I have two thing's I could use some input on !

[Hank the 36]

No. 1. I could use some good input on a better/modern air filter for my 59 A Flathead, I have driven the car about 1,400 miles since I bought it with fresh oil and now the oil is really BLACK and THICK. A little TOO black and thick for my taste. I would like to change the oil but I would also like to change the element to something that catches the crap better. Any good quality brands out there ?
No. 2. I need some tips on a replacement oil filter, currently it's using a APCO A4 filter that's approx. 4.25 in Dia. and 5.00 tall. Any good quality replacements out there guys ?
Here's a picture for reference:

[Lawson Cox]

Built to the tolerances these old flatheads were back in the day, your oil is going to be black and thick after about 1000 miles. That's just the way of things.

[Brendan]

I put a helmet type air cleaner on my 36 pickup with a stock 35 motor. also I put in a K and N air filter, I could tell the difference as soon as it was cranking, I could hear it breath better!

[Charlie ny]

Hank,
Ford made some pretty good oil bath air cleaners beginning for sure in
'35. I'm referring to the type that just clamp on the carb not the more elaborate
super severe duty style. Keep yours eyes open at upcoming swap meets. '49
to '56 ac's will fit too...some are cooler looking than others.
Be sure your Stromberg is up to snuff....jets should be about #45's if
that's a 97 and the power valve a #65. Stromberg power valves even new ones
can leak and can mess up your mpg and blacken your oil. If your mpg is respectable
your pv is probably ok.
Charlie ny

[ford3]

as Brendan said K&N is about the best out there, a little expensive, but they can be cleaned and reused, 1400 miles is a bit to many on the ford flat heads, a 1000 miles between oil changes is pushing it in my opinion, your not already running detergent oil i would think about doing it, changing oil at 1000 miles wally world super tech oil is as good as any, i recomend 20-50

[Old Henry]

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As Lawson said, flathead contaminants will blacken new oil pretty quickly, especially detergent oil which is what you want - to have the oil suspend the contaminants until the oil is changed. If you don't like the black oil use non-detergent oil. Then the contaminants will just settle to the bottom of the pan and become sludge. Don't want that. Use detergent oil.

Also, don't count on any oil filter to keep the oil clean. The 59A is not a full filter system. When the oil comes off of the pump only some goes through the filter while the rest goes through the engine. That's the other reason it's black. Either way, black is not bad. It's normal. Just change it regularly and all will be well (owner's manual says four times a year or 3,500 miles, whichever is more frequent. I personally go 5,000 miles since I add a fresh quart every thousand miles. That level of oil use is also normal. My engine was rebuilt 30,000 miles ago by one of the best and has used a quart per thousand miles the whole time.)

As far as a "better/modern air filter" goes, here's a great recent thread with opinions about both to consider. http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87852 From all information I've studied, the original oil bath filter is as good if not better than any modern paper filter.

[JWL]

Just to help you understand---the air filter is for stopping or reducing the "dirt" entering the carb and thus the combustion chamber. It has little or nothing to do with making dirty crankcase oil except that reducing the intake of contaminates will also reduce the rate of wear to components. The "dirt" in the oil is not dirt which is directly ingested through the air cleaner.

[G.M.]

When my engine ran in the 200 degree range I used a quart of oil in 500 miles and the oil got black fast. With Skips pumps it now runs in the 170 range and uses no oil in 1,500 miles driving on trips at 65 MPH. The oil is now a dirty yellow, not black. I used Castrol 20/50 for 115,000 miles since start up on this engine. At 85,000 I had to pull the pan because the oil P/U tube was loose and there was not a drop of sludge as advertised by Castrol. G.M.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by JWL

Just to help you understand---the air filter is for stopping or reducing the "dirt" entering the carb and thus the combustion chamber. It has little or nothing to do with making dirty crankcase oil except that reducing the intake of contaminates will also reduce the rate of wear to components. The "dirt" in the oil is not dirt which is directly ingested through the air cleaner.

Amen, and I think the key word here is "blow-by"

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Hank the 36

No. 2. I need some tips on a replacement oil filter, currently it's using a APCO A4 filter that's approx. 4.25 in Dia. and 5.00 tall. Any good quality replacements out there guys ?

If you are really serious about filtering out the bad stuff in your oil, you may consider installing a 2 micron filter such as this.

[John R]

For the OEM Ford filter canister, just be sure to use a filter element specifically designed for use in a bypass system. A bypass element is much finer (higher efficiency) than any full-flow element. The Baldwin P41, Purolator L30034 are examples.

[Ol' Ron]

I disagree with the use of 20-50 oil in our flatheads. The Factory recommended 10 winter 30 summer is still the best for the engine. The only thing the 20-50 oil does id raise the oil pressure, but restricts flow. The thinner oil cools the bearing as well as lubricate.. The bearing clearances in a stock flathead is as close as the new cars and they all run 5-20.

[Bob G/Spanaway]

I run 10-30 in all my flatheads. Good pressure, normal oil consumption.
Change it every 1000 miles.
Everything fine---life is good!

[Hank the 36]

Originally Posted by John R

For the OEM Ford filter canister, just be sure to use a filter element specifically designed for use in a bypass system. A bypass element is much finer (higher efficiency) than any full-flow element. The Baldwin P41, Purolator L30034 are examples.

Thanks everyone for all of the great input especially John R. I love asking questions on the Ford Barn and getting such a wide range of answers and there all good answers.
My estimate is I will be adding about 1 QT per 1,500/1,600 miles of driving and judging by some of these answers that seems about right. Plus some Zinc additive.

[Andy]

A modern carb vents the bowl internally. A 97 vents thru the little hole where the acc pump linkage spring mounts. A restrictive airfilter will thus richen the mixture at high speeds. I would get a really big low restriction air filter. Have you ever seen 97's with a tube running from above the bowl into the air horn? Old racing trick to eliminat somewhat the high speed enrichment.
A rich mixture will sure blacken the oil.

[paul2748]

If you run a 10/40, 20/50 or 15/40 (Diesel) oil you don't need the ZDDP additive