oil filter canister w/o drain

[LickskilletM37]

I was removing my cylinder head and in the process had to remove the oil filter canister. It was at this time that I first noticed that it does not have a drain plug. I just recently got it running, so I've haven't yet changed the filter.

My M37 is a 1952 model. Is it normal for the canister to not have any provision for a drain plug?


Thanks,

Chuck

[ZGjethro]

My 52 has a drain plug. I am hoping to put the head back on any day now. Just waiting on a head gasket

[w30bob]

Chuck,

If your truck has it's original Fram oil filter it should have a drain. It's located near the bottom hose fitting on the angled bottom of the housing. If it doesn't have the drain I'm not sure what oil filter housing you have on there. Check out the pic.

regards,
bob


. by w30bob, on Flickr

[LickskilletM37]

Bob,

Mine looks exactly like yours but without the drain. The conical section on the bottom was also completely filled with black sludge as thick as rear-end grease, which suggests that it hasn't been serviced in some time.

Chuck

[tbone1004]

my '51 doesn't have a drain plug either. Let me tell you how much of a pain in the a$$ it is to remove that thing to drain it properly....

[LickskilletM37]

I think I may have a plug welded in, or replace it with one that has a plug.

What size is the plug? Is it just pipe thread?

[tbone1004]

you can technically replace it with whatever you want. Fumoto, normal drain, completely up to you. A 1/4" NPT plug would certainly do the trick though

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

Interestingly, ORD 9 lists 3 oil filter housings (Purolator, Deluxe, and Fram), but doesn't differentiate them by vehicle SN as it usually does. But all 3 housings list a drain plug, which is 1/4" pipe threads, brass. I have seen some civilian filter housings without a drain plug....but not military. But I'm no expert on this stuff.

regards,
bob

[Kaegi]

that sludge means its working! the bypass filters are very good at getting the finest particles and the acid out of the oil. in that repsect they work better than fulll flow oil filters. the best set up would be to have both like the Dodge Medium Duty and HD 361-3 and 413-3

[Paul in Kempner, TX]

Before there were spin-off oil filters, most mechanics had an oil siphon tool that they used to empty the oil filter housings. That was how we all did it. Often, that tool is still found in the bargain tool box at auto supply stores.

[Carter]

IIRC, WWII Dodges were equipped with filter housings without drains and it seems likely that some were installed on M37s as replacements or because so many were available when M series engine production began.

[Rick C]

The majority of the trucks I owned didn't have drains. Drain or not, eventually you gotta clean out the canister manually.... the drain doesn't get all the crap out of the bottom. Another issue....boy is it tight getting a container under the plug to catch it all.....
Rick

[Sal]

My filter housing has a Drain but like Rick said its hard to get a can under there so I use a Turkey baster and a coffee can . Works great for me..

Sal

[pwrwagonfire]

I do power wagon oil changes on the regular, and they have a very similar canister housing.

Instead of removing it to drain, I use a large turkey baster to suck the oil out of the bottom, then wipe the gunk out with a few shop rags, this method seems to work pretty well.


good luck,

-T