spin on adapter issue 66

[Randy S.]

Changed the oil today in my 66 small block that has had a spin on adapter since I have owned it.
Removed old filter without any issues and cleaned the adapter base to be sure old gasket wasn't left behind. When installing the new filter I only got one or two turns and met resistance. I knew this wasn't right so I removed the filter and the nipple from the adapter came out with it. I'll call it a nipple but it may not be tapered. No obvious damage to the nipple. I probably got it slightly cross threaded but I wasn't using a lot of force.
Now what?
I removed the nipple and screwed it into the adapter till it bottomed out. That left about 6 threads exposed approx 1/4-3/8". I tried the new filter and again maybe one turn before I got resistance. I wasn't sure 6 threads would be enough to engage all of the threads in the filter.

Removed the filter and nipple came out with it again. Removed nipple from filter and put the nipple about halfway into the adapter, about 1/2". I put the filter on and got about 4-6 turns before I felt resistance then snugged it up another 3/4 turn. Off course there is the possibility the nipple was moving up into the adapter while spinning on the filter but even if the nipple bottomed out again I still got the approx 6 threads of engagement. Best case scenario the nipple wasn't moving and the nipple is half way into the adapter and half way into the filter.

Any advice here so I can sleep better? Should the nipple have been bottomed out in the adapter? How much thread should be exposed for filter engagement?

Randy

PS Due to logistics I had to complete the oil change and move the car.
No leaks at the filter

[Bill I.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Randy, That was very confusing post to me. If it's not leaking, forget about it. Hope others can offer more advise. Bill.

[Randy S.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Bill,

Sorry I wasn't more clear.

What I am calling the nipple is the threaded tube that the oil filter screws to on the adapter. Normally this tube stays in the adapter when removing the filter like my previous 8-10 oil changes. At any rate it came out this time when I removed the filter. Possibly the new filter had a burr in the threads.

When replacing the tube (or nipple as I called it before) and screwing it all the way into the adapter it looks like not enough thread engagement for the filter. I wish I had measured it but I did not. Maybe 3/8"

My concern is I do not have enought threads engaged on the oil filter.

I measured the old filter Napa 1060 and it is about 1/2" from gasket to last thread. Only about 5 threads in these oil filters.

Does anyone know how far the threaded tube or nipple should extend from the base?

Randy

[Bill I.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Randy, never heard of that happening before. Hope others can offer insight. Bill.

[Clark K.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Bill,

What I am calling the nipple is the threaded tube that the oil filter screws to on the adapter. Randy

The technical term for a short length of pipe with threaded-male ends is a "pipe nipple". I hope this helps. -Clark

[Joe L.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Changed the oil today in my 66 small block that has had a spin on adapter since I have owned it.
Removed old filter without any issues and cleaned the adapter base to be sure old gasket wasn't left behind. When installing the new filter I only got one or two turns and met resistance. I knew this wasn't right so I removed the filter and the nipple from the adapter came out with it. I'll call it a nipple but it may not be tapered. No obvious damage to the nipple. I probably got it slightly cross threaded but I wasn't using a lot of force.
Now what?
I removed the nipple and screwed it into the adapter till it bottomed out. That left about 6 threads exposed approx 1/4-3/8". I tried the new filter and again maybe one turn before I got resistance. I wasn't sure 6 threads would be enough to engage all of the threads in the filter.

Removed the filter and nipple came out with it again. Removed nipple from filter and put the nipple about halfway into the adapter, about 1/2". I put the filter on and got about 4-6 turns before I felt resistance then snugged it up another 3/4 turn. Off course there is the possibility the nipple was moving up into the adapter while spinning on the filter but even if the nipple bottomed out again I still got the approx 6 threads of engagement. Best case scenario the nipple wasn't moving and the nipple is half way into the adapter and half way into the filter.

Any advice here so I can sleep better? Should the nipple have been bottomed out in the adapter? How much thread should be exposed for filter engagement?

Randy

PS Due to logistics I had to complete the oil change and move the car.
No leaks at the filter

Randy-----


Are you sure there are actual threads in the cast base which the nipple "threads" into? There are several different types of these adapters but it seems to me that the ones I've seen have the nipple "permanently" attached to the base (i.e. the base is cast around the nipple). It may be, though, that there are what appear to be threads on the nipple as a means of helping to "lock in" the nipple to the casting. In any event, check carefully to be sure there are actual threads in the base.

If the nipple is actually threaded into the base, I would say that all you need to do is screw the nipple down as far as you can by hand. As long as there are sufficient outer threads to engage the oil filter, that's all that matters. You should get about 3 turns of the filter before gasket contact. If you don't get this much, simply back out the nipple until you do.

However, since the nipple has apparently "broken free" of the cast base, you're going to be facing this every time you change the filter. It might be best just to get another adapter to avoid this recurring nuisance. These things won't "break the bank".

[Philip C.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Hi Randy I have seen spin on adapters with a locking ring that threads on the nipple on the upper side of the adapter, to lock the nipple in place. You could get one Iam sure at any hardware store. It looks like the locking nut from an electrical connector. Phil 8063

[Terry M.]

Re: spin on adapter issue 66

Changed the oil today in my 66 small block that has had a spin on adapter since I have owned it.
Removed old filter without any issues and cleaned the adapter base to be sure old gasket wasn't left behind. When installing the new filter I only got one or two turns and met resistance. I knew this wasn't right so I removed the filter and the nipple from the adapter came out with it. I'll call it a nipple but it may not be tapered. No obvious damage to the nipple. I probably got it slightly cross threaded but I wasn't using a lot of force.
Now what?
I removed the nipple and screwed it into the adapter till it bottomed out. That left about 6 threads exposed approx 1/4-3/8". I tried the new filter and again maybe one turn before I got resistance. I wasn't sure 6 threads would be enough to engage all of the threads in the filter.

Removed the filter and nipple came out with it again. Removed nipple from filter and put the nipple about halfway into the adapter, about 1/2". I put the filter on and got about 4-6 turns before I felt resistance then snugged it up another 3/4 turn. Off course there is the possibility the nipple was moving up into the adapter while spinning on the filter but even if the nipple bottomed out again I still got the approx 6 threads of engagement. Best case scenario the nipple wasn't moving and the nipple is half way into the adapter and half way into the filter.

Any advice here so I can sleep better? Should the nipple have been bottomed out in the adapter? How much thread should be exposed for filter engagement?

Randy

PS Due to logistics I had to complete the oil change and move the car.
No leaks at the filter

If this is an on-going issue, a little red Lock-tite will fix it. Just be sure to clean the threads -- both the nipple and the adapter -- well before applying, and let the Lock-tite set up for a while before screwing the filter on.