56 Merc Oil Filter

[56 Mercer]

Hi, I am attempting to do a restore of an old family 56 Mercury Montclair, and I am in way past my knowledge. So I am learning as I go, this Merc has an old canister oil filter. I want to stay with original, to the point it makes sense, I see that the parts store has replacement filters. I am wondering if the pricey replacements will do the same job as a modern spin on would do? Anyone had any expierence with this?

[billwill]

Your present filter will do fineChange ever3000 miles and clean canster when you repace element Put everything back as it came out good luck

[Dobie Gillis]

Greetings from a fellow Merc owner!

The canister filters actually do a better job than a typical spin-on filter. They have more filtration media and will trap finer particles. The industry changed to spin-on for cost savings and serviceability. Run it and enjoy...

[56 Mercer]

Thank you for the advice. I hate to put the work in and then mess up and blow the old boy up.

[ford3]

you will not mess up or blow up your engine with a spin on filter, modern engines run 300000 miles using them, i changed to a spin on simply because they are easier to change and no where near as messy, spin ons are easier to find than cartidge type filters, every one carries spin ons not to many discount stores (wal mart) carries them, either will work xlnt, its your choice

[rick55]

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The only dramas I had with the original filters was finding them and then making sure the canister didn't leak around the head of the bolt. In the end I used "o"rings to seal the bolt head. Eventually I changed to the spin on type cause it is just a lot easier, though there are a couple of tricks to fitting the adaptor.
If you are happy with the canister stick with it.

[Daves55Sedan]

For the same reasons as many others, I also switched to the spin on type about 35 years ago, but the old Purolator P48 oil filter element is still available. If you decide to stick with the cartridge & element, don't ever take your car to one of those chain oil-change places. They will mess you up.

[Ole Don]

My car had been converted to spin on when I bought it back in 1995. I have since started using an FL400S in place of the FL1A because it is smaller and slides in to place so much easier.

[smtichy]

Funny, I've been pondering the same topic, but from the other direction...

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

I also switched to the spin on type about 35 years ago.

Rick, Dave, and Don,

On my recently acquired '55 (with a '59 292), I see it was converted to a spin on oil filter at some time. Currently has a Wix on it, but I can't see a part number on it and haven't pulled it of yet.

My question ... any guess at what size filter it might be? I hesitate to pull it off, without having an idea what I need to replace it. Especially given my location (Czech Rep.) where these parts are not always that easy to find, so I can at least check availability before tearing in.

Have a good one,
Steve

[Dobie Gillis]

The Wix part number is 51004. A parts store should be able to cross the number over to another brand if Wix isn't available in the Czech Republic.

[tdlmomowers]

Six 51004 is not a spin on filter.

[Daves55Sedan]

FRAM # PH8A is very common spin on filter that works with the spin-on conversion for the Ford Y-Block engine (and Merc)
Also Purolator L30001 and Wix # 515151 is the right spin-on

[Dobie Gillis]

Oops! You're right! The correct number is 51515.

[rick55]

The motorcraft equivalent is AFL 1, here in Oz Ryco Z9, apparently you can use a RangeRover Ryco Z89A which is slightly smaller than the Z9. It is an Oz brand but is probably the same one that Ole Don uses.

[tdlmomowers]

The Napa spin on filter is a, 1515. Napa filters are made by Wix. To interchange from Wix to Napa, just remove the first number.

[smtichy]

Thanks everyone for the responses, with all the different types I was able to cross reference a locally available equivalent ... K&N HP-3001

[raceron1120]

I like stickin' with the OEM stuff so natch I'm Motorcraft fan. But I also like what I've heard about the NAPA and Wix filters which I use on my non-Ford stuff.

Motorcraft # for the cartridge-type filter is FL20.

There are 3 different size spin-on filters that will fit most of the older Ford/Mercury engines - the FL 300 is a shorty, then the standard FL-1, and the longer FL-299. Space for the filter might determine which can be best used.


There is also the high performance line if interested; I think this is the HP FL299:


Link to Ford Racing filter interchange: http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts...tKeyField=7562

[tdlmomowers]

As I work for Napa, that is my preferred brand of filter. I have never had an oil related engine problem in 40 years of using Napa filters and Napa motor oil. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[smtichy]

Again thanks everyone.
In the end the easiest one to get my hands on was a PURFLUX LS582, a French brand touting "Chevron pleat technology" .



This was my first oil change on this car, and the previous one must have been done by King Kong . The old filter was on so tight that I had to use a 18" pipe on the end of my wrench to get it loose (totally crushed it). Worse was when I removed the oil plug, the threads of the oil pan hole came out with the bolt. So the last guy to change the oil really set me up nicely .

I picked up a special oversize tap and oil plug kit, so will give it a shot tomorrow. Wish me luck!