BuickTom87 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 Has anyone ever installed oil filter kit on a 1938 Buick century 320 motor , I have a complete kit from a Buick from that era . I know originally that year never had one but figure might as well put one on. looking for pictures on how everyone mounted it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937 Buick 66C Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 Good Day BuickTom87, My 1937 66C had an oil filter installed when I purchased the car. It was Fram cartridge unit that was mounted to the RF of the engine, with the filter bracket attached to the intake manifold. It was tapped into the oil line between the engine block and the head (line which provides oil to the rocker shaft). I have attached an image of the oil filter as mounted onto my engine prior to removal. The image does not show the mounting very clearly, but will give you an idea of how these were mounted and plumbed into the engine. As I was doing a full restoration, and the filter canister showed evidence of leaking, I removed it. My thoughts on your desire to install this filter to your 1938 320 engine follow: These engines are designed for use of non-detergent oil, and no oil filter. Non-detergent oils do not "suspend" contaminants in detergents in the the oil as modern oils do. The oil pan is quite deep, and sediment was expected to settle out of the oil when stationary, and sink to the bottom of the oil pan, below the oil pick up. I would not install the filter on your 1938. These filters are not "full-flow", in that they only filter that portion of the oil that is going from the engine block to the rocker shaft. In reality, they filter only a minimal part of the engine oil. On my Porsche 912, the canister oil filter sees less than 10% of the circulating oil; I would presume that the volume of oil filtered in the Buick would be similarly small. Adding the oil filter to your 1938 presents additional opportunities for leaks at the oil line couplings and filter canister. There is a probability that the oil flow to the rocker shaft will be reduced as the oil now needs to pass through the filter where there was none planned at the time that the engine lubrication system was designed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 I agree completely with the above comments offered by Jon. My thoughts: 1. Use modern conventional detergent oil 2. Change oil on a regular basis 3. Keep the "Kit" as a shelf display 4. Enjoy driving your Buick -- we do ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 26 minutes ago, Marty Roth said: I agree completely with the above comments offered by Jon. My thoughts: 1. Use modern conventional detergent oil 2. Change oil on a regular basis 3. Keep the "Kit" as a shelf display 4. Enjoy driving your Buick -- we do ! And here is the best argument for detergent oils: "Detergent" oils (they keep solid contaminants in suspension but since the early 1950s actually do not "clean") allow contaminants to exit with the drain oil, and what little debris-ridden oil remaining in oil galleries gets mixed with new oil and exits at a future oil change. On the other hand, with non-detergent oils the debris settles everywhere, not just in the pan. That gives rise to the attached photos of "crank turds" as my friend Al found by pushing a pipe cleaner through the drilled crankshaft journal oil galleries in a 1919 Pierce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickTom87 Posted October 11, 2022 Author Share Posted October 11, 2022 Thank you all for the information, now that I read what others have wrote it sounds like I will not be using the oil filter . Thank you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 One final word of advice: Detergent oil's additives oxidize themselves into oblivion with time as well as with mileage. On my own vehicles, I usually change oil (when HOT for best drain) every 12-15 months, irrespective of mileage, preferably just before the inactive winter period. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickTom87 Posted October 11, 2022 Author Share Posted October 11, 2022 Yea before every oil change I drive the cars and then drop the oil while it’s nice and hot to hopefully let all the gunk out . This month my 38 century is due for the pan to be dropped to be checked for gunk . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave39MD Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 Incase you change your mind here are the AC instructions for adding their filter to Buick's ,written about 1940. Rounding up all the correct parts might be a challenge. Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickTom87 Posted October 14, 2022 Author Share Posted October 14, 2022 Thank you , the kit I bought is from Dave . It’s a complete kit from A 1940 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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