The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 261 oil lines (d'oh!)

I put a 261 in my '50 1/2 ton. I got the transmission and exhaust connected up to it (after taking the manifolds off to reweld the exhaust flapper and re-installing) today, and the radiator back in. I went to hook up the oil filter lines, and they hit the steering box. The rear line is ok, but the front one needs a solution. It has to route around the exhaust, miss the steering box, and head up to the oil filter cannister. This is a '62 261 with the full flow oiling, big (3/4"?) lines, to the V8 style filter cannister (uses the same filter as the early V8) mounted on the intake manifold. Can steel lines of that size be re-bent with any success, or should I bite the bullet and get some special lines made up?
By the way, many headaches in installing a 235/261 in a splashoil truck can be avoided by using a '61-62 engine, they don't have side mounts, they have exactly the same front holes as the '50 did. The bellcrank pivot is also in the right place.

4onthefloor on my 235 the po had put on plastic lines. These were semi transparent and used a special "compresion" fitting called "swedge Lok" Well I found a dealer and ordered replacement fittings but since they weren't local could not help me with the tubbing. So off to the local industrial rubber supply house. For a couple of bucks (less then 10.00) they hooked me up with a semitranparent tubing rated at something like 500 degrees and 300psi. Best part is it is flexible. Next best part is you can see the oil! Now of cours this was 1/4 lines but you may want to go to the local industrial supply house and see what they can do for you. Good Luck and keep us posted!

Can't you just put an elbow on/in block and run line up or forward at first? I would go to a hydraulic hose place and have them make up lines with pipe threads for block and maybe flare or other type with adpter fittings to go on canister. One end will need to be the swiveling type end so you can tighten it up after solid end is in at block.

4 on the floor, this is a shot of the 261 in my wife's 51 1/2 ton.Those are the factory oil hoses that came with the engine.The rear hose is curved around to the back then foward to the cannister. The front hose was fine as it. The difference may be on my truck the exhaust is hand made and perhaps in a different location that the stock pipe....... 261 oil filter
In my opinion the filter mounted as shown is a slight pain in the [censored], for one its difficult to reach in and change, And two,the hoses drain back after the engine is shut off. On restart the next day the oil pump must fill the hoses and oil galley before the bearings get pressurized.I don't know if it harms anything but I am changing to a spin on filter head mounted low behind the alternator like on my other 261 and the 235 converted to full flow filtering.

Thanks, Tony. My filter was mounted on the firewall side of the carb, as it was when we pulled the 261 out of the '62 burb. It had factory looking lines too. If I move it forward, which I may do anyway for ease of use, I guess I will either mount it where you have it or somewhere easier to get to.

Tony, Is that one of those cartridge filters with skinny gasket that's held into place with the metal plate (like was in the '57 283 that my folks had)? That gasket was a pain in the neck.

It's the same, it takes the same filter as the 283.

Hey Tony:
I'd love to see some pictures of how you mounted the oil filter on your other 261!!
BuBBaB52

4ontheFloor,

My 1960 261 that came out of a school bus also had the filter on the radiator side of the carburetor; however, the 1960 Shop Manual shows the filter on the firewall side of the carburetor. Also, the 1960 shop manual shows oil lines that are metal from the block for about 4-6 inches (to clear the exhaust) and then flexible into the filter head. My engine had braided lines with ends as described by GLPerry.

Tony,

I would also like to see your filter that is on the lower side of the engine. My 261 is full flow (as were all '58-'62 U.S./truck 261s) and I converted to a spin-on filter-head mounted on the firewall. Your setup sounds a lot simpler and just as convenient.

Thanks,
Tim

Jim,Its one of those $30 universal remote filter kits you get from Summit , mounted to the bolt holes from the unused side motor mount.Yup, its a dreaded Fram filter.I used the hoses from the kit, they are rated 300 psi.Engine builders say to avoid using sharp 90 degree fittings, each one may drop oil presssure as much as 5 lbs.Where the hoses screw into the block, a Tee was fitted on the block feed hose so an oil guage could be hooked up.The filter is easy changed from under the truck .As you can see,I'm not too fussy about dirt and engine paint. ..... 261 in the 37

Tony:
Thanks! You Da Man!!!
BuBBAB52