Remote oil filter

[skmelrose]

HI

I have just bought a 1993 HPC. It was bought as a kit and built in Canada so is LHD. Over the winter I will be going through the car although it is in wonderful condition with less than 10k miles. On our bumpy roads here in Nova Scotia ground clearance is a major issue so I a looking at a remote oil filter and, maybe, a sump shield of some sort.

Any advice as to where to buy and where to fit it would be appreciated.

 

[Paul Mason]

I'll be of no use whatsoever as my car is a k series car and not sure how the underneath of a 1993 (vauxhall engined??) 7 looks, but just thought I'd say hello and welcome anyways. I thought I was brave going out in the cold of the north east of England in a 7.......guessing it's a tad colder in Nova Scotia!!

[Jonathan Kay]

Welcome.

I don't think I've seen that discussed and can't find anything in the archives. With a bit of luck someone with experience will appear.

But if they don't how about talking to Burton Power? They have a range of bits that should help, and if you tell them the type of oil filter they should be able to say what will fit. They might even have advice beyond that.

Jonathan

[Duckpit]

Sorry don't know the HPC, but on my Zetec I have  stubby oil filter, which lifts clearance. Have you thought of raising ride height ?

[7 wonders of the world]

A 1993 HPC will be using the VX engine..? (unless its a very registered late BD) in which case SBD would b a better place to look as Burtons are Ford predominantly.

Might be worth looking to see if 9you can gain any useful ground clearance by dry sumping the engine, you can fabricate your own skip plate though from ally chequer plate once you've established the requires profile a local shop will cut and bend the skid for you. Use a piece of strip steel to get the profile as you can easy work this in a vice.

[ECR]

I have a remote oil filter fitted to my VX engine after grounding the original one in a sprint. Think automotive supplied it. I'll sort details later, but if you look in their catalogue I think they refer to it as a sandwich plate

[elie boone]

Any local motorsport parts place will have the parts you need and may save on the p&p cost. for the shield : you can use the bolts from the engine mount at the back of the shield and 2 P clips to hold it at the chassis tube in front of the engine.

[ECR]

The sandwich plate replaces the filter then you fit a remote filter head in a convenient place. Originally I fitted my filter head in between the front crucifix hanging off the side rail. I have since moved it after an engine bay re-organisation .

Think Automotive 081 568 1172 (download their catalogue)

Remote filter head is side entry model ref RFH3B for easier plumbing in

Sandwich plate purchased was TOP01D M18 x 1.5 FML - Side ports with 1/2" BSP ports.

You'll need fittings/pipework as appropriate but Think will have them too.

[virden]

I had a similar problem with my wet sump X/F, and got around it by getting my local engineer to weld a 4mm steel plate on the forward facing slope and bottom of my sump. I also changed to Redline supplied track day springs which stiffed the front.  The combination has worked a treat. 

You have a beautiful country to blat in, although I do find your speed limits frustrating!

[Wrightpayne]

Also be aware caterham fitted a special threaded boss in the filter head as the shallow filter is a different thread to the vauxhall original. Basically it has two different threads on the boss. Filter is originally from a Renault 5 IIRC.

Reason I know this is because a fellow seven owner (Mr Dutton) dumped a load of oil on the start line at Curborough (twice!!) when his filter blew off!

You may need the vauxhall threaded boss to go with the sandwich plate.

Ian

 

[ECR]

From memory, that's the M18 reference in my part number above, but it's a good thing to check

[ECR]

Just checked a spare oil pump. The thread in the BODY of the pump is indeed M18 x 1.5. The threaded adaptor (which can be unscrewed from the body) may well be M18 on the body end and whatever thread is in a filter for a Renault R5 on the other. The sandwich plate needs to match whatever thread is on the exposed end of the adaptor. IIRC I made an M18 to M18 adaptor to fit my TOP01D M18 x 1.5 FML -

A bit of research indicates that the thread in a Renault R5 filter is M20 x 1.5 (but check!) . 3/4" x 16TPI UNF is also suggested

[skmelrose]

Many thanks to all who responded, it is much appreciated. I have been waiting since I was 18 to own a Lotus or Caterham and at 71 it has finally happened. I am still going through an adrenalin rush every time I go into the barn and alternate between trying to get it perfect to preserve it or drive it as it was intended, so probably a little of both. It is probably time to cut down on my motorbiking anyway.

The car is a 1992 not 3, I am getting old,VX engined with webers and built by a local car dealer. He owned it until last year when he sold it to a collector/dealer who got it serviced and running again. The oil filter sits by the front of the sump and is obviously vulnerable hence my query. It has all the normal stuff and is badged as an HPC although the VIN# says that it is a kit built clubman.

It is -2 but sunny outside with a predicted wind chill in the teens so it is now in the barn until the spring.

[Wrightpayne]

Just a thought, are you sure it has the correct oil filter fitted. The VX ones I've seen are very shallow probably only 3 inches tall. I imagine supply of parts could be troublesome in Canada so an alternate may have been fitted.

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/oil-system/4885-oil-filter-vauxhall-cosworth-2-3-duratec.html?search_query=oil+filter&results=1

Googling the Fram part number shown in the caterham picture (PH 2874) its from a Renault 11 not 5 - close but no cigar 

Regards

Ian

[alan c]

I did this some time ago and I also got all the parts from Think Auto. If you are doing this you might want to add mechanical gauges at the same time or at least give yourself the option to add these later.

Whilst on subject of VX engines and oil does anyone have any experience with the sump baffle offered by Caterham Austria

[ECR]

Filter is in front left hand crucifix. (The header tank pipework was checking for a blown head gasket!)

Sandwich plate. Note damage to red elbow!

Fabricated bracket for filter

[Paul McKenzie]

IMHO dry sumping makes little or no difference in ground clearance (but a big difference when you go round corners on track) as the wet sump is already as shallow as the ds pan.

Suitable (short) filter is

WIX 7064 from where you'll be able to find many equivalents

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIX-WL7064-Car-Oil-Filter-Spin-On-Replaces-W77-PH2830-AW10-/361508884568

The long filter is  a waste of time and you will damage it