BeeHive oil filter, Original

[STAN WHITE]

I have a BeeHive original filter canister. I ran it years ago with a roll of tissue paper as a filter. I am a lot older now & am trying to put a car together that I have had for 31 years. I am doing the car as they were in the early 50s. I have this filter and thought I would use it on my project. My question is on a Flathead engine do they serve any purpose or are they mainly for looks. I did have it hooked up when I was using it. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks Stan

[tubman]

I am a great believer in the Ford "bypass" filter system. I think they are well suited to the conditions most (if not all) of our vehicles are subject to. This includes inside storage, frequent changes with quality oil, minimal operation in dusty or dirty conditions, and general overall pampering. Although only a portion of the oil is filtered at any one time, it all goes trough the filter in a relatively short period. I believe it was someone on this forum who empirically measured this and it took 10 minutes or so for all the oil to pass through the filter. Bypass filters generally remove smaller particles than "full-flow" units which is a great advantage, because there generally just aren't any big chunks to remove. The benefit of finer filtration greatly outweighs any advantage a "full-flow" system may provide in most situations.

I am sure the "Beehive" will be just fine for your use. I would suggest that you find the proper element for it and use it instead of toilet paper. Modern people with their tender asses have caused the manufactures to produce very soft, easily dissolvable product that can disintegrate and clog the oiling system.

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by STAN WHITE

I have a BeeHive original filter canister. I ran it years ago with a roll of tissue paper as a filter. I am a lot older now & am trying to put a car together that I have had for 31 years. I am doing the car as they were in the early 50s. I have this filter and thought I would use it on my project. My question is on a Flathead engine do they serve any purpose or are they mainly for looks. I did have it hooked up when I was using it. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks Stan

There is a restrictor hole in the input or outlet of the filter. Put a piece
of 1/4" pipe about 3/8" long on top of the oil flow valve in the oil valley
under the intake manifold. The plunger on the bottom of the spring has
one side cut off the seat so you will still have oil flow so the pressure
don't get to high. I would use a straight 40 weight oil or Castrol 20/40
Remove the spark plugs and don't turn the ignition switch on. Install a
mechanical oil pressure gauge in where the sender is. Jump 12 volts on
the starter and spin the engine. The oil pressure can be adjusted by
changing the length of the spacer on the spring. The oil pressure you
see on the gauge will be the pressure you have driving at 40 MPH I did
my 39 convertible 40 years and 150,000 miles ago and still has over
30 lbs pressure. Only problem I had was years ago as I was pulling in
the shop the oil pressure dropped to zero. I pulled the pan and the pick
up tube feel off where the screen is. Welded that an is OK While I had
the pan off I pulled every bearing cap and they all look brand new. I
don't believe the old folk story that these engines don't require much
oil. G.M.
I missed at the top to open the restrictor holes a little at a time until
you get a better flow through the filter. This was one of the brand new
engines from world war ll that Carpenter had. He bought trailer loads
of engines and parts from the Canadian government. When I change
the oil at about 2,000 miles there is a lot of black crude in the canister.
I can also tell you the oil gets blacker and faster the hotter engine is.
I used this engine running the tests when I developed the turbine
impeller for SKIP. Since getting my engine down below 180 the oil
is dark yellow. There is all most no oil used between changes. G.M.

[aussie merc]

By all means run the filter you will probably find that the correct element is readily available through your local parts outlet There are lots of threads on subject here on ford barn lots of opinions but the general end is run the filter.

[RalphM]

Nowadays it would definitely be a waste of good toilet paper!

[flatheadmurre]

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If it´s a Frantz style oilfilter designed for a toilet roll it won´t take a normal style filtercartridge without modification...
The frantz filters for a start has the oil intake in the bottom...oil goes up in the top area of the canister an gravity filters between the layers in the roll going out in the side under the roll.

[RalphM]

My plasma cutter moisture filter looks just like a roll of TP, I wonder if it would filter oil?

[tubman]

Originally Posted by flatheadmurre

If it´s a Frantz style oilfilter designed for a toilet roll it won´t take a normal style filtercartridge without modification...
The frantz filters for a start has the oil intake in the bottom...oil goes up in the top area of the canister an gravity filters between the layers in the roll going out in the side under the roll.

I would seriously doubt that is a "Frantz" style. My old man repped for then in the fifties and sixties, and the way I remember it, it was a closely held (and closely watched) patent.

Surely someone on here has one and should be able to supply the element specs.

[RKS.PA]

Might start with Wix and check dimensions for height and diameter.

[skidmarks]

Mine has a bronze element and i never found a cartridge filter that fit.
Everyone that i have talked to said they never seen the bronze element. I wash it out in gasoline when i change the oil.
Only markings on it is on the port marked " Inlet"

[flatheadmurre]

If the inlet is in the bottom...the filtration has to be done "sideways" through the filter...that narrows it down quite a bit...

[RKS.PA]

Is the re-po at Speedway Motors the same size? They also sell the filter.

[solidaxle]

I haven't tried it yet but the Speedway filter in an original canister looks like it will work well.They have the gasket available also. Part number on the box.

[tubman]

Hmmmm. 51006 is the Wix part number for an 8BA filter. A coincidence? I think not. It sure looks the same.

[flatheadmurre]

Are they running the filter backwards in them ??

[solidaxle]

My beehive came with a replacement NAPA 1004 filter, but it seems too short. the one from speedway fits better, but again I have not tried it.

[russcc]

Nice detective work Tubman. Most Wix oil filters start with the 51. NAPA drops the 5, for example a 51085 is now a 1085 thru NAPA.