Installed Coolant Filter Today

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montanablueSJ
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Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by montanablueSJ »

Probably not really necessary, but I wanted a little extra insurance to keep the cooling system clean. I installed it after flushing and replacing the water pump. (GMB Aluminum pump, fits great, no clearance issues). Radiator has some corrosion so I wanted to protect the new water pump since I won't be replacing the rad.
I mounted the filter adapter on the inner fender well and it flows inline to the 5/8" heater core inlet. The adapter was $35 and filter $10. Both made by Wix. Hard to see in this pic, I'll upload some better ones tomorrow.
Also installed a GM style charcoal canister to replace the original AMC unit. It's a little big, so the factory clamp doesn't fit, but it was cheap and has all the ports (carb bowl, tank, purge, purge control)

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1981 Cherokee 2-door -- 360 V8 -- T-176 -- NP-208 -- Dana 44 + AMC 20 -- Narrow track, base model
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tgreese
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by tgreese »

Interesting. Is this cartridge designed for filtering coolant?

My mental picture of the cooling system says there is a lot of particulate c**p happily circulating. I wonder how long it will take for this cartridge to plug up? I expect you will know when the heater stops working.
Tim Reese
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Stuka
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by Stuka »

I think thats going to plug up on you pretty quickly. The cooling system has a decent amount of stuff floating around in it. But its good that it is only in the heater loop, and not the main cooling loop.

But I understand your idea. When i first got my old '65 Mustang it had sat for many many years. It was basically a roadkill adventure to get it home because the rad kept plugging with scale that was created while it sat. Even after i got it home, I had to pull the rad every day for about 2 weeks. Wish I had a centrifugal filter that I could have just cleaned.
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Cecil14
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by Cecil14 »

Pretty cool idea. I think I would've wanted the filter to hang down, though. Seems like it's going to be pretty messy to change that filter when the time comes, and you'll likel lose a decent bit of coolant as well. Wonder if it would be worth putting in some kind of shutoffs before and after the filter, like ball valves, maybe?


aa
1983 J-10 - 4.6L(MPFI)/CS130D/Hydroboost/NV3550/D300/44/44/3.54/Disc-Disc/32s/42 gallon 'burb tank

ShagWagon
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by ShagWagon »

I want a glass Pyrex one with an led light inside it.
87 Grand Wagoneer Rebuilt 360 by S&J, Fitech GO EFI 600, Novak in-tank fuel pump, Skyjacker Hydro 4" lift, BFG AT KO2 30", Dynamax Muffler, MSD distributor, MSD ignition, Edlebrock perf 4bbl intake, Elgin perf cam, Oil tube mod, Roller rockers, chrome molly lifters, HD alum radiator, Powermaster 150/100 alt, Alum HD water pump, Serhills tailgate harness, Cowl screen mod, Evil Twin grab handles, Rstep's custom AMC door lock knobs, all electrical works.
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montanablueSJ
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by montanablueSJ »

tgreese wrote:Interesting. Is this cartridge designed for filtering coolant?

My mental picture of the cooling system says there is a lot of particulate c**p happily circulating. I wonder how long it will take for this cartridge to plug up? I expect you will know when the heater stops working.
Yes, this is specifically for coolant. They are pretty common on large commercial diesels. Also for some Ford light duty pickups with the 6.0L diesel it became a common mod to protect the oil cooler. I have another filter waiting to change out after 1000 miles or so and see what it picks up.
1981 Cherokee 2-door -- 360 V8 -- T-176 -- NP-208 -- Dana 44 + AMC 20 -- Narrow track, base model
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montanablueSJ
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by montanablueSJ »

Cecil14 wrote:Pretty cool idea. I think I would've wanted the filter to hang down, though. Seems like it's going to be pretty messy to change that filter when the time comes, and you'll likel lose a decent bit of coolant as well. Wonder if it would be worth putting in some kind of shutoffs before and after the filter, like ball valves, maybe?


aa
True, it will be a mess to change out, but that was the most convenient place for me to mount it. Shutoff might help, will have to look into that.
1981 Cherokee 2-door -- 360 V8 -- T-176 -- NP-208 -- Dana 44 + AMC 20 -- Narrow track, base model

letank
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by letank »

montanablueSJ wrote:The adapter was $35 and filter $10. Both made by Wix.
Also installed a GM style charcoal canister to replace the original AMC unit.
Neat, please give us some parts number for the filter and the charcoal canister, I guess it is a Napa product?

I looked into this set up, and it seems that some devices are installed as a slow bypass between the in and out heater hoses to prevent plugging the heater core, but with the summer in full mode, no problems to stay warm.
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)
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rainman
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by rainman »

I installed a coolant filter a few years ago. If you don’t set it up in a bypass setup you will get very poor heater performance. It’s also best to mount it as low as possible since the debris you are trying to filter will sink when the engine is off.

I changed my first filter about a month after install. I cut it open and there was a lot of funk that it filtered out. The next one was in for a couple years and while I didn’t cut it open, plenty of particles drained out. I think that any engine that sat for a long time without running would benefit from filtering.
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montanablueSJ
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by montanablueSJ »

letank wrote:
montanablueSJ wrote:The adapter was $35 and filter $10. Both made by Wix.
Also installed a GM style charcoal canister to replace the original AMC unit.
Neat, please give us some parts number for the filter and the charcoal canister, I guess it is a Napa product?

I looked into this set up, and it seems that some devices are installed as a slow bypass between the in and out heater hoses to prevent plugging the heater core, but with the summer in full mode, no problems to stay warm.
Filter Base: Wix 24763
Filter: Wix 24070
1981 Cherokee 2-door -- 360 V8 -- T-176 -- NP-208 -- Dana 44 + AMC 20 -- Narrow track, base model
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Topic author
montanablueSJ
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Location: Colorado

Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by montanablueSJ »

Here's the new water pump. Unlike the old/incorrect pump, this one integrates fine with the fan clutch flange. However, the belts still don't line up with the crank pulley, something I thought would be resolved with the new pump since I believe the previous owner installed the shorter snout pump from earlier AMC V8s. Now I am starting to think the harmonic balancer was not installed correctly since the other pulleys line up, like the PS to water pump. It looks like the balancer might not be pressed in far enough, so I guess the balancer is next on the to do list...

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1981 Cherokee 2-door -- 360 V8 -- T-176 -- NP-208 -- Dana 44 + AMC 20 -- Narrow track, base model

letank
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Re: Installed Coolant Filter Today

Post by letank »

montanablueSJ wrote: However, the belts still don't line up with the crank pulley, something I thought would be resolved with the new pump since I believe the previous owner installed the shorter snout pump from earlier AMC V8s. Now I am starting to think the harmonic balancer was not installed correctly since the other pulleys line up, like the PS to water pump. It looks like the balancer might not be pressed in far enough, so I guess the balancer is next on the to do list...
Thank you for the ref numbers.

As for the harmonic balancer make sure that you get the installer tool, do not pound on the balancer or try to use the bolt to tighten the balancer, IIRC someone mentioned somewhere that the pounding can damage the thrust bearing, and for the tightening somebody broke the bolt inside the crank...
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)
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