question to the mountain of knowledge on site

[Guest steve283]

As some may know,I got a 1954 Plymouth Savoy with the 230ci.and auto in it.

Oldest car i have ever worked on was a 1960 ford falcon.

Heres the question.

The oil filter is a type I have never used before.Any tips on how to replace it?

Also the air cleaner is an oil bath type,I think.if it is, any recomendation on oil type used?

Suggestions on how to flush the engine/motor.I hear seafoam works ok but would rather hear from you all on this.I have read many post on here and would listen to your ideas first.thank you again for all the help.

[Bleach]

I didn't have access to a 54 Plymouth owners manual but I had access to a 54 Dodge manual. Dodge suggests using 50W oil in their air cleaners in temps above freezing or 20W below freezing. The oil filter has a replaceable element in the filtering canister. 30W oil is recommended above freezing and 20W below freezing to 10F with changes every 2500-3000 miles.

[NTX5467]

I suspect the oil filter you've got is a "cannister" type mounted on the side of the engine. You take the top center bolt loose, remove the top, pull out the filter element, and replace it. There might also be some thick felt washers to keep it located in the filter housing. Kind of messy!

For many decades, engines didn't have any type of oil filter, so the external "add-on" type of filter was developed. Some were factory options while others were from brands (as Purolator) that were not OEM. It tapped into an engine oil galley, pressurized, and filtered the oil that way. Not nearly as good as the later filters which were somewhat integral to the oiling system, but better than nothing. Extended oil change intervals, too.

The "oil bath" air cleaner was common during that time, also. As the air enters the air cleaner, it must change direction to get into the carburetor, so the sudden direction change resulted in the larger dirt/dust particles ending up "not making the turn" and in the oil. The oil would also be drawn into the "hogs hair" filter element, too, which helped get some of the smaller dust particles out of circulation. Paper air filter elements became popular in later years.

The oil bath air cleaner was used on almost every engine built, for many decades. In some cases, it was deemed "heavy duty" when the first paper element air cleaners were introduced. "Servicing" an oil bath air cleaner was a little messy, too. You removed the oil and then the "sediment" in the bottom of the oil reservoir (the bottom part of the air cleaner assy). Could be done most anywhere and by most anyone . . . just took a fresh quart or so of motor oil and it was ready to go again. Service intervals varied. They were held to the carburetor by the clamp on the bottom of the assy, which the long "screw" attaches to and works. So, the carb and air cleaner had to match. Seems like most people used normal 30 oil.

In many cases, the "chemicals and lubricants" used on vehicles back then tended to be ones which were easy to obtain and somewhat common. Normal motor oil for the air cleaner, brake fluid for convertible top hydraulics . . . for example. "Type A" automatic trans fluid for power steering units, although by 1961 GM had a specific power steering fluid, as did Chrysler.

As for "flushing the motor", are you talking about motor oil or fuel system? For much information about "motor oil flushes", you might check the - Bob is the Oil Guy website. This subject has been discussed many times, there. BUT . . . with an old motor of undermined "innards", it would be best to remove the side covers and the oil pan to see how much things are gunked-up and clean accordingly "somewhat disassembled", scraping larger deposits manually rather than getting them into an oiling system which only filters about 10% of the oil going through the engine at any given time.

You'll ALSO need to remove the road draft tube and clean out the accumulation from it AND the immediate area around it inside the motor. A "motor oil flush" will not get to that area!

One Ford/L-M dealer I knew of in the 1980s would get many Fords in on trade, with the 302 V-8 that had the double-sump oil pan. They'd have about 80K miles on them and sounded like they were ready to go at any moment, being from a windy part of Texas. His used car mechanic would remove the intake manifold, valve covers, and oil pan. Then he'd wash the inside of the motor with Varsol, getting all of the gunk and such out of it. After this manual clean-out, putting it all back together, with a fresh oil and filter change, the engine ran smooooth and quiet again . . . ready for its next owner. THIS is why I recommend taking the engine covers off and doing a manual clean out . . . in addition to the old story about modern high-detergency oils causing internal deposits to flake off and clog oil pump screens in older motors.

THEN . . . after you get the oily guts of the motor cleaned out, you'll need to address the cooling system! Remove all of the "freeze plugs" and manually get the accumulation out of the block's coolant passages. Again, MESSY, but the best way to do it. The rear of the motor, usually lower in elevation than the front, is usually where the largest accumulations will be. Then, after getting the corrosion out and everything flushed out with water, you can put in new freeze plugs and run it a while with some mild cleaner. Then totally flush it again before adding new coolant.

At least, with the inline 6-cylinder and reasonably large and open underhood areas, much of this can be reasonably easy to do . . . just an investment in time . . . and messy. Might need to do what you can to keep "the mess" out of the normal environment, too, if possible.

As for the fuel system, a can of Berrymans B-12 cleaner will work well to get things cleaned up that way. You can worry about overhauling the carb for later.

Don't forget to change the rear axle grease and trans fluid with the specified viscosity of fluids. These things usually aren't considered, but can become gunked with condensate over time, just as the motor oil can.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[Guest steve283]

Brilliant! I see I have quite a bit to do as soon as the weather warms a bit.but no problem,I worked at Lucas for many years,and know how to get dirty.I thought of dismantling it to clean it as best I can.new gaskets are easy to find as this car shares the same motor as quite a few cars of this era.I still have not found which trans type fluid to use.or rearend grease.thanks again.I have went to the mountain and received good info.

[Rusty_OToole]

These questions have been answered before, as recently as yesterday. Have a look on the Chrysler board.

Briefly there should be a drain plug on the oil filter housing if it is full flow, start by removing the plug and letting it drain. Use a tobacco can or similar to catch the oil. Partial flow with no plug will drain by itself if left for a few hours. Take off the lid, put a plastic bag on your hand like a glove. Pull out the filter element by the ring and wrap in the plastic bag and dispose of as appropriate. Clean out the housing with rags or cotton waste. You can start by using a syphon gun if you have one. Install new filter with the appropriate seals, do not forget the one on the bolt if there is one.

Air filter, remove top and look at oil reservoir. If it is less than half full of dirt top up the oil with SAE50 and put the top back on. If very dirty, take the top part and soak it in a pan of kerosene, varsol, or gas. Clean out the oil reservoir by pouring out the oil and wiping clean with rags or cotton waste. Rinse the filter and let drip dry. Do not blow with air pressure, this will make channels in the medium and ruin its effectiveness.

Pour a little oil into the top part and shake it around. Let it drain out a minute. .Fill the base with oil to the line,then put the top on.

A quart of SAE50 will refill the filter 3 or 4 times. These days if you drive on paved roads the filter only needs to be cleaned out once in several years. One quart could last 10 years. Still a lot cheaper than buying paper filters. 50 oil should be available at any good auto parts store. Not the new one in the strip mall the old one where the truck drivers and farmers shop.

Oil drain plug, check the gasket and replace if worn. This should be done every 4 or 5 oil changes but seldom does anyone bother.

I wouldn't be too quick to tear everything apart and start cleaning. Chances are you will do more harm than good. If the motor has been out of service for a while and you suspect sludge you could take the pan off and scrape it out, or just do a couple of oil changes in rapid succession if it turns black too fast.

Cleaning the road draft tube is a good idea, they do get plugged up over the years. The oil fill cap should be washed and reoiled at oil change time too.

[Bleach]

Kerosene is useful for cleaning the oil cap. 50W is also recommended for re-oiling it.

[D Yaros]

A lot of folk take the guts out of the oil bath cleaner and replace it with a suitable paper element. That is what I have done on my '55 Caddy. While the oil bath works, it is messy. With an oil bath, it is also important that the entire air filter housing not move around on the carb once installed.