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1948 Chrysler New Yorker. Oil Change questions


Guest Meems_Boat

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Guest Meems_Boat

I've changed my share of oil over the years but not sure how or where to start on this job. Does any one out there have a good source of info on how to perform this task? I'm going to guess that it isn't as simple as I thought. I've heard that the transmission and the engine use the same oil? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. CPG

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Guest Henry White

I assume your C-39 has a filter cannister mounted on the side of the engine. I dont know how difficult it is to buy filter elements but what exactly is the concern?

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Transmission, Fluid Drive and engine all have separate oil supplies.

Change oil and filter as you would for any other car. Use any good brand of 10W30, or Rotella 15W40 if you want to be fancy. If you have the canister oil filter does it have small 1/8" lines or larger, 3/8"? The small lines indicate a partial flow, the thick lines full flow filter. It makes a difference to which element you use.

The filter is good for 5000 miles or more. You don't need to change it at every oil change.

Does the filter have a drain plug on it? If so, drain it before removing filter. If not, remove filter and suck out excess oil with a suction gun. Wipe clean with cotton waste or old rags. Replace the filter and fill with fresh oil. Put a little oil on the gasket, don't forget to replace the gasket on the bolt.

Transmission oil should be changed every 10,000 miles. Use 10 motor oil or, today we use tractor fluid, TDH type, ISO22 or ISO32 grade. Get it at Walmart, auto parts stores, or farm supply stores.

Fluid Drive does not need to be changed but should be checked and topped up every 10,000 miles.Use the same, TDH fluid or 10 motor oil. Do a search in the Chrysler section for Fluid Drive, this subject has been covered before.

Edited by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)
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Guest Meems_Boat

Thanks Henry. I am new to the game and was looking for some general pointers. The forum is a great resource and I think I got the answer.

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Guest Meems_Boat

Rusty - I'll have to dig around under the hood to check the tube sizes tomorrow. I searched around on line and none of the replacement parts I found make the destinction.

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Guest markrush

I was able to order the oil filters from my NAPA auto parts store, but that was for a C-38 six cylinder. The guy laughed and said he didn't think so, but was shocked to find them in his catalog. I had them the next day.

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Guest Meems_Boat

Markrush - Thanks. I called our NAPA and he laughed too, but couldn't find one. I found one on-line (I think) but for the first one, I want to be able to hold it in my hand and compare before I buy.

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The filters are still being made for tractors, Mercedes diesels and industrial engines. They can be bought at any auto parts store if you have an up to date part number. The trick is to get the correct model, or a parts man who can cross reference the old part number to the new system.

NOS filters also turn up at auto swap meets. Old parts specialists can furnish filters, like Andy Bernbaum Chrysler Parts but of course, this is going to be more costly than buying at your local parts store.

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Guest Meems_Boat

Thanks, Rusty! I just ordered the shop manual for my car. Will that have the part #'s or is there a better source.

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The Napa 1062,1073 or Wix #51073 are correct for the chrysler eights including a lot of the early hemi's.

The oil filter housings on the six cylinder cars have 1/2" external oil lines and is full flow. The eights have no external oil lines-cannister is bolted directly to the block.

The correct OE factory Mopar oil filter element that properly fits and completely full flow filters the 1942-48 chrysler straight "8" --- and it also fits the six cylinder cars is...

MoPar #1123387, it's a woven string type filter .

You can use this MoPar filter element to be sure of the element internally sealing against the filter housing dome cap and completely filtering all oil that goes through it.

Shown is my 1948 chrysler eight engine with the directly bolted on full flow filter housing....

Bob

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Edited by c49er (see edit history)
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Guest Meems_Boat

Bob - That looks exactly like my engine and filter housing ... only a whole lot cleaner. Thank you for the help. I was heading in a totally different direction!

CPG

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Some pics of a 1946-8 Chrysler eight oil filter housing and Mopar element.... Plus a Hemi oil filter housing shown that is the same as 1949-54 Chrysler housings that oil filters can be purchased easily almost anywhere and which could be interchangable with the earlier 1946-8 oil filter elements-maybe different size and materials between the two.

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Edited by c49er (see edit history)
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Guest Henry White

That motor is beautiful. Those pics are an awesome help for all. Thanks for posting that. Wish I had some of those $400 starter solenoids.

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Guest Henry White

A related question, are those old stock filters OK to use? I have heard concerns about whether or not they may come apart and clog up oil passages. I am a lil leary of something that's been drying on a shelf for 30-60 years.

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I have tried to find the correct, proper fitting, easily available oil filter element for the 1946-8 chryslers and have not found found one so I have always used the originals.

I have found the Mopar OE filters at swap meets and old chrysler dealerships.

They are made of a tightly woven string type material and have a fine screen mesh in the center of the filter full length.

I have been using them for over 35 years-no issues with any of my eight cylinder cars.

When I have some time I will look through my filter books and try to find a modern material replacement-maybe!

Bob

Edited by c49er (see edit history)
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Another suggestion which is, to use an infrared temp sensor to take the temp of the oil filter. Keep tabs on how hot it gets and how long it takes to get hot, and don't replace until you notice a drop in temp or taking too long to heat up.

The factory recommends replacing every 5000 miles but they will go a lot longer without clogging up especially on today's roads. This could be important if the filters are that rare and hard to get.

Another idea would be to use the paper filter, for cars with full flow filters. They make long ones for trucks. if you can't find the exact right length you might have to make a spacer so it will fit tight.

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Guest Meems_Boat

Using you're MoPar # I did a quick search on E-Bay and found several (with pics) for sale from what appear to be reputable sellors (ie: sellers with positive ratings). Price range 40 - 45 bucks. Little pricey but I figure for as many times as I'm going to change the filter (every 3 - 5 K miles) buying one and keeping one in reserve may not be unwise.

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I have had a major oil drip since my last oil and filter change about a month ago. The filter housing looks like the grey one pictured above except that where it bolts to the engine block it is diamond shaped as opposed to the square shape pictured above. My car is a 1949 Chrysler Windsor convertible, 6 cylinder. The filter element was a NAPA 1062. The leak appears to be coming from where the filter housing attaches to the block. Could be a faulty gasket? What type of gasket does this take? Is there a relationship between the oil change and the leak or is this a coincidence?

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Most likely a coincidence. Have you tried GENTLY tightening the bolts? They could be a little loose. Snug them up but don't force them. If the leak is not too bad you might live with it till next oil change but, it would be a good idea to take the filter off and replace the gasket.

Or, just drain the filter using the drain plug provided, take it off and fix it now.

I don't know where you could get a gasket, you may have to buy some gasket material and make one. The material is not hard to cut with scissors or Xacto knife. Tip: Use a paper punch to make oil holes and bolt holes.

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Your 1949 windsor oil filter housing uses two rubber O-rings as seals where it bolts to the block. Two 3/8" bolts hold the housing to the engine block. Changing the oil would not cause thes two seals to leak. The oil filter housing cap uses a large diameter rubber O-ring for sealing. Did you replace it or re-use it?

Generally the replacement modern day filters including the Napa 1062 do not have the new O-ring included and you usually can re-use your old cover O-ring. Just don't mess with it and carefully push the cover with O-ring carefully back down onto the oil filter housing and re-attach the clamp band. Check for leakage after the filter change. I always just use the old O-ring-never leaks.

The grey filter housing I showed above is a chrysler V-8 hemi filter and uses the same O-ring and filter as the 1949 windsor.

Bob

Edited by c49er (see edit history)
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While I was trying to tighten down the bolts to the filter housing I could feel the fresh oil behind the housing. There were 3 rubber gaskets that came with the filter elements; one 4" outside diameter and two 4-3/4" diameter. The 4" appears to be the correct size to fit under the cap of the filter housing. The fact that it is still in the box and not on the car is probably the source of my problem. I think a new O ring will also help. Thank you for your help.

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There should be a little drain plug on the filter housing. You can drain off some of the oil into a can, it will save some mess when you take the top off the filter. Or let it drain overnight if you want to take the filter housing off. You do not need to wait till oil change or filter change time if you don't want to.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As a long-time C-39 owner, I'd offer the following:

1) NEVER use an "old-stock" oil filter. You likely have no knowledge of the conditions under which that unit was stored for the last fifty or sixty years. During that time, the filter medium may have disintegrated or decomposed and using that filter runs the risk of drawing degraded filter material into your motor. Do you want to risk plugging your oil passages in order to save a couple dollars?

2) I always change the filter when doing an oil change. Filters are inexpensive compared to the well-being of your motor. Also recommend Chevron Delo 400 30-weight oil. Your car was designed for a mono-viscosity oil. Delo 400 has adequate ZDDP additives to protect your flat tappets, without needing to purchase additional supplements.

3) For me, the correct/best filter on the market for your car is the Wix 51062 (NAPA may have NAPA brand made by Wix). These have a metal body (rather than paper) and also have a cork washer, top and bottom, to contact against the "stops" in the filter housing.

4) IF you're missing the big rubber "O-ring", I'd suggest taking the canister to your local industrial/bearing/hose supplier and selecting a ring-fit that is snug but not overstretched. Oil the ring so the cap slides-on smoothly.

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The cork washer is internal, it does not seal the oil in the filter. For that you need the O ring. Take the old one as a sample or if it is missing take the lid off the filter. The O ring is larger than the common hardware store or auto parts store O rings. An industrial supply place will have them.

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I suspect that the O ring is not the problem but rather something I did incorrectly. The NAPA 1062 filter came with 3 rubber gaskets: (1) 4" OS diameter & (2) 4-5/8" diameter. Should those have been included somewhere? c24-er says no gasket are included; Spitfire8 says cork washers are needed. When I removed the top of the filter housing I could not see using a gasket between the cap and the housing and being able to get the clamp band back in place. Sorry to belabor what should be the most simple process.

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There are 2 different styles of filter I have seen on Chryslers. The one I am more familiar with, has a rounded cap held on with a steel band that clamps around it. This type has a round O ring seal between the cap and the body.

The other type is held on by a bolt that goes in the center of the cap. This type has a flat neoprene gasket between the cap and body. It also has a seal between the bolt and cap, usually a hard fibre washer.

You have to use your common sense here. There are different styles of filter. If you are in doubt, take a picture and we will be able to see what kind you have.

You use the term "clamp band". If you mean what I think you mean, you need a thick neoprene O ring between the cap and body.

Filters usually come with suitable gaskets. Since the same cartridge will fit different filters they include 2 different sizes. Some also come with a small washer for the bolt.

Edited by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)
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There are two types of oil filter housings for the 1946-54 flathead chrysler engines. Each type uses a different type of oil filter housing to top cover gasket.

1946-48 all steel oil filter housings used on chrysler engines use a thick hard fiber type top cover gasket-it is the exact diameter of the top cover. This top cover has a large domed acorn shape nut that tightens the top cover down to the oil filter housing onto the hard fiber type gasket. There also is a non servicable copper sealing washer under this large acorn style nut that seals the nut to the top cover to prevent oil leakage.

If it is leaking have fun replacing it. The large domed acorn nut is swaged or flared to the top cover to prevent it from coming apart from the cover as it really never needs to be removed over it's life time. How ever long that is supposed to be!

1949-54 chrysler flathead aluminum oil filter housings ( top cover is stamped tin/steel) have a top cover that is held on with a band clamp and slotted screw. The top cover uses a .138" cross section X 4" diameter rubber O-ring that sits in a groove in the top cover.

The mention of cork gaskets refers to certain better replacement oil filter elements that have a 2" round cork gasket glued to each end of the oil filter itself. This cork gasket at each end of the element is used to seal the filter element internally to the oil filter housing components so all the oil goes through the element and not around it for 100% filtering.

Bob

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Edited by c49er (see edit history)
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I re-positioned the band clamp and made sure it was tightly secured. I let the engine run for a couple of minutes and after turning it off I could oil leaking out from under the cap. Repositioning the clamp moved the leak to where I could see it. I need to find a replacement O ring and try again.

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  • 4 weeks later...

This might seem like a crazy question but...to do an oil change on a '48 Windsor that has the screw in the top of the housing...exactly as the picture below...what should I do?

1. unscrew the top of the filter canister cap, notice how much oil is present in the canister

2. unscrew the oil pan plug and drain the oil

3. unscrew the filter canister plug and drain the canister

4. remove and replace 1 filter and 1 o-ring in the canister

5. re-install the oil pan plug and canister plug

6. re-fill the canister to the level it was previously

7. re-install the canister cap

8. re-fill the crankcase (by removing the Crankcase Ventilator Air Cleaner) with the rest of the five quarts of oil leftover after re-filling the canister

Am I missing something? Am I doing anything out of order? Are pieces of the canister going to fly apart so I'll never find them again? Will I be covered in oil?

Does anybody have experience with the Andy Bernbaum filters...do they fit are they adequate?

Is it important that I do the maintenance on the Crankcase Ventilator Air Cleaner and Outlet Pipe with the oil change?

I just bought it and I'm not even sure there are any filters anywhere in the car right now or when the last time there was a fluid change of any kind. I hope I'm not in for too many surprises.

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I would start by letting the oil filter drain as long as possible, by removing the drain plug and loosening the top. Have a plastic bag handy when you pull out the filter element. If there is no drain plug you need a syphon gun to suck out the dirty oil. Then wipe the inside of the filter housing with cotton waste or rags. It does not have to be perfectly clean, but you want to get the dirt and sludge out of the bottom.

There may be a spring in the top of the filter, to hold the element down. It will not fly out when you lift the lid, it is not that strong. If there is a seal or washer in the bolt replace it, also the seal on the lid. New seals should come with the filter element.

You don't need to change the filter every time you change the oil, they used to say every 5000 miles vs 1000 miles for the oil.

With today's oil you can go much longer between changes, at least 2000 or 3000 if you have a good filter. Provided you do not drive on very dusty country roads.

Get an electronic thermometer and check the oil filter temp from time to time. As long as the filter is working and oil is circulating, it will be hot. If it is clogged with dirt and oil is not circulating it will not get so hot. You may be surprised how long it will take to fill one up with dirt. They could very well go 10,000 miles without filling up.

Good idea to start off by replacing the oil and filter. I would add, that you should replace the gasket on the drain plug. This should be done every 4 or 5 oil changes but no one ever does it. It only costs a few pennies.

Examine the filler cap, if it looks dirty swish it around in a pan of Varsol or paint thinner then let it drip dry. Do not blow air through it, you can damage the filter medium. Pour a little oil in to wet the filter before you reinstall it.

Some Chrysler products have a filter on the road draft tube that should be cleaned from time to time. I don't think anybody ever does this. Have a look, take it off and wash it out if it looks dirty.

I think you have the oil change procedure under control.

If you have the owner's manual there are other things that go with the oil change, like greasing the chassis, checking the battery, etc.

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