Oil Filter & Oil Cooler - What Say Ye

Thanks. I’m a retired mechanical engineer, so I have own idiosyncratic way of doing things.

Here’s some photos of the two XJ6 filter mounts.

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That’s a great photo showing the oil cooler bypass valve (left; at right is the relief valve that directs oil back to the sump). As I’ve mentioned before, some folks block the oil cooler ports and allow oil to flow through that bypass. But you can remove it by removing the slotted screw shown at the lower left, then unscrewing the valve itself, withdrawing it through the screw hole–then replace the screw. You get a much bigger bypass port, and the OP doesn’t have to rise in order to force open a spring-loaded valve. Replace the valve if/when an oil cooler is fitted.

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Yes, Mike, we have that in common. It is actually a personality flaw … at least for me. I like the photos.
I should mention that Robert’s comments apply to the photo on the right.

What someone needs to do, is document every version of–what? FIFTY??–styles of oil filter heads the XK has had, since 1949!

I have many of them, but not all. I don’t understand why there are so many different things, all pretty much the same. And each with a different gasket. There has to be a story there.

I have the Cool Cat spin on adaptor. After two major incidents of leaking with the original set up I ditched it. It is one of the few places on the engine that does not leak oil. :slight_smile:

A pox! Nothing is ever too broken to be thrown away! “I think I can fix that…” My wife was president of a good sized CPA firm. One day one of her accountants told her “Well, at least YOUR HUSBAND is handy!”, which I guess was some sort of compliment! I :joy:

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Yes indeed…I am finding this to be the “modus operandi” for the XKE. Such is life hey?
Mike S, my wife thinks my primary purpose in life is to stomp spiders and carry out the garbage.
On the oil cooler/filter adapter. Here is a pic of it with the setup like Robert_Wilkinson: 3/4 copper plumbing caps. They fit not so tight, but will definitely squeeze the O-Ring underneath them. Plenty of force can be applied via the bolt and bracket (that I made) so I’ve little doubt this will work satisfactorily.

Notice that my adapter is now cleaned up. I went to remove the dirty filter bypass safety valve and I’ll be jiggered if I can get the large access screw to let go! Really! I have: 1) soaked it with penetrating oil, 2) used an electric impact hammer with a large flat-blade bit, 3) used a hand-fitted flat bar with a 15" handle, 4) used my hand-held 3/8" impact driver with the same flat-blade bit, 5) heated the dang thing with MAPP gas and then the impact driver. It has not budged! Oh…and I put my big pipe wrench (monkey wrench) on it being careful to grab only the screw head. Nada! Any ideas?


Peter Crespin may recognize this photo from a discussion between Peter and Simon (288 GTO) on Feb, 2018 about this filter adapter.

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Is this maybe the part to connect / short out the oil cooler:

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Oh, that’s cool! Where does one get one?

If I still had access to a machine shop, I could knock a suitable copy out.

I recognize the metal used for the casting…unobtanium. Very cool though–had heard of this bit but never saw it before.

Looks like red brass: easily-obtainable, but the casting process is a bit involved.

According to Jabgbits that one fits:

1995-1997 XJ6 AND 1992-1996 4.0 XJS WITHOUT ENGINE OIL COOLER. (EBC4124)

Would that work on a 4.2 XK engine filter head?

The one I recall seeing resembled a metal “U” tube.

That part was used on the 3.6 xj6 engine oil filters as an option if the cooler wasn’t required. ( if I remember correctly it was stated that if you didn’t intend on towing a caravan the cooler could be removed)
Unfortunately that part does not fit the xj6 oil filter heads.

wow! That is a cool part. But doesn’t fit the XJ6 filter head? Bummer. Anyway, I had thought of making a copper U out of 3/4" Type M copper, but figured it be a challenge to get the geometry right. Be nice to find something like this that fits though.

No suggestions on how to remove the access screw-plug for the oil cooler bypass valve?

Scot, sorry about the screw. Mine just popped out. With a flat blade bit that fits precisely, I would use a good air impact wrench–the kind with hundreds of lb-ft torque. Or a good rotary hammer fitted with the flat blade. Rotary hammer (like Bosch Bulldog) NOT hammer drill or impact driver. And of course the penetrating oil, from inside and out.

You could make the U out of type M or L copper pipe, straight pieces with “ells” at the corners. If you want to bend it (3/4 nominal is 7/8 OD so difficult) you should use Type K tubing IMO because M and L are almost always hardened so they don’t like to bend at all. It would be hard to do, even filling it with sand and using a bending jig. Also, not sure how you would clamp it down. You could put sawed off couplings at the ends so that it would fit just like the caps do–but you would need a longer clamp bolt I guess.

You could make a block similar to the red brass one shown. Just a rectangular block, with holes to accept two tubes, and a cross hole drilled to connect those two, and plugged at the ends with grubscrews–like the XJ block plug blocking the holes drilled from the intake side to connect the oil gallery to each of the mains. IMHO.

edit: the large screwdriver bits that fit big slotted screws are sometimes called “drag link sockets.” You can get a set of them.

The picture is from the german forum, someone there posted this in the „wanted“ section.

I think I see why the XJ6 had an oil cooler: just filled the sump, to the top hatching: 5 quarts!

Now, the Jeepster will not have AC, or close to the thermal loading of the 6, hauling around a near-4000 pound car, but Ill keep an eye on oil temps.

I have one if someone needs it. Just pay the postage. I’m in the U.K.

With best regards
Philip Dobson

I‘ll be happy to take it - pm sent.