350 SBC oil filter
- Thread starter chrismac
- Start date
Ted Brown
Member
I use the stock type and change them often, they are cheap by the case... Also a good way to keep small metal particles in the filter, buy some small strong pocket magnets from Home Depot or? and stick a couple to the side of your filter... If you want to check how it works after taking it off, cut it apart and see how much they catch... Just a thought to play with... 
Mike
Well-Known Member
Back in the day, when I was still managing an NAPA store, we had a filter promotion that involved purchasing filters from other manufacturers, cutting the cannisters apart and displaying our own filters next to theirs. I immediately learned the power of advertising and have always used Wix filters, ever since. The overall Wix design is far superior to anything else out there. Purolator has some really good features, until you get to the piece of string that supports the pleats, ala the Fram design. I've seen Fram filters with crushed and torn pleats, because of the string. Thanks, but no thanks.
Engine Oil Filter Study is a really good read for people wanting to learn more about oil filters.
I've seen fellows use magnets on filters, as Ted suggests. That seems to work well, but it does zip about any bearing material passing through.
If you really feel you need to run one of the screen-type filters, my personal recommendation would be to get a heating element in the pan, so you can pre-heat your oil. If you get a screen that is small enough to trap the junk, cold oil will have problems passing through it.
We ran an Oberg screen on the race car and it really supports the concept of changing oil and filter after initial break-in and again after 500 miles. We would put a fresh engine together and warm it up. I would pull the Oberg apart and the amount of trash in the filter would almost be enough to scare me. I would split the filter again after the first pass and there would still be a lot of junk in the screen. Generally, by the fifth pass, the filter would start coming out clean.
Engine Oil Filter Study is a really good read for people wanting to learn more about oil filters.
I've seen fellows use magnets on filters, as Ted suggests. That seems to work well, but it does zip about any bearing material passing through.
If you really feel you need to run one of the screen-type filters, my personal recommendation would be to get a heating element in the pan, so you can pre-heat your oil. If you get a screen that is small enough to trap the junk, cold oil will have problems passing through it.
We ran an Oberg screen on the race car and it really supports the concept of changing oil and filter after initial break-in and again after 500 miles. We would put a fresh engine together and warm it up. I would pull the Oberg apart and the amount of trash in the filter would almost be enough to scare me. I would split the filter again after the first pass and there would still be a lot of junk in the screen. Generally, by the fifth pass, the filter would start coming out clean.
Ted Brown
Member
Mike is right about the magnets not catching bearing material, as that is not magnetic material... BUT, if a bearing is giving up the ship, some of that material should be IN the filter, and then there may be some crank material that would stick to the magnets... Wix are the filters that I bought by the case, may have just either been luck CRS or, as that was back when I had some very good connections with parts suppliers, before my move to Bakersfield, and I was driving my T everyday then also... They used to look out for me and try and recommend better parts... All because I used to ask all those dumb questions, all the time... hehe
Any particles have to go through the oil pump first. On my engines I put 4 small magnets in the heads under the valve covers. One on each end head bolt. I find most of the metal particles come from springs eating into the retainers and shims. So these little magnets stop them from getting to the pan. On the Chevy v-8 engines I also block the oil filter by pass valve with a plug. In a stock engine most of the oil by passes the filter anyway. With this plug all of the oil has to go through the filter. You have to be careful when you do this. When the engine is cold the oil does not want to flow real quick, so you have to let the engine warm up to thin the oil some before you rev the engine. The oil pressure port on the back of the block next to the dist is after the filter so you can see the oil pressure increase as the engine comes up to temp. Also the Small block engines use in a 60 series truck had a 2 quart filter instead of a 1 qt or the short 1/2 quart.
one finger john
Active Member
IIRC, someone makes a saddle magnet that is big (covers the length of a 1 qt. filter). but expensive. Thinkin' 60.00 per. Maybe I'm wrong. Still a good idea. Is there any advantage to running two oil pressure gauges? one in the back and one in the front?
As for filters, Delco, Wix and interestingly, John Deere.
John
As for filters, Delco, Wix and interestingly, John Deere.
John
Mike
Well-Known Member
Ron, using magnets on the head bolts works well. They are easy to access and clean. On motors with roller rockers, we would also epoxy screens over the drain holes, to catch snap rings and needle bearings, should a rocker decide to depart this world in pieces. We would also epoxy screens in the block drain holes and use riser tubes in the holes at the cam tunnel. The trash would still manage to get past the screens, as you would expect, but they would catch larger birds and beer cans before they got through. :winkn:
John, I really don't see what you would gain by running a second oil pressure gauge. If the gauge at the rear port is telling you something is wrong, then something is wrong. If you want to run an additional gauge, install an oil temperature gauge. If a motor is trying to grab a bearing, things are going to start heating up and you often see the temperature increase before you will see a pressure decrease. I've seen bearing material smeared over an oil passage so well, the bearing would be down to the backing material and yet oil pressure would look fine.
The majority of the Deere filters are made by Champion Laboratories, to Deere's specifications.
John, I really don't see what you would gain by running a second oil pressure gauge. If the gauge at the rear port is telling you something is wrong, then something is wrong. If you want to run an additional gauge, install an oil temperature gauge. If a motor is trying to grab a bearing, things are going to start heating up and you often see the temperature increase before you will see a pressure decrease. I've seen bearing material smeared over an oil passage so well, the bearing would be down to the backing material and yet oil pressure would look fine.
The majority of the Deere filters are made by Champion Laboratories, to Deere's specifications.
EX JUNK
Moderator
I'm no physics major but I was always led to believe that pressure is the same in all parts of the system. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Jim
Differen T
Member
I've never checked it but I have done some plumbing work and if the line has several taps on it and they are opened in sequence from the source to the end there is both a pressure and volume drop at the last tap although it is small. Now if all of the taps are only 1/4 open and you open fully open one in the middle there is a pressure and volume drop in the system and it is greatest on the taps beyond the fully opened tap.
I would guess there is a small difference between the oil pump and the last cam bearing readings until a bearing lets go and then there is a bigger difference.
Al
Mike
Well-Known Member
Add to that the fact that getting two gauges calibrated exactly the same are somewhere south of Ain't Happenin'.
Jim, about the only "trick" I like to use, when it comes to oil pressure gauges, is to run larger diasmeter line. #4, as opposed to #3, or .250", as opposed to .125". It is amazing how much more sensitive the gauge will seem, as the larger tubing will allow the gauge to register changes much quicker.
Jim, about the only "trick" I like to use, when it comes to oil pressure gauges, is to run larger diasmeter line. #4, as opposed to #3, or .250", as opposed to .125". It is amazing how much more sensitive the gauge will seem, as the larger tubing will allow the gauge to register changes much quicker.
one finger john
Active Member
Mike, what is your opinion on two coolant temp gauges? Say, one in each head.
John
John
Mike
Well-Known Member
I raced an odd-fire V-6, remember? Only we watched exhaust gas temperatures on that thing, rather than just water temperature.
But yes, two water temperature gauges can come in handy throughout the tuning process. Once you've found what makes the motor happy, the second gauge becomes baggage.
But yes, two water temperature gauges can come in handy throughout the tuning process. Once you've found what makes the motor happy, the second gauge becomes baggage.
2old2fast
Active Member
Please tell me your not promoting using a mech. oil pressure gauge inside the cockpit of a vehicle. Yea ,I know ,everybody does it, however ,I have a friend w/ the burn scars to show why it's a bad !!!!!! idea. gauges fail,fittings fail,tubing fails, would you even consider running a mechanical fuel gauge in the cockpit? I sure hope not, !!!!!!!! less danger of fuel igniting causing injury than hot oil
dave
dave
Ted Brown
Member
When ever using Mech. gauges inside the cockpit area, best to use steel braided lines, and 1/4" ID line will let you read your engine much faster, especially a vacuum gauge, the very small lines that come with the gauges don't show/read much if any fluctuations in pressure or vacuum, or even blower pressure... I myself think a good Vacuum gauge is the most important engine gauge, then the rest, well oil and temp first. But it is very easy on an open engine car to mount the Oil and Fuel pressure gauges outside the car body...
But it is very easy on an open engine car to mount the Oil and Fuel pressure gauges outside the car body...Similar threads
