smaller diameter oil filter for 74 304?

I am wondering if there is an alternative filter to a purolater l20033 3.77OD filter. I just crammed in the 1" mount tab Powermaster alternator I got on the cheap to replace my stock motorola that was near death, and the new alt is REALLY close to the oil filter. I want to try and fit a .5" shorter belt to get more adjustment range, since I have been grinding the lower bracket more each day getting some adjustment room for the stock sized belt (brand new belt). It works as it is, but it just touches the crimp roll on the filter edge and I have no room to tighten the belt in the future...Probably a bad mix.

this is a factory 74 304 with the 1" mount tab and all stock brackets.

I had to re-clock the alt 90deg to clear the factory oil pressure gauge sender also, but that was easy.

 

look at the same year filter for a 258
the 258 filters were narrower
just make sure not metric threads
as long as the sealing ring is in the same position, you should be okay.
I'm not familiar with aftermarket, only factory filters.
This should be easy at any good parts store.
I think the Pontiac 4 banger from 1980 in Jeeps uses a real small filter, but seals the same.
lots of guys were changing to the smaller OD filters to gain some clearance from the axle housing as well.

 

I 'solved' this fitment issue by additional grinding to lengthen the adjustment slot in the lower arm for the alternator. The gates 7425 equivalent (the 'stock' belt length), now just fits properly, and the normal filter is cleared.

The caveat to this setup is you have to carry a spare belt, and adjusting out any stretch is near impossible, i have MAYBE a slight 'nudge' left.

if you go to a 7420 (half inch shorter), AND a smaller diameter filter, you can probably come in with a bit more adjustment range but if you have the factory oil sender, it might be in the way and need to be angled with npt fittings or 'remoted'.

the spare belt, everything else stock option seemed best for me. I am getting 13.89+- V at posts, all 4 gauge wire now, my headlights are brighter, since the 38 amp motorola was dying AND the V regulator wasn't wired 100% correct, in fact mine was running as a 2 wire instead of 4? this was the main motivation, besides the deal I got on the black powermaster, to go this route.

I seriously would suggest anyone looking to change out the motorola to better examine your standard delco 2" options with something like the bulltear high mount kit, with the right cheapie FLAPS rebuilt alt, you can come close to the same price and still have 'enough' amps.

 

Does Bulltear sell a remote filter kit? Maybe that would work too?

 

I relocated my filter to underneath the front grill. So far works really well. I got my kit from Bulltear.

 

Just for general interest, Jeep made a filter relocation kit back in the '70s. They had parts already on the shelf for RHD Matadors (as I recall), and they put them together into a kit for V8 CJs. This was the expensive cure for the axle coming up and smacking the oil pump cover. The axle would dent the relief valve bore and freeze the piston in the bore, wherever it might be. Used a different oil pump cover that did not interfere with the top of the axle.

Pretty neat kit - I had one on my '73 CJ-5 back in the day. Puts the filter right up on top, by the alternator, where you don't even have to reach to replace it. Included a new alternator bracket that held the filter.

The cheap fix (and the fix authorized under warranty repair, free of charge) was an additional spacer under the axle bumper on the RH side. I recall they eventually redesigned the OP cover to eliminate the interference problem. However, my CJ-6 still has two spacers; factory equipment I presume.