M38A1 oil filter elements - CDN or US?
 

In preparation for sometime spinning the stagnant motor and converting hydrocarbons into noise and exhaust, I decided to look for oil filter cartridges. My manuals (thanks Alex) show an early filter with a spinner bar on top called a CUNO (which I instantly remembered from my D&M course was called a stupid idea) and then later on the more conventional FRAM cannister.

The actual cannister lid is stamped to reuse with an MS35346-1, which my parts manual ignores and illustrates as a FRAM 119952. Many parts suppliers online sell an M38A1 filter element and gasket, sometime even using this number, but are naturally circumspect about what else it is called.

Trolling around the internet I found the M38A1's called the "Military Junior Oil Filter". My question is what will fit my CDN3? Should I worry about a late Canadian vs an early or middle US? I like to think this last series evolved out most of the dumber ideas and underachieving parts.

One internet site referred to the 119952 as a "Military Junior Oil Filter", for use on several smaller US production M vehicles. This turned up several names of the same cylindrical insert with a little wire bale for retrieval - NAPA #1100; FRAM C-21, C40 or C4; AC P-115; WIX 51100; Purolator P-51, P34 or PD34; Hastings 207; or New Holland C7NN-6N604-A.

So, can anyone corrobarate that a CDN3 will use any of these filters?

Hi Terry,

I unfortunately dont have an answer for your filter problem, though i might suggest, if you dont have any luck finding an answer from the good folk here, maybe try over on the M38 forums on www.g503.com/forums. I`m sure you'll find some help there.

Cheers,
Ian.

"the other forum"
 

Yes, that is where I found many of those numbers. But the Rusty Old Truckers there have almost exclusively US pattern trucks. The CDN2 and 3 Jeeps are just a little different, and wanted some ground truth from another Canadian Jeep owner.

Good Question
 

Terry, Ping Gunner (Mike Calnan). He owns a few of them there jeeps...

I will bet you a beer at Gracie's.....
 

....it's the same size as the M37....... and the NAPA #1100 fits like a glove.

Used to go for about $7 now probably $11.9999...... if you get it from an official Jeep site...... prepare to pay for the convenience.....

Bob

Don't take Bob's bet, you will lose your beer. The Cdn 3 (and the Cdn2) had some late changes compared to the earlier production US M38A1s, but the Military Junior oil filter was not one of them. It was a military standard, and was used from the 50s through to the end of production. That NAPA number quoted will do just fine.

Some of the changes you will find on a Cdn3 which differ from the earlier jeeps include the self adjusting, self actuating brakes, the solid state turn signals (although these were later retrofitted onto the Cdn2s), the re-enforced frame over the front of the rear spring shackles (earlier M38A1s were prone to cracking in this area), and the hinges for the hood were closed style so if you forgot to latch your hood, it did not come bouncing over the windshield towards your head. The rear axle was a slightly different style with a fine spline Dana 44 diff and one piece semi floating axles. Seat belts were also factory, with the backing washers welded to the body. There were likely a dozen other changes too, and if you have a Cdn parts manual with all the amendments, it showed the unique Cdn 2 parts as well as those parts which were unique to the Cdn3.

Thanks Rob, I knew Boob was pulling my chain. (But I did see him at Gracies on Friday, and we had a similar discussion.)

These little differences are the things to keep in mind when I see For Sale listings on US sites. The canvas is different, the alternator looks different, and of course the great heater are changes between Canadian and US manufactures.