Access to oil filter area

Anybody any ideas to get some more decent access to the oil filter area? My oil filter relocation kit still seems to be leaking, so I would like to add some silicone sealer.

Last time I removed the right front wheel, but by the time I managed to get the kit on the thread, any silicone would have been fully cured. Also, the limited access makes it impossible to get it as tight as I would like.

At first I considered taking off the inlet manifold, but the Enthusiast Manual describes this as a "nightmare", and from their description, I believe they are understating the level of difficulty.

How about taking off the A-arms? That seems not that hard from its description.

Also, there is some sort of "wall" between the alternator and the filter area. Is that one removable?

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen
Loading thread data ...

Is that Sawzall still handy?

No? Then finagle some lift time from your friendly mechanic or gas station. If you think removing the intake manifold would be a nightmare, you haven't been faced with a frozen suspension bolt. Even if nothing seizes, remember that dismantling the A-arms is followed by a new alignment.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

See earlier need for high-power laser.

Actually, the Enthusiast Manual only calls the re-installation a nightmare. But the removal seems pretty bad to me too, with depressurizing the fuel lines, draining the coolant, etc.

Come to think of it, however, maybe the removal is *never* difficult; there is just an issue of making the reinstallation even more difficult. ;)

I am now thinking of just taking loose the top A-arm root support. It does look like some repeated pre-treatment with WD-40 would be a good idea, from the sight of it.

I need to get one anyway. It just will put trying this after next week's Auto-X.

Thanks, Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

Yes, Leon.

Pull the front plastic "tub" off and remove the Alum. brace that goes from the engine block up to the intake manifold. This will give you a better shot at the Filter base on the block. I did mine that way and have had "zero"leaks.

Bruce RED '91

Reply to
BRUCE HASKIN

If you're methodical, and you have a good assortment of universal joints, extensions, and wrenches, taking the intake manifold off is not that bad. The first time I did it it took me one afternoon to get it off and back on again. The hardest part was finding manifold nuts I dropped into the black hole they call the motor mount bracket. I put my oil filter relocator on when I had the top end of the engine apart and it's hard to see how anyone could properly install and tighten the adapter and hoses without this access.

Where are you going to put silicone? My kit threads onto the filter mount on the block and has o-rings for seals; I put Teflon thread sealant on the threads and oil on the o-rings, like on a filter o-ring. Silicone seems like a shaky way to seal up an oil filter system; perhaps you can get new o-rings?

John McClary ('94 Miata) jsgmcclary at cox dot net

Reply to
John McClary

"Tub" does not ring a bell. Can you be more specific?

Is that the one in between the alternator and the filter? Looks like it is attached at the top by two big bolts.

Thanks, Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

The enthusiast manual says the lower front two of the 9 nuts keeping the manifold to the engine are almost impossible to get back on their studs.

Also, it involves draining the cooling system, with a possibility, of introducing air bubbles, (the EM says partially, but not how much that is,) and depressurizing and repressurizing the fuel system. The EM seems to say that the fuel rail can stay, but it is unclear to me how I am going to get access to the mentioned 9 nuts with it in front of them.

It all seems a prescription for lots of potential problems to me.

When I put the real oil-pressure-gauge sending unit on, I forgot the silicone sealer the first time. It leaked. Putting silicone sealer on the threads stopped that. I am also hoping that the silicone will keep the oil filter fitting adaptor from rotating loose.

When the tube fittings leaked, I put teflon tape on them at the oil filter side, but I was not willing to take the adaptor at the other end out again to do it there also. One of the things I plan to do now. Not quite decided yet whether I will be using silicone or teflon there.

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

Hi Leon,

Remove the large black lower plastic (tub) just behind the front bumper that goes between the bumper and the front crossmember. ( that big plastic thing that is under the front of the car). This will let you get at the lower bolt on the "intake brace" and when the brace is removed, you will have a clear shot at the "filter" area (over the top of the front crossmember and behind the Alt.).

--------- I needed to do this one time when I put the filtre on too tight and it crushed when tried to twist it off. I used a "strap wrench" to move it.

-----------

Yes, remove the brace just behind the Alt. On a 1.8L it has two bolts on top near the front of the intake (on the rightside of the casting). The other bolt is on the bottom of the brace (same size wrench) and points into the block. (it's hard to see because it is between the " U " shape sides of the brace.

When you put the brace back on, be sure to just pull All 3 of the bolts up just "lightly" to the surfaces, otherwise, you will put a "tention" load on the intake manifold. After they are "snugged up" you can torque them.

E-mail me Leon if you need more info.

Bruce RED '91

Reply to
BRUCE HASKIN

Thanks Bruce. I think I got it now. I'll see in a couple of weeks. :)

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.