Got a flathead 2 weeks ago that looks like itll run. Ill pull the heads off and oill pan just to make sure its all good and if it is, how do i get rid of all that dried up, sludgy oil out from under the intake? I know i could probably scrape it off but i dont want the chunks of crap falling some where and clogging up oil passages. So is there some thing i could use to flush out the whole block and something that wont kill the bearings?
I would get the big stuff out and leave the rest. Sometimes you can do more harm by messing with it. My 2 cents
A shop vac and a small scraper. Then run semi truck oil such as delo400. It will eat the rest in a few changes. Had a friends mother some time ago that thought you only changed your oil every 3000 miles. If she didn't get it changed at 3000 then she waited until the next 3000 came. We pulled the valve cover and there was 1/2in of hard sludge. Bought a case of cheap filters and some delo400 and changed the filter once a week and the oil every other time and by the 6th filter and 3rd change the sludge was all gone.
If it was mine i would take off the oil pan. then spray everything real good with oven cleaner. Hook a garden hose to the hot water heater and really clean it up. might take several applications. Dry it with compressed air and spray with WD40 to remove moisture and keep from rusting . OldWolf
i would take the inlet off and drop the sump and make sure the oil pump isnt blocked up then spray the whole lot with degreaser/diesel and jetwash off until clean. as most flatties dont have oil filters I wouldnt do what sidedump has mentioned - all that will happen is you will drag the sludge through the engine over and over again...
Thanks for the tips. And i could probably do what sidedump mentioned since mine does have an external filter.
The Jalopy Journal
