If you recall one of use suggested simply repairing the blown head gasket. As for the oil cooler versus exhaust I am confused. If the engine was complete with exhaust what did you need to swap? If you had to move the cooling system why not move the exhaust along with the rear mount so you could mount the late muffler? Is the oil cooler even plumbed in for water? If not remove it, use the 1.9 nipple again and the regular filter will work. 

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of TJ Hemrick
Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 2:33 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Engine swap: stopped by oil filter

I can't believe you guys didn't tell me this.  Amazing....  You all let me swap an early model 1.9 into my 87 that blew a head gasket and after a massive struggle to swap out the oil cooler adapter on the filter boss, I find the exhaust is blocking the filter because it has a different exhaust and doesn't use/have an oil cooler sandwich adapter like late models do....  Guys, guys, guys...  Is this some kind of sick joke?  Second only by the moronic engineers who use 400 miles if rubber hoses molded with different size ends. ;)

Okay, do they make a "shorty" filter for idiots like me?

I screwed on a, may the gods strike me down, a Honda filter to keep the funk out and oil in.  Any issues running that to fire it up the first
time.   I was so looking forward to my knew MANN filter but that is, sadly,
not to be.   I'll be happy if it starts and runs.  Rental car is killing me.

Thanks,

TJ
87 Wolfsburg Auto