Q:Connecting free flow oil Filter to 59 AB Flathead

[Ken/Alabama]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

Warning: If this is a free/full flow oil filter (which I believe it to be), then you cannot connect it as Ken has noted up above - as you'll have a major pressure leak directly from the main oil galley to the pan.

The original "Fram" type oil filters that mounted on the head were "drip feed" - they have a .060 orifice that controls the amount of oil that is bled off of the main galley and due to this orifice, they could return the oil directly to the pan. Only a portion of the oil is actually filtered at a moment in time . . . the rest of the flow goes straight into the main oil galley, so if a piece of material is picked up by the pump - it usually ends up in the bearings.

If you are attempting to implement a full-flow type setup, than the oil-passages in the block have to be modified to direct the main oil-flow out of the block, into your filter and then back into the oil-galley.

The above is what most call a "95%" filtration setup. I consider it more of a "66%" filtration setup as the rear main has its own pressure galley from the pump, so its oil is always coming from the pump - and not through your filter. Again, this takes mods to the block (drilling and tapping the galley) and should not be done AFTER the engine is assembled.

The other method is for an aftermarket full-flow system where the oil-pump is modified to NOT send the pressurized oil to the main galley, but through a hose and out the side of the oil-pan. Then, this connection goes through a full-flow filter and the output is directed back into the main galley at the side of the block. This requires a special oil-pump setup and modifications to the oil-pan itself.

Hopefully this helps.

B&S

Thanks for that post. I did consider the fact that he might be referring to a full flow system after I had made my post. I’ve not seen a full flow system using a beehive style filter. In fact I’ve read that the original style or beehive style filters are not to be used with this system because of the restrictive flow .