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I believe Jim has done a lot of research on the Oil Filter subject with the 356 motors and may have some insights. Jim?

Also note on the '41 Filter photo that the feed is from the bottom, not from near the top as is usual practice. Interesting.

(o[]o)

That is correct, because that filter has automatic by-pass built in. If the filter element becomes clogged, a spring loaded ball in the top of the center post moves and allows the pressurized oil to bypass the filter element.

This is actually the same filter that both Jim and I have in out cars. It is stamped inlet on the bottom and outlet on the side.

Check this out. The 356 I have in the Duchess is a 47-48 356, as it would be for your engine.

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5878&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=50

POST 53. Good clear picture of A correct way to do it, which I did with much help and patience from several people here. The earlier pictures in my blog show it incorrectly plumbed.

Note that some filters have the outlet on top and some have the outlet on the bottom. As I was advised: use a mirror to look under the filter for the stamped word Outlet (or Inlet). Mine was originally plumbed by a very knowledgeable Packard engine rebuilder and machinist, backwards. A little trick Packard played on mechanics, I guess. The 40s flow is opposite to later years. We plumbed it backwards because we were focusing on making the modifications recommended in the Service Letter to send more and cleaner oil to the hydraulic lifters, which were new in 1940.

I have seen bone stock original motors with the plumbing backwards.

It is absurd to have the inlet on the bottom because there are no settlement properties that way. Incidental dirt just falls back toward the lifters. The only reason to do so is to reduced bypass filtering for the sake of the lifters. However, the lack of a drain plug creates the need to plumb it backwards so that only clean oil sits inside the thing when the element is changed.

The filter itself is a joke. About the only thing it does is create headaches for people who don't know the secret to keep it from leaking.

It might be better to just plug the lines and send full bypass to the lifters.

Proper bypass filter systems pass oil through a triple stage system to super clean oil. This was the concept behind the original PureOilator. That is what is used on modern diesel bypass which supplements the full flow system.

The Packard bypass filter is pretty much useless.

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Actually, the whole reason I went to the bother of showing and explaining the bypass plumbing was to counter that early photo. I don't know when Packard made the change (I'm too lazy to go through all the service bulletins to find out) but I am fairly certain that from at least 1948 through the end of the straight 8's, Packard used the bypass method on all engines with hydraulic lifters. Truthfully, if you change your oil regularly and put as few miles on your car as I do on mine, the whole issue is non-consequential.

I have three 356 engines, one from 1948 and two from 1949. All three were factory plumbed as bypass.

It's the early 356s that were plumed with the older style filter in non-bypass mode.

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Yea, the early 356's had full flow filtration to the lifters to ensure a clean supply of oil under ideal circumstances. I think I've posted this info. in my blog, and else where on the site. Did a comprehensive paper on it and presented at the meet in November, and sent to Jim Hollingsworth and other interested parties who requested same.

Bottom line, the filters for the early cars that run full flow filtration to the lifters need an internal filter by-pass, that is located in the top of stand pipe that runs up the middle of the canister. Filtered oil comes up the middle, and squirts out of a hole on the side at the top of the tube (that's how the swarf can settle to the bottom and not drain back). If the element becomes clogged, there is a spring and ball pop-off (by-pass) valve that allows the oil to shoot between the lid and top of the filter element effectively bypassing the element. Under either operating conditions the oil exits the port on the side of the filter canister. Somewhere, I also posted an alternative larger element that I run.

I'm running the '40 in full flow mode with no issues, but also went with the factory directed oil pump upgrade, so I dunno... it worked fine before so what can I say. Bottom line, you gotta have the filter specifically marked HT on the top of the lid, with the integrated by-pass to even end up with a choice in the matter, otherwise, you are relegated to pluming in bypass mode. If your crankcase is not currently drilled for the drain-back, you will have to follow the bulletin and drill / pipe tap a drain back hole into the pan rail area. I'm almost sure I posted most of this here a while back, but more than a week has gone by, so it's dissipated from my sieve of a memory.

Best of luck on your filter project!

Thanks for the explanation of the internal bypass canister. That answers all the questions I ever had on the early vs late plumbing differences. Another day and one more thing learned.

Edit: Jim, you did explain this in your blog and I read it, commented on it and promptly forgot it. Gettin' old ain't fun. This time I'll retain it! Thanks again.

Just revisiting this one more time to refresh my memory. Before I had it seems the wrong type oil filter canister, shallow bottom. A couple years ago got the correct canister with the pointed bottom. Inlet at bottom, outlet at top. For the past couple years have just been running no filter, full flow. Thought it might be best to install the filter. Remember I have an original 1940 Super 8, so there is no by pass going to the oil pan. So need to make sure this is the correct canister. There are two holes in the side of the post. I was thinking of enlarging them maybe a 32nd? Maybe leave well enough alone.
If you look at the picture you can see a hole in the top of the post, inside seems to have a spring, is this the clogged filter release? If so a check ball inside of tube that should move up or down inside the tube?
Thanks

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