Spin-on Engine Oil Filter - Watch Out

[Mike Allfrey]

The last time I purchased a new spin-on oil filter for my Jupiter at our local Repco store, I purchased two of them. It was not until yesterday that I noticed that the counter fellow had provided two different parts that looked the same. The filters were Ryco a local brand, now made in China.

The second filter featured a 16 mm thread, the adaptor on the engine has a 5/8-in. UNF thread. We did get the correct filter and installed it successfully.

A word about Ryco, an Australian company started by Bill Ryan and later absorbed into Repco of Brabham-Repco Formula One fame. In the 1970s I used to call in at Bill Ryan's shop to buy his version of the Jowett Tecalemit filter element. Old Bill was even deafer than I am now, so our conversations were louder than most. Bill admired the Javelin/Jupiter engine and he claimed that with a bit more money spent, it would have been a real winner. Our conversations lasted more than 15 minutes, at which point his wife, upstairs in her office would zing down one of those canisters on an overhead wire, aimed at Bill's counter. One time she wrote on a piece of paper, "DO SOMETHING PROFITABLE, BILL!" Other messages were even more to the point, but will not be found here. Good times and even better people!

Regards,

Mike A.

[Keith Clements]

GREAT STORY. He was doing something profitable, retaining customers. I still have a local parts shop that engages with customers ĺike that.