ZPmadA

So I'm doing the oil filter housing seal job, and I finally got the housing out. Its been about a month since I started (on and off whenever I had 10 minutes to work on it) Anyway, it looks like theres oxidation on the housing. Is this normal? Should I worry? I'm going to clean the hoses and housing with simple green, hose it off with water, dry and install the new gasket. I'm not sure if it was necessary to do this job, but take a look at my gasket and tell me what you think? Its still complete with no parts missing, but there are some small cracks kinda like its dried. Is that enough for coolant I saw to get into my oil? I had water droplets on my oil filler cap.

KuHL 951

Use new gaskets after going this far. The oxidation is normal for aluminum and looks great, better than most I've seen where coolant maintenance was ignored.

Tom M'Guinn

I assume the white stuff is mineral deposits, but whatever it is, it is common.

As for the big gasket, it needs to be replaced. Also, I trust you know you need to replace the 2 o-rings on that little pipe sticking out of the housing. This shameless plug may help http://members.rennlist.com/tom86951..._seal_repl.htm

BTW, a regular Scotch-Brite pad from the grocery store is very good at getting the crud off the housing and out of that big sealing groove.

ZPmadA

Is it ok to use a flat screw driver to scrape the crud off?. What worries me is all these little pieces of crud I scrape off. I hope none of it falls someplace I don't see. It's ok to hose everything down even the oil lines right? I'm going to let it dry for a week. Is it bad to have my engine sit with no oil in it for so long?

theedge

Go to town if you want. Just make sure its all dry. You can even remove the oil cooler itself and run some paint thinner through it.

No problems with letting the engine sit like that, as long as you dont start it

Tom M'Guinn

You are better off using a wire brush, solvent, scotch-brite, even an old toothbrush -- something that won't gouge the metal. Tape off the openings or put little wads of paper towels in them to keep the crud out. Don't worry about the motor sitting with the oil drained. The internal parts remain coated with oil so nothing will rust or go bad for a long time. (Don't start it off course. And do seal off openings to keep it clean in there.)

ZPmadA

Is this ok? The gasket on the pipe does not fully fill the groove. Take a look at my picture, it seems as if the gasket is 1-2mm too skinny

The picture with the red gasket shows the older gasket is much wider, but flush(even) with the pipe's surface. The new gasket is skinny, but taller. It rises slightly above the pipe's surface probably making a tighter seal when I slide the pipe in the housing. So the side with the gasket/groove closest to the outside goes in the oil cooler housing and the other side goes into the block correct?

Is this the gasket causing my mixing? I had coolant entering my oil before I started this job.

Tom M'Guinn

That's all normal. The o-rings flatten out over time. Your old ones look quite ready to be replaced. Good chance they were not sealing well. Sounds like you have the orientation correct. In your picture with the red o-rings, it looks like the right side goes into the housing.

ZPmadA

Perfect thanks for the reassurance

ZPmadA

I have one final question. I have the 3 piece oil pressure valve (early style) I just want to make sure its only the cap, spring, one washer, and screw? How does the valve work? There is nothing inside the spring to keep it straight as it compresses is that ok?




I just want to make sure. I cant remember because I took this out a month ago, I've been too busy I'm falling behind. I'm not sure if I'm supose to have a washer with it. Does that washer go between the screw cap and the oil filter housing? Or is that washer from the oil pipe that I needed to replace the 2 o rings? The washer kinda fell on the floor when I pulled the housing out so I don't know if it was from the valve or oil pipe.

Thanks again,
-Adam

ZPmadA

I used the alignment tool and have the housing screwed in. I'm trying to get the valve in but it wont go in all the way. The alignment tool is shorter than the valve. I can put the spring in all the way, but when i put the cap over the spring it seems to get stuck and I have the spring sticking out 1 inch. I'm using the right alignment tool too for the early 3 piece valve.


EDIT: no help needed, Haynes manual says to compress spring