Beehive oil filter
 

I need some advice, I have an original Beehive oil filter. I ran it mounted on the firewall years ago. I used it at that time with a roll of tissue paper for a filter. I never had a problem with it. At that time it was in a 34 vicky, which I ran at the drags a number of times. That was thirty years ago I am now doing my 3 wdw and using the same engine that I ran in the Vicky . My question is should I run it again or am I creating more issues for my self. I like the idea of 5 quarts of oil instead of 4.Does the oil drain back into engine when not runing. Also is there a modern filter that fits an originl filter. Thanks Would like to know what you guys think. Stan

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Sure I'd run it, I don't think it will really work any different from a stock oil filter, which is fine. I think they even take a stock filter element, Napa 51006.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Stan, There have been several threads on this subject, you might use the thread search to access them. To my recollection, there were several iterations of the beehive, not all of which took the same filter cartridge. Post the brand name and model of yours, and hopefully someone with that knowledge will post an answer. Alternatively, take that info to NAPA for the correct filter.


I believe that all canisters had a return line above center, thereby creating a collection bowl for sediment. 5 is indeed better than 4, and the bypass system, depending on the filter used, is capable of filtering finer particles than a full flow.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Alan, thanks for your response. I went out to check for markings no brand name. Does have on the inlet side near fitting is marked A-4 Pat pending. On the bottom fitting it is marked outlet. No other identifacations.On the inside there is a spring with a large type of flat washer which i think is where th filter woud sit. I hope someone has the same and can help with filter type and number . Thanks again Stan

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Speedway sells them.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Does it look something like this one? It appears to have an A-4 on the side of the filter. What is odd is you say the bottom fitting is marked OUTLET, all of the beehives I have seen have the INLET at the Bottom and the OUTLET on the side.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Here are a couple of other photos from a thread on the HAMB.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ilter.1117137/

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

My error, Its hell getting older! After checking the inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is half way up. Sorry about that. After reading different info on these the inlet orfice dia is very small as to maintain oil pressure. When I ran it in the past I did not lose any oil pressure. First thing that I checked after installing it. I am using a Mellings pump. Stan

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

I don't think the TP in the filter would do much of anything (at least not anything constructive). The filter needs to be sealed top and bottom to force the oil through it. If the beehive has the same restrictor as the Ford units (which is around 0.060) then you can see any gaps or opening around the filter (or TP) would just by-pass it.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Just wondering, wouldn’t toilet paper break down and clog up somewhere? Why use it when filters are readily available?

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

It was a thing at one time. I think it was a specific type of heavy TP, but still? I really don't think much of anything happens because there is really no pressure on it (assumption on my part). because there is just no real way to seal it. The oil is just going to flow around it and not much of anything is going to happen, good, bad or otherwise.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

I agree. I just can’t fathom why one would use something you wipe your ass with in their machine in place of an engineered filter unless they live someplace where they can’t get one. Not as if the filter cost hundreds.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

After the fact it, It sure does seem weird now that I think about it. Ill just say that at the time the old timers said that is what they used. So I thought they should know. I ran it that way and never had an issue. Now I know better and will run a normal filter that will fit. Stan Thanks for all your input.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

ALAN READ YOUR REPLY AGAIN. i AM FROM THE BAY AREA ( RICHMOND) I now live in gardnerville,Nv. Past 15 years. Its a little slower pace and rural. Im 82 and we should know some mutual friends. I should say that are still with us. I have been into cars since the mid fifties. Stan

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Stan,


Check your PM's.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

My old man was a rep for Frantz, the people who made after market toilet paper oil filters for cars back in the '60's. They were bypass filters and the toilet paper could filter out much smaller particles than a standard full flow filter. They were actually advertised as "oil cleaners" and each one came with a piece of adhesive blotter paper similar to a regular oil change sticker. This special sticker was divided into 4 or 5 areas and the idea was to touch the dipstick to the blotter paper every 200 miles. You could actually see the oil get cleaner over the intervals. They actually seemed to work, and the full-flow plus bypass filter idea is commonly used in over the road trucks. The Frantz company also sold special toilet paper to be used in their units, but we always used the household stuff. There was a screen on the end of the filter compartment to keep the toilet paper in place. The Frantz filter was designed specifically for use with toilet paper and I can see some problems in using it as an element in a filter housing not designed specifically for it's use.

Some of the exact details may be a bit off, because this was over 50 years ago, but to the best of my recollection, that's the story on toilet paper filters.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Cool history lesson! Thanks Tubman for enlightening me, I’ve been wondering about this for a bit. Learn something every day.

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

Here's two shots of one we're working with at the moment, looks to still be a "nice" piece overall?

The third picture shows the one in position in the Merc happens to be the very same one, this was on a very close friend's ride, the same ride found in my "signature" below here.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Adds a quart to the system, uses a Fram PH8A type filter! It also requires "large" oil feed lines! This would be the one to use with the "95%" filtration mod?

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

They still exist. Some photos of the original units. No idea why they think these were better than normal filter maternal, but they sold them.

http://old.frantzfilters.com/

https://www.frantzfilters.com/

Re: Beehive oil filter
 

I have a Bee-Hive oil filter on my '36, it is mounted on the right side of the firewall, it has been on the car/engine since about 1953.
I had the 59AB engine rebuilt in 1959 following an event that resulted in a broken piston. The man that rebuilt the engine would not guarantee the rebuild if the filter was hooked up, therefore I never hooked the filter up. I have used the filter as a hide-a-key compartment every since.