RB26 oil filter block
It’s an article about the oil filter block where the oil filter is attached. Under the plenum is located the oil filter block. On standard RB26 engine the oil filter block includes a kind of « water-cooled oil cooler », as seen in the picture below.
The basic principle is that the body of the block lets water go through it to cool down the oil (they’re two nipples on the left of the oil filter block). Being small and located very closed to the engine you can imagine it not very effective.
You can find some pros and cons about the effectiveness of that water-cooled oil cooler on various forums about the Skyline. What has not been very discuss is the alternative found on N1 engine. On N1 engines the oil filter block is different. Check out the image below taken from the Nissan workshop manual :
You can see the oil filter block has no longer the water cooler nipples and it’s smaller. But it has two new plugs for oil lines …. heading to an air oil cooler ! On N1 engine the water-cooled oil filter block is replaced by a smaller oil filter block working with an oil cooler. It makes more room under the plenum (less pipes and smaller oil filter block) and it’s more effective :
Sadely that oil filter block is no longer available from Nissan and it might has been difficult to use because of the specific oil tubes attached to it. But I found 4 alternatives !
They will require to relocate the oil filter but it’s a good thing as the original filter location always lead to oil drops and it’s inconvenient in every way.
- a Ross performance https://rossperformanceparts.com/product/nissan-rb-oil-return-adaptor/
- a Ross Tuffbond https://rawbrokerage.com/collections/rb30/products/ross-tuffbond-remote-oil-filter-adapter-for-nissan-rb20-rb25-rb26
- a Taarks https://www.efisolutions.com.au/oil-block-an10-rb20-rb25-rb26-rb30
- a JHH Racing https://jhhracing.com.au/products/jhh-racing-rb-oil-distribution-blocks
That’s the 4 I found but there might be others. Just make sure the one you will choose accept the OEM sensors (oil pressure and oil temp).
They will accept AN-10 and AN-12 fittings. The ross-tuffbond version is the only one in AN-12 the other are in AN-10 but will work with AN-12 adapters.
That how it looks once installed :
Should you go for AN-10 or AN-12 ?
Both will be enough to flow oil to the oil cooler without pressure drop so it makes no difference from a performance point of view. For a very long time Nismo optional oil cooler was using AN-12 lines. But their latest oil cooler option uses AN-10. And HKS and other japanese brands have been using AN-10 and these big brands can be trusted.
AN-10 will be slighty smaller so easier to fit when you don’t have much space around so probably best to go with AN-10.
I went for the Taarks because you can use the OEM sensors and you can use either AN-10 or AN-12 fittings.
I’m sure many of you have seen R26 engine bays like this :
For sure it’s bling but I don’t like it as it’s way too easy to drop oil when changing the oil filter. Let me show you what japanese guys do :
1/ Interesting location but it’s weird to have the oil cooler in such location. But oil filter is easy to change without messing with the oil.
2/ Weird location but I doubt it’s easy to remove the oil filter and it’s too much closer to the alternator for my taste.
3/ I like the location of this one. It’s one of the area where there is room to relocate the oil filter. But I’m not convince by the lines heading to the oil filter as they would contact with the engine bay tray.
4/ Same location but different position. Lines going to the oil cooler leave room for the under tray engine and the oil filter is easy to remove. That’s my favorite.
