman]

I don't know the set-up, but don't remember any major difficulty changing the oil filter on my UK S2 280.

Would it help if you loosened the engine mounts and jacked up the engine a bit?

Danny

[shpub]

No but there are several different sizes of filter which can make life impossible especially if the filter was fitted before replacing the engine manifolds. You can get the same problem with the S series.

I would refit the original. I would get a slightly smaller replcacement and then remove the old one and if necessary mangle it or try Danny's suggestion to get it out.

YOu might want to consider fitting a remote which is what the factory ended up doing.

Steve

[grady]

Thanks, I was afraid that those were my options, just hoped for a magic trick. Any suggestions on who - on your side of the pond - would have remote mount kit?

Grady

[shpub]

Burton Power, Demon Tweek, Think Automotive to name but three. I would have thought you could source them your side of the pond. Would save sending them over here and back again!

[grady]

Steve, I may be able to and will look.

But since next to nobody has ever heard of TVR or Capri (I actually had one) and thus they are not in the computer. If it's not in the computer, it doesn't exist, "sorry, next customer please". Perhaps b/c I live in the 4th largest city, all the small shops that would work with a customer are long gone.

Thus despite the cost of shipping it may be easier to just order the correct (hopefully) part form the UK and be done with it. The Kenlowe fan switch was a case in point.

Grady

[shpub]

The filter type is a good starting point as it determines the adapter plate and there are not too many of those as it happens. However as you say, ordering and shipping may be the easy option.

[wedg1e]

My Tasmin (1980) had exactly the trouble you describe. I used to slacken the engine mounts and jack the engine up a tad, then the filter would come past the end of the cylinder head. Actually, when I got the car there were some agricultural-looking shims under the engine mounts, but the mounts had gone soggy so I guessed they were there to lift the motor off the crossmember. Maybe they were there to allow access for the filter; maybe they corrected a skew in the driveline, I never worked it out!

Ian

[grady]

Just to finish this story,
I 1) Jacked up the motor a bit, 2) unbolted the exhaust down-pipe and wiggled it away a bit, 3) scrunched the filter a bit and managed to get it out around the the side of the transmission. New one went in the same way (un-scrunched).

I also bought a remote mount from Summit Racing (40 usd), which will allow - at the next change - the remote mounting of the filter up on the front fender. However, the remote kit has the hoses exiting straight off the side of the engine, so I have to get some 90 degree adaptors. Next report in 3 months.

Thanks all for the help.