Oil Filter Piping Arrangement

[Bingster]

There was an old thread where a guy asked how to connect his oil filter on a flat head 6.  A few guys posted photos and it seems like there are a good many ways to do it depending on which block screw holes you choose.  I may have piped mine wrong. Let's see if my photo posts.

 

 

Oil Filter Good.docx

[Bingster]

It's a cruddy photo. I'm still getting the hang of posting photos.

 

But my block has the same brass two-hole fitting as the one in the photo.  Behind my filter is another angled casting coming out of the block where I attached the gauge pressure line. I'm wondering which threaded oil holes are intake and which are out.  Two holes would have to flow from the block to the filter intake and gauge pressure feed.  Another would take the filtered oil from the top of the filter and run it back into the block.

 

But I've seen some arrangements where there is no brass double-hole fitting. The in and out lines go to separate holes in the block. And I'm not sure why I have a line connected to that angled hole in back of the filter. I did it some time ago.  I haven't seen that particular oil line casting in other photos.

 

Any photos of your arrangement would be appreciated. I don't want to start the engine if my lines are mixed up. Thanks.

[oldodge41]

I can't help. I don't run an oil filter. Didn't have one when I got it. I have one now, but I never put it on. 

[Bob Riding]

Here is the way the Plymouth Owner's manual shows the piping and how I'm doing it on my '56 230.

[Bingster]

Thanks!  I've looked in my DeSoto manual, parts book, and as many YouTube flat head engine videos as I can.  Seems to me that oil filters were accessories.  The photos you show and ones that I have found show factory installation.  But by the time these cars became "barn finds" all bets are off with regard to things like piping the oil filter. 

 

For example, I can't see in the drawing or photo where the oil gauge line runs. Maybe it comes off the block in another location.  It would be logical to design the engine to accommodate future "accessories." 

 

I could just remove what I have there now and then follow the factory installation. But why waste the time? I'd rather make what's there work. It was a chore bending tubing to make what's there now.

 

Some folks think I'm swinging after the bell with all these questions, but I could sooner replace the head gasket than trace somebody else's work on the filter.

 

 

[Bob Riding]

It's just above and to the right of the filter. I haven't installed the line yet on my '56 motor, but here's a shot from my '40...

[Bob Riding]

Just now, Bob Riding said:

It's just above and to the right of the filter. I haven't installed the line yet on my '56 motor, but here's a shot from my '40...

On the '40 it's a capillary tube filled with ether, I believe, and is mechanical, forcing the needle on the dash gauge under pressure from the engine. whereas my '56 has an sensor screwed into the engine block which produces a variable resistance that affects the amount of current passing through the circuit containing the gauge and sensor, hence moving the dash gauge needle accordingly.

[Bingster]

Hey, that's great! Just what I was looking for. Thanks Bob!

[61spit]

Isn't that the coolant temperature sending unit in the head? Not oil pressure.

[Bingster]

I didn't think of the cooling gauge but now that you mention it I was just looking at that and the filter piping and the temp line is not oil tubing and has a coiled spring around the line.  But that eliminates that.

[61spit]

If you look at the right side just above the starter there is a rubber hose. I believe that is the oil pressure feed line. It will to up to the firewall and through to the oil gauge on the dash.

 

[Los_Control]

You are correct that the oil filter is a option .... my truck does not have one.

I got this from this site years ago .... might help you.

 

 

[61spit]

Here is another photo that shows both the oil filter lines and the oil pressure line. My oil pressure gauge line is a hard line up to the flex line and then a hard line through the firewall.

[Los_Control]

The flexible line is important.

A car's brakes will have a hard line all the way to the rear and then a flexible line connecting it to the rear end.

The fuel line will be a hard line all the way to the front ..... then a flexible line to the fuel pump on the engine.

 

Everything flexes differently. So when transitioning from one part of the vehicle to another, such as engine to body .... you want a flexible line for the transition.

iirc, I have a short metal line coming from the gauge, connecting to the rubber flexible line to get through the firewall .... then back to hard line to get to the block.

 

Nothing special here, just a mental note to @Bingster anytime they are messing with hard lines, they need a flexible point to transition.

[DonaldSmith]

I believe that Plymouth-Dodge blocks are different from DeSoto-Chrysler blocks.   And maybe there are running changes in each case.

 

Just past the red cable, below the large solenoid post, is an oil line coming from a 90 degree elbow in a hole in the block that faces up and to the rear.  I had to remove the starter to replace the elbow fitting which was leaking.  This is the return line from the filter. 

 

To the right of the dipstick tube is a whole lot going on.  A couple of hjoles to plug or tap, and the large plug at the oil pressure relif valve.  The oil line from there branches off to the oil filter and to the oil pressure gauge. 

 

I don't know what everything is.  I just reconected new lines the way the old lines were.

 

[Bob Riding]

1 hour ago, 61spit said:

Isn't that the coolant temperature sending unit in the head? Not oil pressure.

Doh! My bad. Brain fart. Yes that's temp not pressure. As said below it comes out of the block just above the starter. I have mine hooked up to a temporary gauge for startup. Sorry for the confusion  

[andyd]

There is an oil channel(brain fade, can't recall the proper name) running the length of the engine on the US drivers side that usually has 3 or 4 ports with either brass fittings to allow oil lines or oil pressure gauge lines to attach.........the mechanical water temp gauge line normally attaches to the USA drivers side of the cylinder head in line with # 6 cylinder, later version of the engine have an electric sending unit for the electric gauge.  

[TodFitch]

1 hour ago, andyd said:

There is an oil channel(brain fade, can't recall the proper name) 

Galley.

[DonaldSmith]

Main Oil Gallery?