Autopsy: 1,000-mile Motorcraft FL1A oil filter

[Exit32]

This Motorcraft FL1A oil filter was installed on my Cobra replica's 427 Ford side-oiler engine about two years ago and served for about 1,000 miles of driving on suburban and rural roads -- mostly 20- to 30-mile Sunday rides during summer months. While this filter was in service, the seven-quart sump was filled with 5W-40 Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic Heavy-Duty Engine Oil (HDEO).

The filter autopsy revealed healthy components. The back plate was robust and the gasket was in good condition. The nitrile anti-drainback valve was still very pliable. The filter media looked good. My only gripe is that I found some excess glue residue on one of the end caps, no doubt caused by sloppy application when this filter was manufactured.
Looking into the center tube, I found cleanly punched holes instead of the louvers we're seeing on many of today's oil filters.

To me, it looks like this filter did its job, so I replaced it with another Motorcraft FL1A. This time, I filled the sump with Mobil 1 15w-50 synthetic motor oil. Because of its cramped quarters, this engine tends to run a little hot and the higher viscosity of the 15w-50 oil should help maintain oil pressure a bit better.

See photos below:

 

[crazyoildude]

By the looks of that filter with that string that is an older Motorcraft filter before their quality hit bottom..I would not use one these days.. Im using fram ultra in its place.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I'd got fram ultra or mobil1.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I'm by no means a domestic car guy, but a classic like that deserves better. Try Napa Gold!

 

[FlyNavyP3]

I'm not a Ford guy by any stretch of the imagination. However I do love FE's and there is no finer FE than a 427, also IMHO no finer sounding 427 FE than one with side pipes in a Cobra. Very cool car. I'd say next year/OCI upgrade to a Wix/NAPA gold.Any details on the engine build/internals?

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
By the looks of that filter with that string that is an older Motorcraft filter before their quality hit bottom....

Thats what I was thinking, I have not seen that string in a while.

 

[Exit32]

Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
I'm not a Ford guy by any stretch of the imagination. However I do love FE's and there is no finer FE than a 427, also IMHO no finer sounding 427 FE than one with side pipes in a Cobra. Very cool car. I'd say next year/OCI upgrade to a Wix/NAPA gold.Any details on the engine build/internals?


When I built my Cobra replica, I located a brand-new (NOS) side-oiler block that was owned by a guy who raced big-block Fords back in the '60s and '70s. Because my Cobra would be driven primarily on the street, he suggested that we build a “stroker” by using a crankshaft from a Ford 428 engine in the 427 block. He said that the longer stroke of the 428 would deliver more low-end torque, which would be better for a street engine. Sounded like a reasonable idea to me, and he just happened to have a crankshaft from a 428 Cobra Jet engine ready to go -- complete with LeMans connecting rods and Jahns pistons.

Cylinder heads came from Dove Manufacturing located in Columbia Station, Ohio. I had heard about Dove from several people and knew they made excellent high-performance parts for FE engines. The Dove aluminum heads turned out to be a good choice for a Cobra replica because they reduce weight and run cooler than stock cast-iron heads.

Other bits and pieces include a Crower cam with solid lifters, Ford Performance Parts extruded aluminum rocker assemblies, Tony Branda T-sump oil pan, rebuilt Ford dual-point distributor, and Dove high-performance aluminum water pump. All this is topped off by chrome pent-roof rocker covers and a Holley 800 CFM double-pumper carb.

The intake manifold is interesting. Because the engine is positioned toward the passenger side of the car an inch-an-a-half off center, the intake manifold's carburetor mounting flange is positioned about an inch-and-a-half to the left of center to compensate and center the carb under the small hood scoop. It's an original Ford “side-winder” manifold, and it was popular with many Stock and Super Stock drag racers back in the day.

 

[53' Stude]

Very nice car

 

[kohnen]

Originally Posted By: Exit32
This time, I filled the sump with Mobil 1 15w-50 synthetic motor oil. Because of its cramped quarters, this engine tends to run a little hot and the higher viscosity of the 15w-50 oil should help maintain oil pressure a bit better.

"Cramped Quarters?!?!" That ain't NUTHIN' like the cramped quarters of a modern car!

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Originally Posted By: Exit32
Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
I'm not a Ford guy by any stretch of the imagination. However I do love FE's and there is no finer FE than a 427, also IMHO no finer sounding 427 FE than one with side pipes in a Cobra. Very cool car. I'd say next year/OCI upgrade to a Wix/NAPA gold.Any details on the engine build/internals?


When I built my Cobra replica, I located a brand-new (NOS) side-oiler block that was owned by a guy who raced big-block Fords back in the '60s and '70s. Because my Cobra would be driven primarily on the street, he suggested that we build a “stroker” by using a crankshaft from a Ford 428 engine in the 427 block. He said that the longer stroke of the 428 would deliver more low-end torque, which would be better for a street engine. Sounded like a reasonable idea to me, and he just happened to have a crankshaft from a 428 Cobra Jet engine ready to go -- complete with LeMans connecting rods and Jahns pistons.

Cylinder heads came from Dove Manufacturing located in Columbia Station, Ohio. I had heard about Dove from several people and knew they made excellent high-performance parts for FE engines. The Dove aluminum heads turned out to be a good choice for a Cobra replica because they reduce weight and run cooler than stock cast-iron heads.

Other bits and pieces include a Crower cam with solid lifters, Ford Performance Parts extruded aluminum rocker assemblies, Tony Branda T-sump oil pan, rebuilt Ford dual-point distributor, and Dove high-performance aluminum water pump. All this is topped off by chrome pent-roof rocker covers and a Holley 800 CFM double-pumper carb.

The intake manifold is interesting. Because the engine is positioned toward the passenger side of the car an inch-an-a-half off center, the intake manifold's carburetor mounting flange is positioned about an inch-and-a-half to the left of center to compensate and center the carb under the small hood scoop. It's an original Ford “side-winder” manifold, and it was popular with many Stock and Super Stock drag racers back in the day.


Very cool collection of new and old FE parts, the intake manifold, LeMans rods, NOS Side Oiler block, and 428 CJ crank are all in their own right incredible finds, the combination of them is absolutely incredible. I was really hoping this was a LeMans rod engine, such a cool history to those rods. I also love that you stuck a solid camshaft in it, it deserves it for the sound and performance. Do you happen to know the specs on the camshaft? Also what is the final displacement with the 428 crank in the larger bore 427?

It has to be an animal in a Cobra, traction I assume is somewhat limited on street tires. Very cool engine. I'd probably find a different oil filter for it next time, love the choice in oil.

 

[Exit32]

Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3

Very cool collection of new and old FE parts, the intake manifold, LeMans rods, NOS Side Oiler block, and 428 CJ crank are all in their own right incredible finds, the combination of them is absolutely incredible. I was really hoping this was a LeMans rod engine, such a cool history to those rods. I also love that you stuck a solid camshaft in it, it deserves it for the sound and performance. Do you happen to know the specs on the camshaft? Also what is the final displacement with the 428 crank in the larger bore 427?

It has to be an animal in a Cobra, traction I assume is somewhat limited on street tires. Very cool engine. I'd probably find a different oil filter for it next time, love the choice in oil.


I appreciate your interest. The cam is a Crower 16357 which is meaningless unless you happen to have the cam card to see all the specs for this camshaft, and I just happen to have that. See photo below.

Thought you'd also like to see a photo of the LeMans rods. This is a scan of a pre-digital photo so the quality isn't the best. The photo was taken by the engine builder before final assembly.

Given the unanimous advice to ditch the Motorcraft FL1A and replace it with a NAPA Gold, Mobil 1, or Fram Ultra oil filter, I've decided to do just that. Thanks to all who helped convince me to make the upgrade. Because the new oil has zero miles on it, I'll just remove the existing FL1A, replace it, and add about a quart of 15W-50 to compensate.

Here's the Crower Cam Card and a photo of the LeMans rods and Jahns pistons:

 

[FlyNavyP3]

That Crower Camshaft is pretty serious, I like it! I bet it sounds absolutely incredible through the side pipes. Probably has a slightly rough idle as well. You have a very stout combination, it must be a blast to drive! I also forgot to mention the use of Jahns pistons, I've built a few engines with them in the past to include a 303 Oldsmobile and a 392, 331, 354 Chrysler Hemi. You just don't see them anymore and I'm not sure if they're even still in business, all the sets I used were all NOS parts that had been around a very long time.

Glad to hear you elected to change filters, would it have survived, probably. But why risk it on a collection of amazing (and rare) internal engine parts. What filter did you elect to go with? If you wanted to stick with a Ford filter the Ford Racing CM-6731-FL1A in my experience is a solid filter, as is the Wix racing filter PN 51515R. Both of those filters are tailored specifically to high performance engines and have the flow rate designed as such (likely at the expense of ultra fine hyper filtration) we have been running the Chevrolet version of the Wix racing filter on our drag race Big Block Chevrolet for 8 seasons and have yet to cut and inspect one that was faulty or had any issues with the media. As always YMMV.

 

[stenerson]

Originally Posted By: Exit32
This Motorcraft FL1A oil filter was installed on my Cobra replica's 427 Ford side-oiler engine about two years ago and served for about 1,000 miles of driving on suburban and rural roads -- mostly 20- to 30-mile Sunday rides during summer months. While this filter was in service, the seven-quart sump was filled with 5W-40 Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic Heavy-Duty Engine Oil (HDEO).



I've run that filter in my Ram several times for 10 - 12K ocis. Opened them up and everything looked good. I'm talking within the last 3 years, the cheaply priced ones sold at Walmart... It's an oversized filter for my truck, the stock filter is about half it's length, which makes me feel better about the long ocis.