One of the most distinctive features of the MGB GT V8's engine installation is its oil filter, mounted remotely on the right-hand inner wing rather than directly on the engine. Relocating the filter from the engine to the inner wing was necessary to clear the chassis and steering rack within the MGB engine bay, and the resulting installation uses steel pipework to carry oil from the engine block to the remote filter and back again. This V8-specific arrangement uses a dedicated filter head, mounting bracket, adaptor and pipework, none of which are interchangeable with the four-cylinder MGB's engine-mounted filter.
Filter Head and Element
The remote oil filter head is a cast item that mounts on the right-hand inner wing via a V8-specific bracket. It carries a standard MGB-type spin-on filter element, with the filter element shared across the MGB range. The filter element is renewed at every service oil change. The filter head includes an integral oil pressure relief valve that opens if the engine oil pressure rises above a set threshold (typically when the oil is cold and viscous).
Oil Pipework
Oil is carried between the engine and the remote filter by steel pipes, with the oil pump cover at the engine being the take-off point. The pipework includes connectors and unions at each end, with adaptors at the engine and filter sealing each connection. Stainless braided alternative hoses are available as an upgrade where the steel pipework has corroded or where a more durable installation is required.
Production Change at V8 1149
The oil filter pipework was modified at car number V8 1149 in November 1973. On earlier cars, the oil pressure gauge took its feed from the oil filter; from V8 1149 onwards, the gauge feed was relocated to take its reading directly from the oil pump cover instead. The change improved cold-start oil pressure readings (which were previously affected by filter element flow restriction) and is reflected in the catalogue listings as an early-type and later-type pipework specification. Cars should be ordered for accordingly.
Production Change at V8 1248 and V8 1424
An additional production change occurred at V8 1248 in December 1973, when an alternative spin-on filter type was introduced. This was reverted at V8 1424 in February 1974 to the original inverted filter arrangement, with the oil cooler pipes also returning to the pre-December 1973 specification at the same point. Cars in the V8 1248 to V8 1424 production window may have either specification depending on individual build dates, and the engine should be inspected before parts are ordered.
MGOC Spares
MGOC Spares supplies the remote oil filter head, V8-specific filter mounting bracket, spin-on filter elements, oil pipework in steel and stainless braided specifications, adaptors and all associated fixings for the MGB GT V8.