Here's last week's puzzler
It’s been very busy so it’s kind of thin gruel we’re serving this week. But if you don’t change the channel in the next five minutes we also have a new contest.
Last week’s question, of course, was how did I get this ostensibly too large filter to fit this filter head ?
Unusual installation for GFE 422 oil filter
There’s an obvious clearance problem with the mounting bolt, but its not an insurmountable problem, it just requires a little engineering.
Early MGB filter head on an MGA
Jeff Schlemmer came closest to a correct answer when he posited that it might have something to do with the relief valve in the head, which is visible to the the right of the central mounting thread. However, the more interesting action is taking place on the left with the mounting bolt which is cut away on parts of three flats to clear the filter. Otherwise these top loading (GFE 422) filters don’t seal because they don’t make it all the way down, or is it up ?
A brief word… about top loading MGB oil filters: bigger isn’t always better. The GFE 121/422 filters are optimum size-wise. Taller filters aren’t a very good idea because the oil level above the standpipe in the filter head drains back to the level of the standpipe on shutdown. When you start your MGB with your larger capacity NAPA filter installed, first the oil pump has to fill the filter back up again before you get any oil to your precious bearings. Think about it.
Spare Tires When we service a car we always check the tire pressures… and we set the pressure of the spare to 36psi. Cumulatively, over the last 25 years, the average pressure seems to be around 9psi, which means a lot of spare tires don’t have any air in them at all, which makes them pretty useless.
This spare tire still holds air !
Your spare tire needs to get you back safely. This one didn’t. Make sure your spare is up to the task. If you’ve read this far here’s a two part question: The first three people who can correctly identify this car will win a free oil filter for their british car, if we stock it. If you can also identify the make of tire, you’ll win two !
