The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil Canister Gasket issue

So i went to change the oil in my 283 in my 56 chevy (not original to the truck - it was out of a 67 chevelle i believe). It has the old canister for the oil filter and the gasket was stuck way up in there, so far i couldn't get it out. It was almost as if it had creeped in behind/underneath the valve (the metal piece between the canister and the engine that has two bolts connecting it to the engine). Has this happened to anyone else? What a pain. The engine was recently rebuilt and this is my first oil change since the rebuild. Anyway, just curious if this is a common issue with those old style canisters. I'm looking to put on the spin on adapter to make this a much easier task down the road!

Over forty years ago when I was working part time in a garage, I was taught to remove that ring with a dental pick type tool. If it was in good shape we left it alone. You would be much happier with a spin on setup.

I was going to attempt that, but it is so stuck up in there, i'm not sure that would even do the job. How big a deal is it to remove those two bolts holding the "valve" piece in there between the engine block and the canister? I tried it with a socket, but the space between the bolt and a metal lip next to it prevented that, so i may have to find a thinner socket to fit in there. What fun. I would hate to attempt to get it out with a pick, destroy the gasket, and then find out i really have a problem now with trying to get it out. Otherwise i could just change the filter and reuse the gasket already in place. It looks to be in good shape as is.

You can remove the valve assembly to get the gasket out. It was a common practice back when all of the Chevy V-8's had the canister type filters. Either way is acceptable.
Fred

OK thanks for that clarification.

Once the bypass valve is removed, a small putty knife or a gasket scraper removes the O ring easily. That's how I was taught to do it when I got my first job outside the family shop in 1962, pumping gas and doing oil changes and tire repairs at a Shell service station. I worked after school 5 days a week, and had alternate Saturdays or Sundays off on the weekends. Kinda rough on the social life, but I had a 47 Ford business coupe to feed and insure! It wasn't uncommon to find two gaskets in there!
Jerry

Same here, worked in a garage 50 some years ago before going into the service. My boss had made a removal tool from an old broken screw driver and the bench grinder. Worked pretty good for the most part. Taped it a couple times with a hammer to cut through the gasket, then work it around prying it out. most of the time if the gasket was still pliable you could grab it and pull it out. The ones that were a real pta were the ones that had not been changed in a long time and gotten hard as a rock, those come out in little pieces.

I had a '67 Chevelle (283 canister filter). Never had a problem. Although that was 43 years ago.

John

A new seal comes with the new filter.

George

Or a gasket & a half!

I always change mine to the spin on type because my first one would not stop leaking. Probably because it had old gaskets and permatex stuck in there. But, obviously that is not "original" for the purists.