Oil Filter Canister

[53619PLF]

I had a question about the oil filter canister setup on the 59 318 Plymouth. I searched older posts and found that there are adapter kits, and you can use a later setup off of a newer 318. Needless to say I changed the oil, and used the NAPA Gold 1076 filter, and when I put it back together it has a very bad leak. Have not had a chance to look at it yet, as it was getting dark.

1. Besides the filter, is there supposed to be a spring inside the canister unit ? Mine has a spring, but when I looked in the service manual, I did not find an exploded parts view that showed a spring. When I took the canister off, it fell down before I could grab it. It seemed like the spring was underneath the filter, and then it was a pain to get the threads to push through the filter, so you could thread it on. I replaced the seal under the bolt head, and the rubber washer under the filter, and of course the block seal. When I took mine off, it appeared that the rubber washer was under the spring at the bottom, so that is how I put it back in. Is this the proper assembly of this filter canister with the filter, seals, and spring ?

This is a pretty straight forward assembly, but want to make sure the seals and spring are in the correct location. I had no oil leaks at all, before I took it apart. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

[rogerh]

It isnt clear to me if you have in fact switched to a later-model adapter.
A photo of the Parts Book is all I can offer: (Clicking on my photo will enable you to zoom in.)

[Matthew Keij]

Check the gasket!

If it isn't installed correctly its leaking.
I had the same thing on my dads 318

[Mark Merritt]

Was the leak down the side of the cannister,or out the bolt hole? There is supposed to be A spring at the end of the filter/bolt at the cannister,the bolt will be tight through the seal,just turn the bolt like threading A nut till the threads are through.I think the old cannister may have stuck still inside the block face,or may have stuck at the cannister creating A double gasket(sandwich) and can leak,just some thoughts Mark M

[53619PLF]

Roger,

I still have the original oil filter canister setup, and would like to leave it that way.

That picture from the parts book is what I was looking for. That particular page in my parts book, 10AC, is dated March 20, 1959, and the picture at the top is the same, but my bottom section just says notes, and there is nothing but blank lines there. I notice your page is February 1960. I think I need to find a bit newer manual, as I wonder what else may be missing from my parts book. There are no pages in my parts book newer than May 25, 1959, and most everything is 1959, but some sections go back to late 1958.

I will get back to see what the problem is either later today or tomorrow. At this point, I do not know if it was leaking around the gasket, or by the bolt. I was by myself, changed the oil, started it, waited till the oil light went out, and then looked underneath. Just in that short time, I had quite an oil slick underneath the car. I just had a neighbor help me push it in the garage, and that was the end of that day.

I appreciate the help and information from all who responded.

Thank You

[rogerh]

I seem to recall I went thru the same thing years ago. My bet is the main gasket got mis-aligned or got crud under it...this would cause a big pond in short order.
Drain the crankcase, take off the filter inspect it very closely, clean it up thoroughly, put your finger into some oil and run it around the gasket so it will slip when it meets the crankcase, rather than rolling up while you fit the filter housing to the crankcase.
You are welcome for the tips and photos. That's why I stay on this List..to help.

[Dick Koch]

Rogers right, evertime (twice) I got a leak it was the big gasket that did not seat correctly.
Dick

[53619PLF]

I have had the oil filter canister off three times, checked and changed the gasket, and it still has a bad leak at the block where the canister mates up. It does not look like there is anything wrong with the gasket, or that it is not seated. I always have to use sealer just to get the gasket to stay up in the block cavity. The last time, I actually doubled up the gasket, put sealer on everything, and I thought I had it fixed. It was just barely seeping, so I tightened it just a bit more, and then I had a lake of oil under the car again. I should not have to mess with this so much, but it is my suspicion that back when these filters were common, the gasket was thicker and spongier to spread and seal better. I am tempted to try a thick cork gasket, and cut one out myself. Maybe it is too tight, and squeezing to the inside. Every time I take it apart, the gasket does not stay in the block, making me think it has pushed to the inside, but I am not sure. I had a 63 GMC truck years ago with the same type of filter, and I never once had any issue like this.

I read some old posts that indicated a newer 318 spin on filter adapter would screw right into an older engine block. Do you know up to what years this will work, and if this is something that could still be purchased at the dealer ?

I will attempt it again later this weekend.

[rogerh]

I don't know if the adapter is available at the dealer.I see the old post made by Faulkner June 14, 2004, in which Dan forwarded an email from Bob Hinds. Bob got his adapter kit from the dealer, and was thoughtful enough to include the part numbers in that post.
..if it were me, I'd start with Napa Auto Parts. I'd ask them to double-check which present-day filter cartridge fits that canister, and I'd ask them if they sell an adapter kit. I read elsewhere that the K21 adapter kit was a problem for John Zastrow.
On FL, there is a post suggesting the LA318 spin-on filter will fit, but you have to remember to block off the by-pass, whatever that means.
Regarding your existing canister, I know how tiring and exasperating it is to repeatedly fill, drain and re-fill the crankcase, plus clean up the spills of oil. I won't ask you to do the following, yet I am curious...
maybe the cartridge you are using is the wrong size? This would certainly keep the canister from seating properly. What if you bolt the canister to the block, without a filter in it...does it still leak? Could the housing have gotten damaged/bent somehow?

[53619PLF]

The NAPA Gold 1076 filter, I am using, is the same one that was in it before I took it apart. It was not leaking a drop before I took it apart. You can tell even in the picture you posted from the parts book, that the sealing surface is flat, yet it is on a bit of an angle, and then the edge falls away to the sides of the canister. The cavity in the block does not have a lip to hold the gasket in place, so I have put some sealer on it to hold it in during assembly. Companies make a lot of things anymore that are so cheap, that they are barely adequate to do the job. That is why I am thinking the gasket supplied is too thin, and with the shape of the canister at the seal, that you have to be just right on how tight you make it. I could be wrong, but was thinking that the gasket is pushing to the inside, and is also more likely to move, because of the shape of the sealing surface. The gasket lays in there nice and flat. There is nothing hard about this assembly, but I am sure having trouble getting this to seal.

[rogerh]

I see. So your notion of needing a thicker material/make your own gasket idea looks promising. Did you save the old block gasket, to see how the new one compares to it?
and maybe you are correct in thinking the gasket is slipping off the rim and towards the center of the filter. With such hassles, the adapter has got to be the way to go...

[53619PLF]

I really wanted to keep the original oil canister setup, and did finally solve the problem with the oil leak. Using the NAPA Gold filter 1076, the block gasket supplied with this filter is garbage. I used some commercial grade fiber gasket material that was about the same thickness, maybe slightly thicker, and used the NAPA gasket as a template, and cut my own. The gasket stayed up in the block cavity, and I just wiped a bit of oil on the front and back. I installed it first time, and no leaks what so ever. I will cut my own gasket from here on out. I have attached a picture of the gasket material I used. This is not the cheap crap from the auto parts store. Hopefully this will help someone else who wants to use the original style canister.

[rogerh]

Problem solved! Congratulations!

[Fins59]

I guess it's time for my yearly post I changed to the K21 adaptor kit (Fram I believe) 10-12 years ago I think, so memory is a little vague. I remember having a leaking problem with the adaptor kit, but I persisted and reinstalled it about 2 or 3 times and it finally became leak proof.
Dealing with the old canister type was a hassle. You almost needed a 3rd hand to install it.

I use a Fram PH8A spin-on filter with the kit. I remember picking up the K21 adaptor kit at a local car parts store. I just changed oil and filter last week before putting car into hibernation. IMO the adaptor kit with the spin-on is the way to go.