Plastic oil filter assembly

A plastic oil filter assembly for use in the lubricating systems of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a closure plate having an inside surface and an outside surface, said closure plate including a center opening, a plurality of raised supporting fins radially extending from said center opening on said inside surface, a groove on said outside surface, a ring positioned in said groove, and a plurality of oil inlet apertures penetrating through said closure plate;
• an oil filter member having a filter and including a cylindrical saw-toothed coupling having a plurality of teeth extending axially from an edge thereof, wherein a respective said saw-tooth engages with a respective space defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of raised supporting fins in the closure plate, said saw-toothed coupling surrounding said center opening of the closure plate and having a cylindrical interior passage extending axially therethrough to provide communication between an interior of said filter and said center opening;
• a flat radially slit check valve surrounding said saw tooth coupling and positioned between said closure plate and said oil filter member to cover said inlet apertures;
• and,
• a transparent exterior enclosure secured to said closure plate and enclosing said oil filter member, said transparent exterior enclosure including a plurality of vertically extending raised portions disposed on an interior thereof for supporting said oil filter member.