Oil Filter Variance

In the course of changing oil on my 1987 Grand Wagoneer, I discovered that I could not get the new proper oil filter to thread onto the mount. After a dozen attempts and a meteoric rise in blood pressure, I gave up. After cogitating on it, I looked at the OLD filter, a POS FRAM filter, and called the parts house for a cross-check of the filter number. The OLD filter was the wrong filter for an AMC 360. But now it's the only one that will thread on.

Apparently, I will now need to replace the oil filter mount, insofar as the threads must be stripped to accommodate the wrong filter specification, but have not done this before on any of my Wagoneer, and so: How difficult is it, and how difficult will it be to find the correct part? Is there any other way of doing this, i.e., re-die the threads, etc.

All advice will be appreciated.

Reply to
randallbrink
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In the course of changing oil on my 1987 Grand Wagoneer, I discovered that I could not get the new proper oil filter to thread onto the mount. After a dozen attempts and a meteoric rise in blood pressure, I gave up. After cogitating on it, I looked at the OLD filter, a POS FRAM filter, and called the parts house for a cross-check of the filter number. The OLD filter was the wrong filter for an AMC 360. But now it's the only one that will thread on.

Apparently, I will now need to replace the oil filter mount, insofar as the threads must be stripped to accommodate the wrong filter specification, but have not done this before on any of my Wagoneer, and so: How difficult is it, and how difficult will it be to find the correct part? Is there any other way of doing this, i.e., re-die the threads, etc.

All advice will be appreciated.

Reply to
randallbrink

Reply to
RoyJ

Ah, do you mean threaded into the mount? I have not been able to see all the way down to the base of the filter thread, so was not aware of that. If you can turn the filter thread out, then I could use a die to rethread it--or replace just the threaded shaft, not the entire mount. Many thanks!

Reply to
randallbrink

Reply to
RoyJ

That's what I'm looking at, leading me to think that the threaded part can be removed and replaced without having to replace the entire filter mount. How hard that threaded center will be to find, I have no idea.

Reply to
randallbrink

USE WHAT FITS!!! What is wrong with that? Don't fight the system unless you want that '87 to be perfectly stock. I have seen many oil filter listings that were WRONG especially for our Jeeps!!!

Get a filter for a 1979 360 engine if the oil filter pipe threads are not damaged. I used Purolator filters and liked them although I did get one that had an oversized fitting on it so it did not even thread on, it slipped over. It was wrong!

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

Well, first of all, I DO want the Jeep to be completely 100 percent stock, and second, the filter capacities are different. Third, as it stands, the only filter I can get to fit on it is a FRAM filter, which ordinarily I wouldn't in any case. However, on the positive side, the parts illustration indicates that the threaded stem of the filter mount can be removed, and therefore replaced, which will happen tomorrow.

Reply to
randallbrink

If you do a lot of towing or heavy off-roading they make an oil cooler adapter. Google will pull up quite a few.

Reply to
DougW

Reply to
L.W.(Bill) Hughes III
100% stock huh? I understand your point/reservation if that FRAM oil filter was not for any Jeep 360 engine, I thought it was. sorry.

My '79 and '82 Jeep Wagoneer 360 engines used the same large size oil filter while my '88 used a small one stock for a different thread pitch like my XJ. I preferred using the larger ones but I did not change the oil filter pipe fitting. I think you can find some larger oil filters if you wish to use them.

There seems to be basically 3 different types of oil filters depending on the year.

1966-1983 AC PF24) 1981-1986 (AC PF46) 1987-1990 (AC PF970C) I have NO idea what was on the 1991 360 engine.

I usually find that some auto parts places lists parts that just aren't correct for my Jeeps, like air filters, oil filters, U-Joints, etc. I have to use what fits and what Jeep put on it. ;-)

Good luck with your new ride! ;-)

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

Bill--Thanks, and none of those will thread on now. I have put on a new PH25 temporarily until I can get the filter mount threaded part that will enable me to restore back to the proper filter spec.

Reply to
randallbrink

Thanks very much. I agree that it is sometimes confusing with all the different part numbers, coupled with the tendancy to move away from the stock and OEM parts. I learned through this fiasco about the thread coding on the filter, and a lot more than I ever knew there was to know about the differences in thread specifications.

I am going to take down the AC Delco number for the 87 AMC360 and hopefully by the end of the day, be able to fit that one.

Reply to
randallbrink

evbeergoggles.com

Thanks for this. I am planning to tow a 19' Airstream travel trailer, and have been wondering what modification might be desirable for that.

Reply to
randallbrink

Bill--Thanks, and none of those will thread on now. I have put on a new PH25 temporarily until I can get the filter mount threaded part that will enable me to restore back to the proper filter spec.

Reply to
L.W.(Bill) Hughes III

wagon:

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You know, that is a possibility that occurred to me when I was trying to fit this filter. How best to tell, given that there are no records to indicate that this was done? I have VIN No. but no engine number.

Thanks!

Reply to
randallbrink

wagon:

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Bill:

The more I think about your theory of an older-model engine, the more it makes sense. However, in the course of looking into this, I have discovered that the only year for which the particular filter was specified, was 1982. How likely do you think it is that a 1982 vintage AMC360 would have been put into a 1987? One clue to the necessity of an engine change is that the only adverse data on the CARFAX report was an engine compartment fire back in 1998.

Is there the possibility that a particular long-block (i.e. a 1982 model) replacement AMC 360 would have required this smaller oil filter in order to provide clearance from the engine mount?

Another clue: At first I was suspicious that some IDIOT had simply installed the wrong filter, forcing it on, but after investigating, I doubt that, because, 1. Any year but 1986 and '87 is an SAE thread, whereas the '86 and '87 are metric, and; 2. The so-called "incorrect" filter that I ultimately installed went on smoothly and tightened normally and does not leak--something I would not have expected had the threaded mount tube been stripped while forcing the "wrong" filter on.

Any additional thoughts on this will be very greatly appreciated.

Reply to
randallbrink

wagon:

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Bill:

The more I think about your theory of an older-model engine, the more it makes sense. However, in the course of looking into this, I have discovered that the only year for which the particular filter was specified, was 1982. How likely do you think it is that a 1982 vintage AMC360 would have been put into a 1987? One clue to the necessity of an engine change is that the only adverse data on the CARFAX report was an engine compartment fire back in 1998.

Is there the possibility that a particular long-block (i.e. a 1982 model) replacement AMC 360 would have required this smaller oil filter in order to provide clearance from the engine mount?

Another clue: At first I was suspicious that some IDIOT had simply installed the wrong filter, forcing it on, but after investigating, I doubt that, because, 1. Any year but 1986 and '87 is an SAE thread, whereas the '86 and '87 are metric, and; 2. The so-called "incorrect" filter that I ultimately installed went on smoothly and tightened normally and does not leak--something I would not have expected had the threaded mount tube been stripped while forcing the "wrong" filter on.

Any additional thoughts on this will be very greatly appreciated.

Reply to
L.W.(Bill) Hughes III

Bill--As helpful as this would have been--just my luck--there is NO number on the block on the left-side either in front of or behind the engine mount. I do not know what this means.

Reply to
randallbrink

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