Guest windjamer Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 A friend asked me if I could help him find an oil filter for his 51 pont. cheftan. He tills me it is a stright 8. I thought 51s had a v8. Olds had a v8 I think in 49. After 50 years as a auto tech. and shop manager I just dont remember a stright 8 in a 51. Help me out all you Pont.xperts. Did the 51 have a stright 8 ??and if so what was filter part # Thanks. Dick <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Kinker Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Packard, Pontiac, & Buick were straight 8's at that time! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Albert Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 check the oil filter, most where an add on Fram canaster type, the filter insed may have the part # on there, if not take the hight of the filter and check the Fram Filter catalog to find its match.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straight8pontiac Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Pontiac used straight 6's and 8's through 1954 and then introduced its first V8 with the 1955 models. According to the 1949-54 shop manual, an internal cleaner in the oil pan was used "consisting of a settling chamber concentric with the oil inlet tube. When oil reaches the top of the oil inlet tube, its direction is changed so that it flows down the outside of the inlet tube until it strikes a flat baffle and its direction is sharply reversed. At this point, dirt particles which are heavier than oil are thrown out of the oil stream into the settling chamber where they gradually settle or precipitate until they rest on the bottom of the basin. Since oil below the flat baffle is not disturbed by the flow of the oil above the baffle, the dirt does not again enter the oil stream".Again from the shop manual- "External type oil filters or cleaners are not necessary or desirable on Pontiac cars and no provision has been made for their installation".Hope this sheds some light on the system used.Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Green Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Oil filters were an option on Pontiac's up until the late 50's or early 60's. So if your's is equipped with one Advance Auto shows 3 filters available (2 by Fram & 1 by Delco) and AutoZone shows 2 filters available (both Fram). Chances are whomever your local parts supplier is getting a filter should not be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailfin58 Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Seem to remember the "Cartridge" type filter for my '58 Cadillacwas a WIX #51100 which would also be a NAPA #1100 (same filter made by WIX just drop the first digit)or a Carquest 85100 (Also the same Wix Filter !)just substitute an 85-XXX for the 51-XXX.Incidently these are MUCH better Filters than a Framcut one open as I have, and its easy to see !That is why both NAPA and Carquest the two biggestParts selling Groups for garages sell relabeled WIX made filters.And why Walmart sells FRAM where a $5 dollar filter is $4 bucks of advertisingIf the WIX #51100 is NOT your filter, you can find it by SIZE at www.wixfilters.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 As straight8pontiac says they were not designed to need an external oil filter. So why do you want one. I have driven my Pontiac [my daily driver since 1959](which came with a partial flow oil filter) over 380,000 miles without one and have had no trouble at all. I stopped changing the filter when they started getting almost impossible to find and I discovered that they did not filter after about 500 miles. After that point the filter didn't get warn so obviously there was no oil circulating through it. When I overhauled the engine at 180,000 miles there was .008" taper in the cylinders and I had to turn the crank .005" undersize. It now has 480,000 miles on it still has 20 lbs. pressure at an idle and 40 lbs on the highway at 55 mph with #20 wt oil. I use premium high detergent oil and change it ever three thousand miles (about every three months). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest windjamer Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Thanks to all, esp. stright 8. Correct filter located,but after reading coments from you I told my friend not to bother with it. I directed him to this web page and your coments. Thanks again people. Dick. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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