The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop retrofit oil filter

My 1952 GMC does not have an oil filter. I picked up an aftermarket oil filter from the time period. I plan on bolt it on the block or the firewall but need to know where to route the inlet and outlet pipes into the block so I do not ruin my engine. Any suggestions please.

Original GMC factory oil filters were of the "bypass" type. Not all of the oil (actually very little of it) was filtered each "pass" through the engine. The filter media was designed to catch very fine particles, much finer than a regular modern filter. The filter gets it input near the top from a tube (1/8" if I remember right) connected to a fitting on the front of the block. Filtered oil exits through a hose (made of unobtainium) from the bottom of the filter can and connects to the block just forward of the bottom of the distributor. Fram 51001 (NAPA 1001) filters fit, but in recent years some of the filters ship with improperly sized lid gaskets. I've reported this problem to Fram and got nowhere in getting it resolved. Two gaskets come with the filter. Mine needs the smaller of the two, but the gasket is just a little too small OD.

I've got a complete original GMC 270 engine that was removed from a mid-1950's 1/2 ton recently. When it gets daylight tomorrow I can post a picture of the oil filter plumbing.
Jerry

OOPS!- - - - - -I lied! The GMC engine with the factory original filter setup is a 228 that's stashed away in a spot that's a bit difficult to photograph. I'll move it out to a position that's a little more accessible, and shoot some pics in the next few days. The plumbing on the GMC's is definitely different than a Chevy engine.
Jerry

I have a 1950 216.

I'll take pix of the filter and the plumbing.

His truck if from Canada will have a 216 chev engine

Here you go.

Avert your eyes from the sloppy JB Weld job on the block. It was like that when I got here, I swear.

One word of caution- - - -those flex lines run close to the exhaust pipe, and they can get brittle from heat. If a line springs a leak, it can dump all the oil in a pretty short time. I like to install a 6" long 1/8" NPT pipe nipple in the block at both attaching points to move the flex line away from the hot spot a little.
Jerry

Good point. Fortunately the hood is open every day. I'll have to give them a squeeze to see if they're brittle.

Diagram

Thanks for the information. Does the inlet line from the top of the oil filter fasten to the tee fitting that has the oil pressure gauge line?

The stock (shown here on my '52 GMC 228) oil filter mounts on the passenger's side of the engine using the front pushrod cover bolts.

Yes, the correct direction of flow puts the oil from the same port that supplies the pressure gauge to the middle of the side of the filter canister, and the return to the crankcase comes out of the bottom fitting. The 1/16" diameter hole in the standpipe controls the flow, so theoretically, the lines could be connected either way and the filter would still work.
Jerry

Not on the stock GMC engine, which is what James has. Oil to the filter is supplied from a fitting on the front of the block. Oil returning from the filter enters the block near the base of the distributor.

James: Where do you plan to have your return oil line connect?

If James is planning to hang his filter on the intake manifold like a Chevy I'll back out of the conversation.

James has a Canadian GMC doesn't he? Those trucks run Chevy engines.
Jerry

The restriction, and its specific size is necessary because the return line is open, not returned to the pressurized circuit as is the full pressure (unrestricted) filter).