JC SERIES – DELUXE PRODUCTS CORPORATION – LA PORTE, INDIANA

[JBNeal]

DELUXE PRODUCTS CORPORATION can be seen stamped into the lids of oil filter canisters that originated from a long-gone parts supplier whose origins and demise are not readily verified.  But DeLuxe had the forethought to also stamp the filter element required into the canister lid for service needs, so that information endures.  Questions about these filter canisters and elements in 2009, 2015, and 2020 got me motivated to do some research to see if I could find anything dispersed across the internets and in my travels about this orphan company and, more specifically, how that affects Dodge Trucks.  What I was able to find has clarified my knowledge of these oil filters but I cannot say for certain if these findings are definitive as the source material for these things may be buried in boxes in a warehouse somewhere in Indiana for all I know.  But to summarize, the DeLuxe JC filter elements used on Dodge Trucks were available in basically four different filter canisters that were adorned with five decals depending on the year and engine configuration.

Early Chrysler flatheads had pressurized crankcase oil lubrication, but apparently no filtration, so companies like Purolator, Fram, and DeLuxe made aftermarket kits that relied on colorful product finishes and informative advertising to sell their products as a cost effective solution to extending engine life.  I reckon DeLuxe first sold the CU series around 1937, before developing the JC series around 1939.  This 39JC canister is notable in that it has an offset hemispherical sump to accommodate the drain port that is adjacent to the inlet port.  These 39JC canisters appeared to have been painted red with two mounting clamps, and have the DeLuxe Clear Oil decal, available from Jim Osborn Reproductions [DZ0054]. 

   

 

   

A very rare service poster from 1945 changed hands to a private collector around 2010, and this was shared online, showing the evolution of the JC series from the bottom drain port on an offset hemispherical sump to an angled drain port on a hemispherical sump.  This 45JC canister appears to have the outlet and drain ports in the same vertical plane.

Pressurized oil filtration was an option on Chrysler flatheads, as seen in these two screen captures from the 1951 Dodge Truck Sales Training Film:  

 

Early B-series build cards may have listed this filter option, as seen in this ’48 1-ton build card: 


The B-series factory parts manual lists two part numbers for the oil filter canisters (1265706, 1503494) using the same replaceable oil filter element (676575), with the second canister p/n applicable to the B-4s.  There is no diagram for this shown, but looking at the Power Wagon and Route Van parts listings, they use the same p/ns and show a diagram for each.  The Route Van differs from the Power Wagon in that it has that bracket that mounts the filter canister to the rear of the flathead engine.  The 1265706 canister shown appears similar to the 45JC canister, with the outlet and drain ports in the same vertical plane.  


These two screen captures from the Route Van Servicing Master Tech video show the installed RTVan DeLuxe filter.  These also appear to have the 45JC canister.  

A September 1948 magazine advertisement found online describes the new DeLuxe-Baldwin cartridge, apparently showing the JC405 sock filter element, as well as a perforated metal cased element, but no part numbers are listed.  The 45JC canister shown has a new decal on it that predominantly displays DELUXE, possibly a new branding of this filter product.  Could a Baldwin buyout have been the demise of the DeLuxe Products Corporation?  

The best factory picture of an installed DeLuxe JC series filter that I could find was in several of Bunn’s books for a ’51 with a column-shift.  Notice that it uses the old DeLuxe decal, and that the outlet and drain ports could possibly be in perpendicular planes.  This appears similar to what I have seen in a ’50 Spring Special and my ’51 flatbed.

 

 

I could not find any pictures of the B-4 1503494 canister, so for years, I assumed that it was some minor difference in the canisters done as a cost savings.  Then I spied a ’54 stripped of its powertrain at auction, and discovered a barely legible part number:  1504092 [image pending]

 

Looking at the C-series factory parts manual, 1504092 is not listed, just 1503494, same as the B-4.  Looking up oil filter interchange numbers, and 676575, 1265706, 1503494, and 1504092 all refer to the Baldwin JC405, which I thought was odd since 3 of those 4 numbers are for the filter canister, not the filter element.  Since the 1503494 was used on the B-4 and C-series, it dawned on me that the C-series parts manual might be incomplete, lacking the listing for the 1504092.  Then I found a C-1 with a very similar looking filter canister as the one on my B-4 and it finally hit me:  1503494 was used on the flathead 6, while 1504092 was used on the V8…the differences appears to be the port fittings, lid and the use of a bolt or a T-handle.  I found two factory pictures of V8 engine compartments in Bunn’s books, but the filter canisters were mostly obscured by the engines, though looked similar to what I found at that auction.
     

Canister 1265706 appears to have two configurations of the same 5 parts.  Both configurations use a smooth hemispherical sump that has a continuous resistance weld joint (similar to what is used on B-series fuel tank perimeter welds) with the housing.  Inlet, outlet, and drain ports are brazed couplings.  The 45JC configuration has the outlet and drain ports in the same plane, similar to what I removed from my ’48 B-1-B-108.  The 49JC configuration has the outlet and drain ports perpendicular, similar to what I removed from my ’49 B-1-D-126.

     

Canisters 1503494 and 1504092 use a 4-piece assembly (53JC) with a ribbed hemispherical sump that has an almost seamless joint with the housing.  Inlet and outlet ports are brazed couplings, and there is no drain port.  Decals differ by part number and location as engine mounting and firewall mounting differ.

 

On the 1503494 canister, the T-handle appears to have been replaced with a simple hex head bolt that has a machined shoulder to seat in the recessed area on the lid.  The perforated dome is spot-welded to the lid, with a lower profile than previous domes.  I was not able to remove the T-handle on the 1504092 that I found at that auction, so could not confirm if that had a similar lid construction.  The lack of a check valve as with the T-handle made me take a second look at the spot-welded dome, and sure enough there are perforations located closer to the lid than on the previous version.  My guess is that if the sock filter element becomes clogged, the oil pressure is great enough that it breaks the upper element seal to the center flow tube and allows fluid to bypass the element and escape through those upper perforations to the outlet.  And that is a guess that I am unwilling to verify  

 

  
(continued for restoration tips...)

[JBNeal]

Spiffing up these canisters is fairly straightforward, but it’s important to be patient, clean thoroughly, and pay attention to the details.  The cosmetic restoration would be meaningless if the filtering functionality is lacking.

The T-handle for the lids houses the bypass check valve, and I have found that a #1 Phillips-head screwdriver can be used to clean out the passage and move the check valve for cleaning.  This handle also holds the perforated dome in place with either a hex nut or a speed nut.   This perforated dome has two sizes, depending upon whether the lid has a raised handle opening or a recessed handle opening.  Both require an appropriately sized soft copper gasket.

 

Note the original orientation of the brass fittings before removing.


Removing the brass fittings can be done carefully by using a spare flare nut to keep the brass from deforming.  Hold onto that canister like an uppity teenager in a headlock, and the fittings should unthread.


With that bottom fitting removed, the inlet flow restrictor can be seen.  On two of my canisters, I could see a glob of goo in the flow tube, so I used my long shaft #2 Phillips-head screwdriver and rotated while working it back and forth, scraping the tube walls of crud, and was able to dislodge and remove that goo and rinse it thoroughly with aerosol brake cleaner.


I wiped down the canisters with parts cleaner, and sure enough, on the 45JC and a 49JC canister, I found specks of yellow flakes in the area where I expected the DELUXE decal to be.  But the paint was in such bad shape, I was not able to save any sizable remnants.  I removed the tool rest from the bench wire wheel buffer and was able to clean up the surfaces well.  After cleaning with Dawn like them parts were a slicked up duck, I could see OUTLET stamped in the 49JC canisters but not the 53JC canister; the 45JC canister, not so much.  That’s when I started to notice some differences in the lids.  Apparently, my 45JC lid did not get the corporate info stamped into it that day.  And the lid that came off of the ’49 was unlike any of the others I have as it calls out a different gasket.  Lids either have a raised center hole, or a recessed center hole.

 

 

I painted with Rustoleum rusty metal primer and gloss black, as I have had good results over the years with these coatings being durable and not fading too badly from heat.  Original decals for the 48JC and 53JC cansiters line up relative to the center of the outlet port and the center of where the clamp bolts in place.  On canister 1504092, the clamp and decal switch places.  On the 45JC canisters, the faint stamping of OUTLET appears to be so that the decal will place closer to the port so as not to be blocked by the clamp.

 

 

 

 

[JBNeal]

Of note is the inlet tube that sets the height of the canister in the clamp.  In cleaning up the ’48, ’49, ’51 and ‘53 tubes, they appear to have the original black paint on them and were all very close in dimensions.  The outlet tubes have all been replaced as they were rusty and did not survive removal intact.  This inlet tube is installed at about 45° from the block to complement the fitting on the bottom of the canister.  This should locate the outlet port perpendicular to the flathead block on the 45JC canister, or parallel to the flathead block on the 48JC and 53JC canisters.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Thanks so much for your extensive and excellent  research on these different oil filters and decals that are used on our Dodge trucks.

Most just quickly clean the filter housing ..paint them and on it goes.

I learned a lot on these filters.

Thank you for this excellent informative post!

[Merle Coggins]

Good info Brian. I thought that Sept. '48 magazine ad was showing a metal cased filter cartridge for the JC filter, which really piqued my interest. But after reading through it I believe they were advertising replacement filter cartridges for other manufacturer's filters that would match the quality filtration of the Deluxe filter. That ad would also lead me to believe that Baldwin purchased Deluxe and continued to market them under the Deluxe name for a while. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Merle Coggins

[Brent B3B]

Gosh this thread makes me happy! I love it when guys geek out on these trucks. 

Good job JB! 

Stay tuned for your new challenge ?

[Fernando Mendes]

This is a jeep oil filter.Notice the orifice diameter.(very important that it is not clogged)

[JBNeal]

additional information - Bypass Oil Filter Flow Diagram

[Jocko_51_B3B]

 

Very interesting thread. My B3B also has the Deluxe canister. Until I took it apart I didn't realize the T-handle has a built in bypass check valve or that it needs a soft copper washer under the T-handle! What brought me to this thread in the first place was a problem that occurred with oil leaking out around the rubber gasket under the lid of the canister and also past the copper gasket on the T-handle. I was running the engine in the garage when the leak happened and and I lost about a quart on the floor before I shut it down. My first thought was that the canister might be over-pressurized by a blocked outlet line. I checked the line and fittings and they were clear. Then I thought that the pressure relief might be stuck closed possibly shutting off return flow to the oil pan, but the spring and plunger are well oiled and move freely. My oil pressure is a steady 40 psi which tells me the relief valve works correctly. I kind of doubt the rubber gasket was pinched but I'll double check that when I put it back together.  I used a #0 phillips and some carb cleaner to clean the bypass check valve in the handle. Some black stuff came out but it moves OK and the spring action is good. The copper gasket looks to me like it separated into two parts as seen in the last photo. I'm not sure if the copper "ring" that is still wrapped around the T-handle is a separate part (and meant to be there) or is just a piece of the copper gasket that split off. If anyone knows, please add a comment. Maybe a generic gasket from the hardware store will fix the leak at the handle. Thanks for an interesting thread.

 

  

 

Edited June 4, 2022 by Jocko_51_B3B

[JBNeal]

This canister looks like the one I removed from my '49, that has the deeper dish lid where the T-handle engages.  I removed remnants of a soft copper gasket from that T-handle very similar to what you have.  I do not know why DeLuxe used this deep dish style as it chews copper gaskets to pieces, tho I suppose a fresh gasket on these deep dish lids is supposed to seal better than the prior domed lids.

 

I opted to replace the T-handle soft copper gasket with Auveco 17264 as it is very close to the original gasket I have.  These will deform and degrade with each torquing, so I ordered 10 of them just to have them on the shelf ready to go.

[John-T-53]

I am missing the perforated dome on mine, is it really needed when using a sock filter?

 

I have been using the Napa 1080 pleated elements since owning the truck.

[Merle Coggins]

The perforated dome holds the sock filter down below the return port. Oil then can collect at the top and flow back to the engine. 

[JBNeal]

 

the dashed line on the dome is the approximate top of the sock filter element with the T-handle in the approximate position that would seal the lid; the dome seats below the outlet port.  I have seen saturated sock filter elements that have bloated upwards, so I figure that a clogged filter element would expand to block the dome perforations, which would open the bypass valve in the T-handle so that oil would flow over the dome instead of through it.

 

I ran the NAPA 1010 / Wix 51010 for years as that was what was in the trucks when I took them on as projects.  The filter sorta fit, but the included lid gasket did not.  After doing all of this DeLuxe research, it is clear that those elements were marginally better than no element at all as the sorta fit just sorta filtered contaminants.  The DeLuxe housing was designed for the sock element, so the canister element would have to seal firmly on the center tube to force contaminated oil through the pleated element.  Later housing designs that used the canister elements typically sealed to the center tube, closely filled the housing, and had a spring to seat the canister element in the housing.

[John-T-53]

Ahh...one more thing I need before converting to the proper element (Baldwin filters in hand). One of these days....

 

I was able to rig the Napa 1080 element in the canister pretty good, with a spring to position it and some washers to seal it to the standpipe.

[Jocko_51_B3B]

JB,

I ordered the Auveco 17264 copper gasket you recommended, the one that seals the T-handle at the top cover of the oil canister. It worked great and fits perfectly. No more leak and I still have nine left! Here's where I found them:

https://autobodyclips.com/product/17264/

Jocko

 

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Jocko_51_B3B

[tonybiel]

 

Brian,

 

Thanks for all of the research you did on this topic!

 

Looking at the image I copied from your post, My 51 B3C has the filter assembly on the right.  Have you found a part#/vendor and source for the flat neoprene gasket for the lid?

 

I found the attached pdf showing a WIX gasket part# 15480.  The dimensions it gives for this number is just what I need:

4.448 OD x 4.134 ID x 0.157 thick.

 

I ordered two 15480's through O'Reilly's Auto.  What they sent me was 4" diameter o-rings with a 1/8" cross-section.  Either their description on the pdf is incorrect or WIX is packaging the wrong part.  I haven't been able to get the answer from WIX.

 

 

Wix 51010 Oil Filter & 15480 Filter Gasket.pdf

[JBNeal]

2 hours ago, tonybiel said:

...

Looking at the image I copied from your post, My 51 B3C has the filter assembly on the right.  Have you found a part#/vendor and source for the flat neoprene gasket for the lid?

 

I found the attached pdf showing a WIX gasket part# 15480.  The dimensions it gives for this number is just what I need:

4.448 OD x 4.134 ID x 0.157 thick.

 

I ordered two 15480's through O'Reilly's Auto.  What they sent me was 4" diameter o-rings with a 1/8" cross-section.  Either their description on the pdf is incorrect or WIX is packaging the wrong part.  I haven't been able to get the answer from WIX...

 

I found that Wix 15480 information awhile back but I have never ordered one to verify.  Wix has kindofa spotty reputation on some of these flathead compatible parts as their dimensional quality has varied over the years, no doubt due to lack of demand driving company support to other higher demand products.  If the product in the labeled package does not match the specifications in the catalog, then it's time for a refund for incorrectly packaged product.  If multiple copies of the labeled product do not match the catalog, then Wix definitely has a quality problem.

[Merle Coggins]

Your best bet is to buy a Baldwin JC405 filter and it will come with the gasket you need. The Baldwin filters fit the housings much better than Wix filters. 

[9 foot box]

  I deleted my original post. It did not belong here. Rick D.

Edited September 1, 2022 by 9 foot box
Wasn’t pertinent to the subject.

[John-T-53]

I performed an oil change and had the opportunity to insert one of the Baldwin filters that I bought off Fee Bay last year. Fits great, and the gasket fits too. 

 

Despite missing the inner "dome", it seems to work fine so far. 

 

One thing that is missing is a seal at the top of the element, which would allow unfiltered oil to flow to the outlet. To mitigate, I installed two steel washers with an I.D. equal to the shaft diameter, with an o-ring sandwiched in between them, compressed by a spring as shown. Maybe it might do something...

 

 

[JBNeal]

I saw this pop up on the FB recently, and was interested to see that oil filter element inspection was a thing at service stations back in the day.  I remember Grandma's '87 Diplomat stating to replace the oil filter at least once a year, and to change the oil at least once every 5000 miles...so I reckon the annual oil filter change was a thing for awhile, before the industry shifted to the play-it-safe mentality of change your oil and filter every 3 months or 3000 miles,  whichever comes first.