Hey group. I have a gen vi 454 block with hooker competition headers #2455 and a milodon kick out oil pan. with all pieces installed in car i can not fit the filter through the headers between the block, oil pan or from the front. WHAT DO I DO? i was wondering if someone makes and adaperter that i could screw the the oil filter boss that would let me use a thinner oil filter? i dont really want to run an remote oil filter if i dont have too. I cant see dropping the headers everytime i have to change oil. :mad: :mad: :mad:

somebody has bound to run into this problem. Need help in a big way. thanks tommy

Chevy makes a 90 degree adaptor used on '88 and newer 4X4 pickups. Have one on my 350, but I'm thinking it should work on a big block. If you use that adaptor, you're stuck with the small filter, I think. Haven't verified that.

Yeah I have that problem.......bottom line the kickout pan ain't worth it. The list of problems goes on and on. I have to tweak the filter to get it in. Next time I yank the motor I'm changing the pan, big mistake :(

I've encountered this issue twice now, both times on a ZZ502 mill in a '72 & '71 Chevelle chassis using Dynomax ceramic coated headers. Solution #1 ('72 SS) was to notch a section of my Lakewood bellhousing flange to create a route for my oil filter install/removal. This approach would not work on car #2 ('71 chassis, same motor, same part # headers) which puzzled me to no end. I couldn't believe that with the same motor, same part # of headers, and a chassis that was a year apart, the filter wouldn't come out. Don't be quick to blame Milodon pans, I have this clearance issue with both kick-out pans and straight sided pans. Solution #2 was to slightly remove a portion of my lower control arm mounting pocket (only about 3/16" slice) along the bottom, then after filter is unscrewed, it turns sideways and snakes thru the header pipes and out towards the LH tire. Goofy, but it works.

Avoid a remote filter setup if possible. JMHO.

Thanks for replying guys. no one to blame but myself. anyway after much thought i think i am going to order a remote fit. i have the bellhousing off now and still cant get in. on the control arm pocket i think i would have to take out the hole pocket :( . i had already notched it from some old heddman headers that did not fit right.(new headers fit just as bad) just one of those hot roddin things i guess. you love to hate them.

which bring me to my next question. why does everyone who has the same headers i have always seem to fit but mine fit like sh@t. i had to beat the headers in 4 places on the drivers side. can there be a differnce between a lemans and chevelle. it has all chevey parts, motor, you name it. just a wondering. anyway thanks for all the replys. tommy

Your best bet is to run a remote filter in a case like yours, just make sure to keep the oil lines off of the header tubes. But, another fix is to use a very short filter in the stock location. Had a problem like this once and went to the local NAPA store, spending a bunch of time going through their filter catalog which shows the thread size and gasket dimensions for filters. Found a filter that was very short and as I recall, it was made for a Cushman motor scooter. Filter OD was the same a Chev, just much shorter. Just remember that a short filter will not filter as well as a longer one.
As far as the header fit on your car, it is possible that the car has been in an accident and had the frame straightened. After an accident the frame may be tweaked, even though the wheels are placed correctly and wheel alignment specs are OK, which is basically all the frame shop is concerned with.

Bill- i have the short napa filter for a 2000 7.4 big block and still have problem. like you said remote seems like pain now but much easier in long run. the problem i am running into now is finding the remote piece that fits in place of the filter for a gen v & vi. it seems the perma-cool wont fit them. any suggestions? thanks tommy

Tommy, the filter I am referring to is even shorter than the short Chev. filter. It is probably only about 2 to 3 inches in length. We used it on a drag car that got the oil changed very often. Very short filter won't give you much filter action, compared to the Chev filter so consider it carefully before proceeding. It is a heck of a lot easier than going to a remote.

Bill that is a thought. i will call my napa guy. have you ever heard of system 1. it is a cansister with a reusable cartrige? i am trying to figure the cartrige diamater now. seems like a slick deal if it will clear. kinda pricey at a buck twenty, but it fits, no lines to burn and it is reusable. thanks off to napa for the until i found out more on cartrige. thanks tommy

ps. page 60 in jegs. the system 1 was referred by the guys at scoggins dickey.

Bill is there anyway you could find that part number for the filter. i went to napa and we combed all the books with no luck. they even called napa HQ and could not find it. thanks tommy.

also was it for a gen v & vi block? that might be why we cant find.

Had the same exact problem as well! I ended up going with a remote filter kit because every style of short filter I tried would just not clear the headers. Chalk another $50 in unexpected mods...

Originally posted by engineguy:
Had a problem like this once and went to the local NAPA store, spending a bunch of time going through their filter catalog which shows the thread size and gasket dimensions for filters. Found a filter that was very short and as I recall, it was made for a Cushman motor scooter Filter OD was the same a Chev, just much shorter.

Tommy, it was several years ago that we used this short filter, sorry I cannot remember the part number. Wix manufacturers NAPA filters, they might be able to give you some help. I don't have a phone # for Wix tech service, but the NAPA store should be able to get it for you.

Thnaks all who posted. Here is the update. i went ahead and put on filter i had for cam brake-in. once motor is properly broken in and timing set i will replace filter with a System 1 filter. this is a canister type. i am not sure if catrige will clear headers to clean but i will worry about that then, however this has been recommended by 3 people including our local hot rot shop and Scoggin Dickey. I will have to undo header bolts at head to replace, but it should be the only time. hope this helps someone down the road. by the way system 1 is $120.00 from jegs. pieces to run remote oil filter system w/braided lines $150.00 minimum. thanks all Tommy

If you dont mind pulling the motor out :rolleyes: you can just cut a notch in the oil pan so its more like stock width at that particular spot and box it in. Then you would have most of your kick out still and the cleaner looking stock filter location. graemlins/hurray.gif