Oil filters on flatheads

[TomT/Williamsburg]

My avatar has never had a filter - I use cheap Walmart brand 20w-50 oil w/zinc additive that I add - 5 qts per change - and I run the hell out of my car as you all know.I change the oil frequently though except for long road trips like to the LA Roadster show from Virginia when I changed it on my way back having gone 3500 miles at that point. Am I right or am I lucky? You decide - but it has worked for well over 50k mikes and at 85 mph at times. I personally think that me running those long distance runs with a 50 lb oil pressure spring is much better for it than all local runs. I even drop my rear end fluid every year and use whatever brand and viscosity is on sale just no synthetic stuff. It works for me .... the more you run them the better they run imho .....

 

[51 MERC-CT]

Is this oil restrictor something that an auto parts store might have? I ust went on ebay and found nothing. What is the purpose on the restrictor?

A restrictor fitting can be made using various fittings and a (NAPA WH 1512)
restrictor.
This is just one way it can be done.

 

[tubman]

I'm just saying there is a slight difference between the Mercury and Ford restrictor fittings and that if you are going to buy a filter assembly, try to get the whole thing, lines and all. Because the restrictor fittings are slightly different, mixing and matching lines will cause some problems. Maybe some of you guys can bend them easily, but I tried to use the Mercury lines with the Ford oil filter and restrictor, and found it much easier to use the Ford lines rather than trying to make bends to the (rather hard) Mercury lines.

 

[davids2toys]

If you want it to be 100% correct it matters, if you just want it to be functional it doesn't matter.

I just want it to work! It is the wrong motor anyway so kind of a ******* child! i just want no issues hooking it up and want it to function as it should

 

[Ritzy1]

I used aluminum spacers from McMaster-Carr and longer ARP bolts to space the original filter above the finned aluminum heads. Used 51 Merc-CT's suggestion to source the restrictor fitting after finding mine had stripped threads. Fabbed my own supply/return lines using 1/4" line. Found out how important it was to have the the right gasket on the filter cover when I first fired the motor . . . plenty of pressure going through that filter!

 

[MGG]

I used 1/4" nickel/copper brake lines from NAPA for my 47 oil filter plumbing. It is easy to make nice bends with that material and I am not that much concerned with originality.

 

[davids2toys]

WOW, great info. I am buying that setup for sale. Sending the $ Monday. love the sketch in Post 62. The nickel copper brake line is a great idea also. One more project to do. I have a bunch of jobs before I get to this one unfortunately./ Any recommendations on a fine micron filter for this setup? here is a pic of what I'm buying.

 

[51 MERC-CT]

WOW, great info. I am buying that setup for sale. Sending the $ Monday. love the sketch in Post 62. The nickel copper brake line is a great idea also. One more project to do. I have a bunch of jobs before I get to this one unfortunately./ Any recommendations on a fine micron filter for this setup? here is a pic of what I'm buying.

'CAUTION'

That setup is not meant to bolt in the stock position on your '53 head.
It is meant to fit '49 and earlier engines using the head bolts.
Have never heard of any fine micron filter that fits any of the canister filters. ( NAPA 1006 or equivalent is what is normally used )
This is what the mounting base should look like.

 

[davids2toys]

Ok, now back to being confused! I thought they all (Canister) mounted to the head bolts. To clarify: So is his just wrong for my engine because of the bolt pattern only? Do I still need one that mounts to the head-bolts, only for a 50-53 using a different bolt pattern?I thought I understood they were all the same from 49-53 and from 48 back they were different.



What is that pic that you posted using the Amsoil bypass filter. Can you explain that pic to me. what does the word bypass mean? Is that another word for 100% full filter system?
Thanks...Dave

 

[JSeery]

Starting with by-pass, a by-pass filter bleeds off a small part of the oil (the reason for the restrictor) by-passing the main oil flow to the engine. Over time all of the oil passes through the filter, but only a small % at a given time.

In a 100% filtration system all of the oil passes through the filter before it goes to the rest of the engine.

The head bolt pattern is the same for all 24 stud/bolt engines (starting in mid 1938 up to the last flathead). The difference in the oil filters is how they mount. Up to 48/49 they mounted on the studs. With the switch to bolts the later 8ba heads had special oil filter mounting places cast into the heads.

If you are using heads without the special mounts cast in it is not going to matter. You will have to install special bolts or studs for the three locations where the filter is going to be mounted.

See the three extra mounting locations on the aft end of the 8ba head?

 

[51 MERC-CT]

Ok, now back to being confused! I thought they all (Canister) mounted to the head bolts. To clarify: So is his just wrong for my engine because of the bolt pattern only? Do I still need one that mounts to the head-bolts, only for a 50-53 using a different bolt pattern?I thought I understood they were all the same from 49-53 and from 48 back they were different.



What is that pic that you posted using the Amsoil bypass filter. Can you explain that pic to me. what does the word bypass mean? Is that another word for 100% full filter system?
Thanks...Dave

This is the way '50-'53 mounted, to dedicated threaded holes in the head.
Head bolts are what hold the heads on.
My Amsoil filter conversion is mounted to a much modified original canister housing bolted in its original location on the head.
Suggest you google 'bypass filter' to possibly gain further information on how the system works.

 

[34PKUP]

Starting with by-pass, a by-pass filter bleeds off a small part of the oil (the reason for the restrictor) by-passing the main oil flow to the engine. Over time all of the oil passes through the filter, but only a small % at a given time.

In a 100% filtration system all of the oil passes through the filter before it goes to the rest of the engine.

The head bolt pattern is the same for all 24 stud/bolt engines (starting in mid 1938 up to the last flathead). The difference in the oil filters is how they mount. Up to 48/49 they mounted on the studs. With the switch to bolts the later 8ba heads had special oil filter mounting places cast into the heads.

If you are using heads without the special mounts cast in it is not going to matter. You will have to install special bolts or studs for the three locations where the filter is going to be mounted.

See the three extra mounting locations on the aft end of the 8ba head?

Now Im' confused

 

[JSeery]

Now Im' confused

About what? Give me a hint!

If it about a by-pass filter, it does what it says in it's name, it by-passes the main oil flow in the engine. The restrictor allows a small percentage of the oil to by-pass the main oil flow and is diverted to a filter and then returned to the oil pan.

 

[davids2toys]

Very confusing indeed. So these holes are not on the left side of the head, they are on the right side. I full understand what and how the bypass system works. It just gets confusing when people are calling it different things and then it gets further confusing with pics that are also different. I just took a few pics of mine and it looks like i have the heads with the mounting holes. So you are sure that the filter I was buying will not work with these heads? How will I know when i am looking art one that I can use? It seems like both have a similar bolt pattern. Thank you though, you just saved me 60.00. I will have to contact him and cancel the purchase

 

[34PKUP]

About what? Give me a hint!

If it about a by-pass filter, it does what it says in it's name, it by-passes the main oil flow in the engine. The restrictor allows a small percentage of the oil to by-pass the main oil flow and is diverted to a filter and then returned to the oil pan.

Sorry, wrong quote, should have been post #69

 

[JSeery]

Very confusing indeed. So these holes are not on the left side of the head, they are on the right side.

You are looking at different years and different filters that mounted in different places. The returns are also different on different years. It shouldn't be confusing, you just have to get the filter you want for the engine you are using it on and the mounting method you are wanting to use. A lot of the early filters were aftermarket add-on's, different manufactures arranged them differently and Ford changed their setup with the different years.

The main difference is going to be the bolt hole spacing, the 8ba spacing has to match the pattern cast into the late heads.

 

[51 MERC-CT]

Very confusing indeed. So these holes are not on the left side of the head, they are on the right side. I full understand what and how the bypass system works. It just gets confusing when people are calling it different things and then it gets further confusing with pics that are also different. I just took a few pics of mine and it looks like i have the heads with the mounting holes. So you are sure that the filter I was buying will not work with these heads? How will I know when i am looking art one that I can use? It seems like both have a similar bolt pattern. Thank you though, you just saved me 60.00. I will have to contact him and cancel the purchase

Perhaps you can see the difference here--
You can, if you choose to,remove the necessary head bolts and mount it there.
Or you could buy an original one here---
http://shoebox-central.com/1950-1951-1952-1953-ford-flathead-v8-oil-filter-canister-housing

 

[tubman]

BTW, those are '52-'53 Mercury heads in the picture and the LEFT head (drivers side in the US) does have the special oil filter mounting holes.

You may have gotten lucky and have a '52-53 Mercury engine there with a 4" stroke and 125HP from the factory.

 

[davids2toys]

OK, I definitely see a difference in the shape of bolt pattern. Thank you for the link. I wonder if that comes with the necessary seals? I will pass on this one i was going to buy because i don't want to make it harder or more complicated than it has to be, Thank you guys for all the help.I think i will wait until a nice used piece comes up for sale because i am in no rush and have a ton going on with the car already

 

[davids2toys]

BTW, those are '52-'53 Mercury heads in the picture and the LEFT head (drivers side in the US) does have the special oil filter mounting holes.

You may have gotten lucky and have a '52-53 Mercury engine there with a 4" stroke and 125HP from the factory.

Never even heard of that motor! i have a feeling it is not only because of the way it performs, definitely not a high winder. the motor is revving pretty high at 50mph and running out of power, at 60 mph it feels like it is going to blow up! It feels like it is geared super low and needs another gear.