Best oil filter for 1965 AMC Rambler American

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It's time to change my '65 Rambler's oil and filter, but I need help to decide which oil filter is best. Currently, there's a NAPA 1049 oil filter on the engine (196 cu in OHV in-line six), but with this filter I've noticed the oil-pressure idiot light stays on for four or five seconds when the engine is started after sitting overnight.

As you can see in the photo below, the oil filter mounts onto the engine at an angle, so it's possible the oil is draining out of the filter overnight. Perhaps there's a filter with a better anti-drainback valve for this application?

Here's a summary of my research for compatible filters:

Oil Filter "Full-Flow, Spin-On type, Full-Size" --

Stude AC3311
Hastings 212
NAPA 1055, 1049
Wix 51049, 7, PC55
Purolater PER5
Baldwin V9A, B9
AC PF31
Fram PH11, HP2
STP S07
Motorcraft FL2DP

Oil Filter "Full-Flow, Spin-On type, Short-Style" --

Stude NSN
Hastings 222, P222
NAPA 1618, 1258
Wix 51258
Purolater PER33
Baldwin V39A
AC PF24, PF30
Fram PH25
STP S024
Motorcraft FL9DP

It appears that many of these oil filters are obsolete or unobtainable. I'd appreciate any advice you can offer. Thanks!


 
Exit32, if that's a picture of your car, I'm insanely jealous.

The WIX site specs a 51258 for your car. NAPA Gold number would be 1258. The NAPA 1049 you're currently using does not state that it has an ADBV, while the 51258 does. Maybe that's your issue.
 
Ok, so the PH5 has a larger gasket diameter than the PH11.

If your filter mount can accommodate the larger gasket, then you are good to go.

PH5
Base Gasket I.D. 3.14
Base Gasket O.D. 3.563

PH11
Base Gasket I.D. 2.422
Base Gasket O.D. 2.797
 
Superb-love the picture
I'm a bit down on Baldwin-Hastings I'd go with a TG or XG or a Napa Gold-Wix
 
My local NAPA Auto Parts store is only five minutes away, so I'm inclined to go with the NAPA Gold 1258. I appreciate all the advice and have included a photo the car itself.

This ol' Rambler has 51,000 original miles on it now. I'm the second owner. It's a very basic car, equipped with a six-cylinder engine, three-on-the-tree manual transmission with overdrive, and an AM radio. No power steering and no power brakes, but it does have a power-operated convertible top. It runs and drives as if new; no squeaks or rattles. The car spent most of its 50 years in Arizona, so there's not a speck of rust. The previous owner had it repainted once, and my wife and I detailed the engine and the engine compartment. The color of the paint on the engine is correct. It's called Rambler AMC Metallic Blue (Seymour EN-66).

 
Originally Posted By: Exit32
My local NAPA Auto Parts store is only five minutes away, so I'm inclined to go with the NAPA Gold 1258. I appreciate all the advice and have included a photo the car itself.

This ol' Rambler has 51,000 original miles on it now. I'm the second owner. It's a very basic car, equipped with a six-cylinder engine, three-on-the-tree manual transmission with overdrive, and an AM radio. No power steering and no power brakes, but it does have a power-operated convertible top. It runs and drives as if new; no squeaks or rattles. The car spent most of its 50 years in Arizona, so there's not a speck of rust. The previous owner had it repainted once, and my wife and I detailed the engine and the engine compartment. The color of the paint on the engine is correct. It's called Rambler AMC Metallic Blue (Seymour EN-66).





Oh my goodness!! That is so nice..
 
Nice! Was that the last car made with vacuum-powered wipers? I'd forgotten they used them, or the ancient long-stroke 196, that recently. As I recall, earlier Americans used a flat-head version of the same engine, and later ones came with a 199 cubic-inch variant of then then-modern 7-bearing 232 that appeared in other models in '64.

My parents briefly owned a '59 Classic with the 196. It had the first spin-on oil filter I'd ever seen, a very peculiar innovation.
 
Don't trust whats on there already being the right one or cross reference pages. The 1059 doesn't show an antidrain back valve. Look up each brand with current catalogs.

Baldwin B9 contains antidrainback valve and is specd for your engine.
Fram PH11 contains antidrainback valve and is specd for your engine.
Napa 1258 / Wix 51258 contains antidrainback valve and is specd for your engine.
 
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The oil filter also has to be fresh. Sometimes old stock hardens up on the media. I would start with the oil sender, clean the hole in it, check oil pump tolerances, and blame the oil filter last. Oil thickness matters too as it takes time to get to the sender.

Nice car, I had the 65 Classic with the newer engine. The Nash I had, 56 Statesman, had the same engine you have with a spin on bypass filter on a bracket up top. My dad and I rebuilt the Nash engine in the garage. I like the transmission, always looked for those. Not a lot of people seem to know how to use them or know what they are these days.
 
It's almost certainly the ADBV that is causing the issue, and maybe if you are running "synthetic" oil. You have not stated the oil?

Some syns tend to drain-off more than others. Slow to come up to pressure is a classic example of no ADBV and low surface tension (syn) oil ...

Put on the right filter first. Then think about the oil ... If it were me, it'd be Baldwin all the way
smile.gif


This does not look like a daily driver. So sitting and synthetics are not always a good combo ...

For a car that can sit a week at a time, it's often best to use a premium dino oil or a really good Group III.

For that classic engine, I'd prolly run Delo 400 15W-30 SD (severe duty). You don't need the SD part. But the premium conventional oil part would prolly help a good bit in offsetting any drain-off
smile.gif
 
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My grandmother had a 64 Rambler. There was a strange notation in the owners manual that if you selected 2nd on the automatic transmission gear selector that the trany would pull out from a complete stop in second gear, and first gear would not be used.
 
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