Re: Packard Oil Filter Housing Mystery Part

Posted by HH56 On 2018/11/8 22:01:45

Believe the factory supplied cartridge type filter was standard starting in 40 on the 356 engine with hydraulic lifters so dealers most likely kept some of the factory filters in stock for the optional install in other models. There were two versions of the prewar filter used. First version was plumbed so all the lifter oil supply went thru the filter. That installation was found to starve the lifters if the filter clogged. The second prewar version still looked and was plumbed the same but had a blowoff valve inside to bypass the filter element if it clogged. Still apparently had issues so during the second version they also made some plumbing changes to feed the lifters directly and made the filter a bypass and eliminate the starving problem entirely.

Pre and postwar factory units looked very much alike but there are some differences. The relocation of the inlet port to the side on the postwar filters is the most obvious but there are some differences in the canister shape too.

There were a lot of aftermarket filters available at parts stores and probably half of the corner gas stations sold them too even into the early 50s. If one of those was installed it could be quite different in appearance from the factory item. Based on some of the other aftermarket things we have seen installed and were known dealer sold, if the aftermarket filter was less expensive to purchase than the factory item there were undoubtedly some dealers who installed those too.