Spin-on Bypass Oil Filter for PW

[maineSS]

Long ago, in a thread faraway, Graybeard, et al, were discussing the difficulties of obtaining replacement elements for the OEM bypass oil filter when Charles Talbert mentioned the Baldwin B-164 as a spin-on alternative.
Recently, I decided to look into the Baldwin as a possible solution to messy filter changes and increasingly questionable element availability.

I removed the OEM setup, and discovered mine had been hooked up backwards for who-knows-how-long! For those who are wondering, the line at the top side of the filter is "out", the line entering the bottom center is "In", and "In" from the engine is the LOWER fitting just above the oil pressure relief valve housing.

The bracket shown in pic #1 was made from a piece of 3/16" plate welded to the edge of a 2 x 2 x 3/16" angle. Pic #2 shows the rear of the bracket, three heavy square nuts having 5/16" x 18 thread were Tig welded on to attach the filter mount. The 3/16" plate seems rigid enough to support the weight of the filter & mount without a gusset, if you opt for 1/8", you'll likely need one. Pic #3 is a drawing of the plate measurements, "F" is a letter drill size.

[maineSS]

Continuing on, Pic #4 is drawing of the angle iron piece, with hole locations for the 3/8" bolts that attach the bracket to the head. The filter mount is located 2" out and 3" up from the headbolt holes to allow sufficent room to access the filter for oil changes.

Pic #5 shows the bracket with the filter mount attached. Pic #6 shows how close the top bolt is to the rib, you need a small dia "aircraft" washer to fit- or turn down a standard washer on the lathe.

[maineSS]

Continuing on the quest for convenient filtration, Pic #7 shows the bottom of the Baldwin mount (PN OB 1305). The outside hole is the entrance into the filter, and is on the lefthand side of the mount as viewed from the front. The center hole is the exit side of the filter, and is on the righthand side of the mount.

Pic #8 shows the bottom of the Baldwin B-164 filter. The tiny 1/16" hole is the "out" side of the filter, hopefully the filter has stopped all the gunk! The OEM filter setup has a similar brass orifice somewhere on the outlet side, I haven't located mine yet, it's either in the cannister or in the block. More to follow as I get my hard lines (1/4" brake line) in place...

[CSCameron]

Excellent! Subscribed...

[53Crusher]

Same concept different approach

I really like how you tackled this problem! Thought I would also post an alternate idea for consideration. This isn't my solution, but I liked the idea. Dave Brownlow (Cheyenne Dave) did it for me. Drill and tap two holes where our oil pump mounts, insert plug in-between both. Create a plate that takes advantage of existing holes in firewall for radiator overflow which is rarely found anymore :-) Found an aftermarket "Moon" full flow aluminum mounting plate/cover which accepts modern PH8A type filter ( added magnetic accessory to catch metal shavings while engine was new).

[53Crusher]

Same concept different approach continued

install "moon" cover and we get the benefit of both a full flow filter and existing OEM bypass filter with additional oil capacity of approximately one quart.

[maineSS]

I've been looking at my spare block with ideas of coming up with a full-flow mod that doesn't involve drilling the oil pump boss. I'm not too keen on routing the oil thru a number of 90 deg turns before it hits the bearings, especially when it's cold. Using both methods of filtration definitely gives the best protection.

[Cheyenne Dave]

The engine block, crank, connecting rods, etc, are loaded with oil passage turns of varying degrees. Proper sizing of all drillings, fittings and hoses ensures proper oil preasure and volume.

This seems to be the ideal way to get the full benefits of a spin-on filter, by coupling it with full oil flow. I have modified a couple of 251 blocks that had cast provisions in the oil pump boss that indicated that this may have been an option on certain applications.

When using the optional 2 quart oil filter, total oil capacity rises to 7 quarts, and the remote mounting of the filter housing helps cool the oil. The Moon housing is very cool and well made, but it will not accept the 2 qt. filter.

CD

[maineSS]

It seems I made an error in thinking my filter was plumbed backwards- I had thought oil flow FROM the engine was from the fitting directly above the oil pressure relief valve. After looking at a number of refererences, I saw that oil input for the filter is taken from one of the oil galley plugs (usually #3), and oil return is to the relief valve.

Pic #9 is from the PW Owner's Manual, and shows the correct routing. Pic #10 shows the two holes in the 230 block, the lower angled plug is the oil return, the upper is the oil input to the filter. Glad I caught that before I spent an afternoon bending up lines...

[maineSS]

Baldwin, Wix, and NAPA all make a bypass filter in a "long" (6 5/8") and a "short" (5 3/8") size, with a 3 11/16" dia. The Baldwin "long" B-164 crosses over to NAPA #1704, and Wix #51704, and the Baldwin "short" B-50 crosses over to NAPA #1051, and Wix 51051.

The Baldwin mount OB1305 is very similar to the NAPA #4755/Wix #24755, all filters will fit. They have a different thread (5/8/18) on the boss to prevent the use of a full-flow filter. The Baldwin mount seems to be less expensive than NAPA ($30 vs $45), but shipping eats up the savings if you can't find it locally (truck eguipment shops).

As far as the efficiency of bypass vs full-flow is concerned, it comes down to an observation made by a Fram engineer decades ago " Is it better to filter all of the dirt from part of the oil, or to filter part of the dirt from part of the oil"? Here is an interesting discussion at a Packard site http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/mo...d=9650&forum=4 . The real measure of filter efficiency is pressure drop across it, the higher the drop, the finer the filtration can be. Full-flow pressure drop is ~ 10 psi before the relief valve opens, which limits its particle size capture.

[Charles Talbert]

Interesting twist on filtration

I knew an old timer, Ira Fisher from Union County, NC who ran a business for years in Charlotte, NC called IF Engineering. They were serious engine builders; heavy duty diesel, common gassers, small engines, race car engines, producing engines for many top winners in NASCAR, etc. These folks did it all, and did it right. When they were in business before his retirement in the 90's, he noticed we brought in a good many 230 engines for machine work. He pulled me to the side when picking up some blocks one day and asked about the quantity of 230's we did. I told him about M Series Rebuild, and what we did. He had a very interesting story to tell about 230's in the old Checker taxi cabs used by Charlotte Cab Companies. There were hundreds in local service back in the day. IF did engine rebuilds for all the Charlotte Cab Companies, and he knew 230's extremely well. He told of unheard of mileage put on 230's between overhauls. He also told what he believed to be the secret of the extreme long mileage these engines were run sucessfully. Instead of full flow or the stock bypass filtration, they custom built a canister to be mounted in the engine compartment that had a 1 gallon capacity. It had a removable top cover so the canister could be stuffed tightly with fine cotton threads. Stuffed to the point that the lid had to be forecfully pressed into place and secured into the closed postion using a rubber seal and a 3 position latching system. He swore by the great filtration this provided the old engines. Never a full flow set up was installed, just the custom canister with cotton threads. I've tried both ways. A full flow filter is great in conjunction with a bypass filter. However if I were going to use 1 system in the absence of the other; it would be bypass for sure. We have had extremely good fortune using the modern larger spin-on bypass filters. Mr. Fisher agreed with this, he was definitely a man who was paid the utmost attention when it came to engines of any type. He was the guiding light for many who build engines for race teams today.

[Cheyenne Dave]

As far as the efficiency of bypass vs full-flow is concerned, it comes down to an observation made by a Fram engineer decades ago " Is it better to filter all of the dirt from part of the oil, or to filter part of the dirt from part of the oil"? Here is an interesting discussion at a Packard site http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/mo...d=9650&forum=4 . The real measure of filter efficiency is pressure drop across it, the higher the drop, the finer the filtration can be. Full-flow pressure drop is ~ 10 psi before the relief valve opens, which limits its particle size capture.

I find it troubling that the "observation" quoted above is actually a question, which is left unanswered. I place little value in any information gleened from Fram, a filter supplier who's oil filtration quality rests frimly at or near the bottom of many lists. The exception seems to lay with their Xtended Guard filter. Yes, Fram is a popular name and a big advertiser in the race world... a place where oil and filter are replaced with every race. Filtering out the "fines" are far from the goal.

The key to a comprehensive filtration system is to employ both full and partial flow filtration, something Amsoil has been promoting for ages. They even market a bi-pass canister for this purpose, for modern engines with only full flow filtration capibilty. There is no reason to eliminate our by-pass filter, as it ads to the total oil capacity and oil cooling.

You may feel that these modifications have not been based on a body of research and developement, but you would be mistaken. The modern automotive world did not make the move from bi-pass to full flow oil filtration because it doesn't work.

C.D.

[Charles Talbert]

I find it troubling that the "observation" quoted above is actually a question, which goes unanswered. I place little value in any information gleened from Fram, a fliter supplier who's oil filtration quality rests frimly at or near the bottom of almost any list. The exception seems to lay with their Xtended Guard filter. Yes, Fram is a popular name and a big advertiser in the race world... a place where oil and filter are replaced with every race. Filtering out the "fines" are far from the goal.

The key to a comprehensive filtration system is to employ both full and partial flow filtration, something Amsoil has been promoting for ages. They even market a bi-pass canister for this purpose, for modern engines with only full flow filtration capibilty. There is no reason to eliminate our by-pass filter, as it ads to the total oil capacity and oil cooling.

You may feel that these modifications have not been based on a body of research and developement, but you would be mistaken. The modern automotive world did not make the move from bi-pass to full flow oil filtration because it doesn't work.

C.D.

The above Fram info is 100% correct, the poorest quality filtration out there by far. I had a vehicle brought in a few weeks ago for some minor service; the owner supplied a Fram filter for the engine which will just be handed back to the owner by us. We will never install a Fram filter on anything that goes out our door.

[maineSS]

Here's some more bypass discussion from a Studebaker site; http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ebaker-V8-full... . Posts #1 by Jack Vines, and posts 31-34 by swaim43 are particularly interesting. I agree with the sentiment about Fram products generally, but feel that the engineer's comments about oil filtration were correct. What many people fail to realize about full-flow filtration is just how often the pressure relief valve is open- several to many minutes during engine warmup (depending on ambient temp), during high-rpm conditions (depending on how full the filter is), and all the time if it's plugged. Your best defence is to fit the largest filter you can, and change your oil & filter on a regular basis depending on driving conditions- for most people, that's the "severe service" schedule.

With respect to PW full-flow mods, one needs to remember that the oiling system of any engine is a series of controlled leaks, and the oil pump capacity needs to be able to stay ahead of them, even when the engine is worn, and clearances are large. When temps are cold, and oil flows like molasses, you need to be very careful about adding restrictions to the pump output if you don't know exactly how much reserve capacity the pump has. That's why I'm looking at other ways of full-flow modification, as I believe the combination of full and bypass filtration offers the best solution- along with a good air filter, and a fully functional PCV system.

Pic #11 shows the routing of the inlet/outlet lines from the filter mount to the block. The outlet line had to allow access to the bottom and side of the filter for my hand, while allowing enough room to drop the filter. It also had to clear the boss on the starter and stay very close to it, which took a bit of figuring. Pic# 12 shows more detail in the block/starter area.

[maineSS]

For many people, bending up the inlet/outlet lines will be the most dfficult part of this mod, so I thought I'd give some extra info. My block has a 90 deg invert flare fitting for the oil galley inlet line, and a 45 deg invert flare fitting for the pressure relief outlet line. This allows better access to the tube nuts, though you'll need to get under the truck to start them when attaching the lines to the block.

Pic#13 shows the measurements of the inlet line, Pic # 14 shows the measurements of the outlet line. These are approximate, your installation will likely be a little different. I used a 60" length of 1/4" brake line to make both lines, but ended up not having enough to make a pigtail for the outlet line because I cut the line into 2 30" lengths. You could cut one line to 26", the other to 34", and have enough for a 2 1/4" dia pigtail in the outlet line. The pigtails were formed around a can of air freshener 2 1/4" in dia, Spray Starch from Wal Mart also is the right dia. The distance to the center of the pigtail is where you start your bending, a 2 1/4" inside dia uses ~ 8 1/4" of line.