1969 C20 Oil Canister

[FabricatorKevin]

I'm just learning and getting into a 1969 C20 with a 396, and it has an oil canister filter instead of a spin-on. The block stamp is incomplete: T1113Y with no letter after the "Y", but it seems to indicate an 11/13/68 (?) build date. Could this be why it has an oil canister?

The truck is very original, but missing the protecto-plate and build sheet. The SPID is very much intact.

[Steeveedee]

Maybe it just took longer to run through the stockpile of engine blocks for the trucks. That is definitely a '69 model year production date. Most people have replaced those with the FRAM adapter that uses a F**d oil filter.

[FabricatorKevin]

Thank you for the reply. Any idea why the suffix is just “Y”?

[68Gold/white]

Hmmm, my 68 396 has spin on filter...I don't have any of the date info on it, at moment, it's buried in my garage.

Might post this in engine/drive train section, might get more action...

[dmjlambert]

My 69 CST/10 with 350 engine had the canister filter. That type of filter was probably common for that year. After rebuild mine now has the spin-on type.

[MACO]

My 69 C20 with a 396 was a canister. Converted it with the factory adapter so the new spin on filter seals against the block like the one below.

[68Gold/white]

I wonder if the canister filter was a C20 and C30 deal...On cars, the canister was last used in 67.

The factory did try to use up left over parts when possible. My 68 396 has the groove in the rear cam journal. I talked to my highly experienced engine builder about this. He said that he had seen "grooved" cams in later models than even my 68 big block.

Maybe my 68 was converted like MACO's. I've owned my 68 since 1980, previous owner had it for quite a while, he was not a car enthusiast...who knows...

[OregonNed]

Nothing like oil running down your arm! Mine has an adapter and I found out that it does take the F*** style of filter. Its a little smaller..

[68Gold/white]

I bought a Mr. Gasket adapter for my 67 Bel Air 283 engine, took the regular Chevrolet filter...

[demian5]

Originally Posted by MACO

My 69 C20 with a 396 was a canister. Converted it with the factory adapter so the new spin on filter seals against the block like the one below.

I don't see a sealing surface there. That is a standard spin-on block part you have bolted on a non-spin on block.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...ersion-adapter

The adapter to convert my 327 from canister to spin on looked almost like the end of an oil filter. It had a gasket that sealed against the block and then provided a surface for the filter to seal against. Pretty much the same parts.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...ersion-adapter

[MACO]

Originally Posted by demian5

I don't see a sealing surface there. That is a standard spin-on block part you have bolted on a non-spin on block.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...ersion-adapter

The adapter to convert my 327 from canister to spin on looked almost like the end of an oil filter. It had a gasket that sealed against the block and then provided a surface for the filter to seal against. Pretty much the same parts.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...ersion-adapter

The original picture is not my engine, I used it to show the adapter.

New picture is also not my engine but shows better how the filter seals directly to the block. My engine had one of the plate style adapters and it leaked around the big o-ring. I think this is a better system as it eliminates the plate and o-rings between the engine and filter. From my research some of the 396 came with canister style filter but were machined for the spin on filter and were easily converted like in the picture. The adapter is a GM part.

[mike16]

my 68 K20 has the origonal canister. I dont find it to be any messier than the spin on ones.

my 57 pontiac also has the canister style but, being a pontiac, for a few pennies more they added a drain plug off to one side on the bottom so it is even less messy. Never tried to screw the pontiac canister into the chevy block... I wonder...