I do not use often my X 1/9, and there are plenty of reasons.
I take it for a ride, usually not at low revs, so I chose routes with less traffic (not to upset other drivers), in dry weather (so I do not have to wash it upon return), and finally as it bears historic licence plates, it should be used accordingly.
When I start it up from the usual long standing, I just crank the engine long enough to built oil pressure, and only then I pump the Webers to fire it.
That becomes very demanding for the battery, but since late ’90s, I use the special batteries Optima, which although cost 3 times a normal battery, last infinitely – In 2016, I replaced the one I had fitted in 1999, just because I could not believe it was perfect, and now this 1999 battery is fitted to the VW 1303 cabrio of my late uncle, which had a constantly discharged 3 year old Bosch unit…
Now, my dear friend Danilo, who is as always after practical modifications to improve his X1/9, just send me the detailed – Danilo way- modification that corrects the half emptying oil filter of our beloved X’s. This way he ads an extra protection to the oil drained, standing engine. Enjoy.
X1/9 oil filter support modification: is it useful?
Ciao Dimitris and Happy New Year to all!!
My technical mentality is: “Reliability is required to travel to Mars”….
Surely some people will consider the modification totally useless.
The assembly of the oil filter, on X1/9 block/crankcase, is horizontal.
The oil filter is equipped with an anti-emptying valve, but, during the long stops, the oil filter is partially empty (partially, not totally empty because the filter is horizontal).
The anti-emptying valve is never hermetically sealed.
During the next engine start, before sending the oil to the lubrication system, the oil pump must fill the oil filter.
After long stops, even with partially empty oil filter, the insufficient engine oil pressure warning light delays to turn off.
For a very long time I was thinking for a solution, then, on the web, used auto parts sector, I noticed the Renault oil filter support (but also Nissan and Dacia) that was just right for me.
Figure 1 shows the dismantled Renault support. There is also the thread for an oil pressure sensor that I have not utilized (closed by a home-made cap).
Figure 2 shows, among other things, the threaded sleeve, to be built, to connect the Renault oil filter support to the X1/9 engine block.
Figure 3 shows the original X1/9 assembly compared with the modified one.
NOTE: the X1/9 original filter has the thread ¾” 16 UNF instead, the Renault filter has a metric thread M20x1.5mm. No difficulty in finding the Renault type oil filter on the market.
Figure 4 shows the Top View of the modification mounted on the X1/9.
Figure 5 shows the Bottom View always relative to the X1/9.
The filter shown (UFI 23.196.00) is longer than the most common ones: oil filtering is improved while higher capacity is not a problem since I always replace oil and oil filter.
Regards
Danilo from Trieste Italy.
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