Thoughts on oil filters for v8 flatheads

[RichardT10829]

hey folks, just a quick one.... I am busy servicing my engine, I intend to put a pair of high flow water pumps on in the process.


When I pulled the sump pan off, I was less than impressed with what I found !

The sludge collected in the base of the sump was unreal ! I change my oil very regularly and also use powerful rare earth magnets on the pan and plug. Other than the sieve on the oil pump I have no filtration, I have had mixed views on fitting a remote filter, so thought I would ask here...... Who is running remote filters ? How many of us are running nothing at all ?

My pack has done about 500 miles since initial build. Mostly short journeys of 8 - 10miles.

Top end, pistons and bores are still mint......have not pulled the bearings yet (will do that tomorrow)

[Lynn Eades]

Rich, are you running the oil cooler? If so plumb in a f.f. filter head. That's what I plan to do. The oil is only supposed to bypass the cooler when it is very cold. You have obviously jammed things into smaller spaces in the past (Minis?)

[RichardT10829]

Yes matey I am running the cooler, the only thing with running the filter in that line is that you only get a partial flow and only half the beatings receive filtered oil.

That said some filtration has to be better than no filtration.

To go full flow you have to use a modern oil pump which has a take off point, you then have to drill the sump for the nozzle to come out to the filter.... It's a lot of work, and not cheap (but neither is a crank re grind and bearings for an early 59A block)

[Lynn Eades]

And by the time the oil has been through the pump a couple of times, most of it has been through the filter once.

[cletrac (RIP)]

It's the bypass oil that gets filtered. None of the filtered oil goes to the bearings. It goes straight to the oil pan. Still, it keeps the grit from going through the bearings over and over again.

[Petr Brezina]

What about this setup (see pics)?
There are two separate circuits - one for cooler and one for filter.

[RichardT10829]

I have seen this before Petre. The only things you have to machine the block which I didn't want to do. You need to blank off the gallery between the inlet and outlet port with a large grub screw too.

I think I will go with Lynn's idea as its the least intrusive.

Checked bearings all are good still, so the rare earth magnet idea is one folk could perhaps consider too.

[Lynn Eades]

Richard, it is not required to put a plug in between the in and out. I think the long tube in the return fitting (in riveted carriers) blocks off the oil from bypassing.
The Australian carriers have a restricter (A plug with a hole through it) but they have a different type of return fitting.
Niels on this forum has asked about doing this to his CMP truck. He is now checking out a carrier engine with these fittings.

[jack neville]

I fitted a full flow filter system to my Ford/Marmon Herrington gun tractor. bought it off Ebay.