Oil Filter Adapter

[damnyankee36]

When disassembling the reman block in the 68, it had this kind of filter adapter. I assumed it was original to the truck and transferred to the new block. It has a GM casting number on it. Did the 68's have the canister style or spin-on filter? Was this an adapter to convert to the spin-on style?

Why couldn't have the more modern adapter worked? Is it because it had a canister filter? I really don't understand how the canister type works compared to the spin-on type. I thought to convert to a spin-on, the later style adapter was all that was needed.

Can anyone educate me on it?

[Steeveedee]

'68 was the last(?) year for the canister type filter. Fram made an adapter that used a Ford oil filter. This was because the gasket is on a smaller diameter than the spin on Chevy filter. If the engine you're going with doesn't have a provision for the canister type filter (it would just be flat, no groove) you can use the regular Chevy filter.

['68OrangeSunshine]

1968 must have been a transition year. My '68 C/10 Stepside out of Fremont had a factory RPO L25 -- 292 L6 with a spin-on PF-35. I now use Wix 51061.

[Steeveedee]

Pretty sure that the 4- and 6- cylinder engines had the spin-on filters since Chevy went away from the 235 engine in '63.

[MARKDTN]

Been a long time but I had a 327 that was pulled from a '68 Impala in the mid '80s. I just added the spin-on adapter I thought?

[1967GMCC20]

That's actually a good adapter, uses factory bypass valve. Many 283s, 327s used them by POs.

Canister gets you a larger filter, and if headers are close, protection from heat. Need oring for internal piece with bypass, and canister. These canisters are dirt cheap at swap meets every where..

[Steeveedee]

They are also more efficient, and as much fun to clean as an oil bath filter. If it were my guess, Chevrolet did away with that design because of the nuisance of changing that o-ring every time. If you don't change the o-ring, things can go very wrong. I learned that at the age of 15 when I changed the oil in my eldest sister's '57 Plymouth, and left the old ring in because I thought it would be OK. I know that I didn't like that style, and I've done hundreds of oil changes since then.

[1967GMCC20]

I'd bet they replaced them for same reason manufacturers make changes.

Significant Cost Savings... Somebody's grandfather got promoted.

Less parts.
Cheaper.
Lighter.
Ease of assembly.
Faster Tac-Time.

[Steeveedee]

^ Yup, I'll bet just putting the newer style filter on saved a ton of time. GM keeps track of component costs to the 1/10 of a cent, at least they did in the '60s. Don't groove the block for the o-ring? Time savings. Same goes for all those filter parts and installation time. Do it a million times a year?

[1967GMCC20]

Right on, having worked for a large Diesel Eng Manufacturer, to be competitive, you have to keep cutting costs soon as your in production after final design approval.

In small engines look at history of MTD.. the masters of small engine products cost reduction.

[doowopper]

My '69 C20 with a 350 that I bought new has a canister.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by doowopper

My '69 C20 with a 350 that I bought new has a canister.

Same with my '69 C20 which I also bought new. I always wondered if the reason was that the truck is a 3/4 ton.

[dmjlambert]

My 69 CST/10 with 350 came with a canister filter. My engine rebuilder converted it to spin on when he rebuilt the engine for me.

[67C10Step]

My 67 with its original 283 has this same adapter. It was leaking a bit when I got the truck running so I got a new one because I could not find seals listed for the one on the engine.

I've had at least three modern Toyotas with canister filters. Highlander, Tacoma, and 4Runner.

[damnyankee36]

I'm going to guess the canister blocks were machined differently than the spin on? The block adapter was installed on a modern block and it appeared work OK.

They didn't have to use the adapter as far as I can see.

[67 twins]

Originally Posted by 67C10Step

My 67 with its original 283 has this same adapter. It was leaking a bit when I got the truck running so I got a new one because I could not find seals listed for the one on the engine.

I've had at least three modern Toyotas with canister filters. Highlander, Tacoma, and 4Runner.

I found for that adapter you use the same square cut oring that is used on the canister filter to seal it to the block.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by 67 twins

I found for that adapter you use the same square cut oring that is used on the canister filter to seal it to the block.

You are correct. I deleted my response, was above.

[Mickeymotormount]

Originally Posted by damnyankee36

I'm going to guess the canister blocks were machined differently than the spin on? The block adapter was installed on a modern block and it appeared work OK.

You are correct. Blocks were machined differently for spin on and canister filters.
Personally, I prefer the canister. More filtering area even though they are a pain in the a** to change. Below are a couple pics of the differences.

Bigger pic is canister block. Smaller pic is spin on filter block.

[Stanco]

There are two styles of aftermarket spin on oil filter adapters for 1956-67 Chevrolet V8 engines originally fitted with canister filters. The first style that you have is used in conjunction with the stock canister style bypass valve and uses a Chevrolet type spin on filter. This design relies on a felt washer to seal the adapter to the bypass valve. If the felt washer fails unfiltered oil will bypass the filter. Even worse pieces of the felt washer can come off and travel directly to the engine bearings. I never use this style of adapter.




The second design is the one I prefer. It uses a Ford style spin on filter. These filters have a built in bypass valve so there is no need to use the old canister bypass valve. To install this adapter you simply remove the old bypass valve, bolt the adapter directly to the block, and spin on a new filter. There is no felt washer to worry about and it uses a Ford-Chrysler style spin on oil filter which has the bypass valve built into the filter. This adapter is simple, safe, and uses the most common filter on the market.

Trans-Dapt 1024 adapter

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

'68 was the last(?) year for the canister type filter. Fram made an adapter that used a Ford oil filter. This was because the gasket is on a smaller diameter than the spin on Chevy filter. If the engine you're going with doesn't have a provision for the canister type filter (it would just be flat, no groove) you can use the regular Chevy filter.

68 was first year for spin on filters in passenger cars. They had a factory adaptor in them when they made the switch. Every 68 motor I have had that came out of a car was that way. I have 3 68 327s currently. The one in my truck (out of a Camaro) from the Flint plant, the numbers matching motor in my 68 Camaro from Tonawanda, and then a bare 327 block on a cart (out of a big car) cant remember the plant its from, all are spin on.

68 Small blocks are a oddball in themselves as they were a transition year. mid 59-67 are all pretty much the same then 69 and later are all pretty much the same.

[Steeveedee]

Thus my (?). I worked as a mechanic in those days, but don't recall all those details. I see people claiming '69 was the first year for spin on filters, too. A lot of time has elapsed since then, and memories fade.

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

I can see people thinking that with 69s as there was alot more visual change to a small block over a 68, but I have mainly messed with 68 327's for the last 15+ years now and yeah there could be a whole thread on how 68 engines are oddballs.

If you want another form of confirmation, if you look up older parts books for like Fram/Wix (Wix's online search still shows it right now as well) but if you look up a 68 327 it calls for a spin on, then look at a 67 327 and its a cartridge type.

[Mickeymotormount]

As far as I know, 1968 and later blocks were machined for the spin on filter. This was one of the few changes to the architecture of the small block including bigger main bearing bores.

If you have a later engine with a canister, it has the special adapter to use a canister on a spin on block. These were available as an option on police, taxis, heavy duty trucks and certain marine applications. The GM part number is 3959104 for this special adapter.

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