Adding Oil Filter 196.5 1962 rambler

The filter mounting plate show up on eBay from time to time.  That's mounted to the block and intake.  once you have one of those I'm sure one of the forum members could provide how to route the lines from the block to the filter.

There is a plug near the front of the engine on the main oil gallery -- that lump that runs the length of the engine just above the oil pan on the right (passenger) side, intersects the oil pump, and oil pressure warning light switch is on it near the rear of engine. That is the feed for the oil filter. IIRC it's a 1/8" pipe thread. On the left side there is a plug just above the oil pan near where the dipstick tube goes in. Oil return, IIRC a 3/16" pipe thread. Use brake line in the proper length to reach. You can pick it up at auto parts stores in lengths from 12" to 60" (5'). I'd measure close and get the right length so you don't have to flare the ends. If it's a little long you can be generous on the curves. It's hard to bend tight anyway.

I'm not so sure the partial flow filter is worthless. I've torn down several 196 L-head and OHV engines with it and they were in no worse shape than full flow filter engines I've torn down.

Duh, I forgot about the T in the head of the early engines!!! 63+ models go from the side of the block above oil gallery where there is a feed hole from the front cam bearing, all others have a T screwed into the head on the line that feeds the rocker shaft. But it won't hurt to run directly from any plug in the oil gallery. IIRC there is one or two that aren't used.

The cars without filters were intended to use non-detergent oil. With ND oil particles in the oil don't stay suspended when oil stops moving, it settles in the pan. That's the main reason for four point engine mounts and easy to remove crossmembers -- the pan was supposed to come off and be cleaned out every couple years, as that's where the trash settled into a sludge. Detergent oils keep particles suspended so the filter can remove them.

IMO a partial flow filter may only get 25-30% of the oil at any one time, so some particles will flow through the bearings and such, but they will eventually be caught by the filter. So it might be just "better than nothing" when compared to a full flow, but, well, it's still "better than nothing"... Unless you want to run ND oil (I've only seen it in straight 30W recently) and remove the pan every few years I'd run it. Check Tom's site though, it's not terribly hard to mod the pump and use a remote mount filter base (even the old original) and make the filter full-flow. Of course you can't go wrong with good oil and frequent changes. If this is a show car you might not want to worry about the filter, just change the oil every year.

I would have agreed with Tom j. Until I read and article a few weeks ago by some engineers that said a partial flow oil filtration system like on our AMCs was about 80 per cent as effective as a full flow system. I will look for the reference. Joe

pacerman wrote: I would have agreed with Tom j. Until I read and article a few weeks ago by some engineers that said a partial flow oil filtration system like on our AMCs was about 80 per cent as effective as a full flow system. I will look for the reference. Joe