1952-59 Ford Help

So I changed the oil today, pretty straight forward, even I thought I couldn't mess it up. I drained the pan then pulled the cap off the filter canister and pulled the filter. After pulling the filter I noticed about an inch of oil still in the canister. I couldn't figure out how to get it out so I just used a bunch of towels to soak it up. It seemed to work fine. I replaced the filter and then put 4 1/2 quarts back into it. Ran it for a while, took it for a quick drive. Now the canister lid is leaking. I took the lid off again and the canister was overflowing. Do I need to soak some of this up or will it eventually redistribute throughout the engine? Also and ideas about the inch or so of oil left in the canister after pulling the filter?

Thanks

chris

 

Oh, the joys of flathead ownership! And you're just getting started!

The residual oil and gook in the filter canister is pretty much normal with a dirty flathead. So is the overflow you mention. Both are an indication that the line running from the bottom of the canister to the block is partially or fully plugged.

The line can be removed easily, cleaned and put back into place. You'll still need to wait a bit before taking the top off the canister, and there will still be some residue at the bottom, but this will improve the situation.

Flathead engines like yours use a partial-flow filtering system, unlike the full-flow filter system in most modern engines. This means that only about 10% of the oil pumped by the oil pump gets filtered, the other 90% byp***es the filter and goes directly to the bearings. This is not a very efficient system, but it is better than nothing...but not much.

The other culprit is the lack of a Positive Crankcase Ventilation system. The road draft tube vents most of the oil "mist", combustion by-products and water vapor produced by the engine...but not all of it. Some of it remains in the engine and quickly contaminates the oil.

Heavily contaminated oil and a p***-poor filtering system results in very dirty motors inside. The final "bad guy" is the low- or non-detergent oils most flatheads have run for most of their lives. This allows the gunk to coat the inside of the engine and settle in the bottom of the oil pan with little or no cleansing effect, because these oilder oils did not have the detergent additives which keep contaminents suspended so that they will be flushed out when the oil is changed.

The normal first reaction is to use a "motor flush" or a high detergent oil to get rid of all that gunk that's built up inside your motor. This is not a good idea.

Modern oils are very high detergent and will loosen great amounts of the built up gunk very quickly. This loosened gunk, sometimes in large chunks and globs, will be circulated with the engine oil and can, as you have discovered, clog oil p***eges, including the small line we've already discussed. This is not good.

This also loosens large amounts of gritty contamination as well, 90% of which is pumped directly to the bearings, as we discussed before. This is also not good.

The best way, in my humble opinion, to deal with this situation...without dis***embling the engine, which would be the ideal way to deal with it...is to use a low-detergent oil and change it and the filter very often. This will loosen the gunk slowly and will allow it to be removed from the engine during frequent oil/filter changes before it can do any damage to the bearings or clog any oil p***eges. Eventually you will find your oil getting dirty more slowly. This is an indication that the motor is finally getting clean.

In my opinion, Valvoline Racing Oil, 20-50, is best for this process. It is low detergent, because it is a racing oil and designed to be changed frequently, and contains a lot of ZDDP, the additive which protects flat tappet cams and lifters, which flatheads have.

Lastly, in the box with the filter (I recommend WIX filters) comes a new gasket for the canister lid. Use it. And be sure to get the lid on straight, and tighten the nut securely. There's a reason that gasket is in there...

You can ask me how I know all this...but I'll never admit it.

 

I too was wondering about the oil left remaining at the bottom of the cannister. I spoke to a guy down the street who had a '53 Victoria last year- he's a mechanic. He said he just leaves it in there, but that if I really wanted it out, I could use a turkey baster. Since this is my first old ride, and I am extremely hesitant to monkey with the works, I left it in. I need to familiarize myself with the system a bit more.

Eric, how often should I be changing the oil? I changed it right after I drove the few hundred miles back from Minnesota when I bought it (last year) and have only put about 700 miles on it since then- alot of local driving.

Thanks

 

Like Chris, I use paper towels to clean out the canister. It's messy, but it only takes a few minutes and I feel a lot better about the quality of my oil change.

In his case, I'd say change the oil every 50 miles or less until it starts looking more like oil and less like tar when it comes out. More often if the oil starts looking like tar sooner than that. If at all possible, he should drop the pan and scoop out the goop by hand. This will greatly speed up the cleanout process...and be much easier on his bearings in the meantime.

On a well-maintained car that is driven daily I'd say change the oil and filter every 1000 miles. It is not necessary to use Valvoline Racing Oil on clean flathead engines. An "on-road" oil will do just fine as the higher detergency is a plus, not a minus, in a clean motor. The higher the amount of ZDDP the better, in my opinion. There are a number of threads about the brand of oil flathead guys perfer to use here on the HAMB.

On a well-maintained car that is not driven daily, I'd suggest every 500 miles or every two months, whichever comes sooner. Again, a more conventional motor oil is probably a better choice. Use an oil with as high a ZDDP content as possible. Again, lots of HAMB threads on this subject.

But your eyes and your nose should be your guide. It the oil is black, change it. If it smells "crankcase-y", change it. Both signs are indications that the oil has become contaminated beyond its ability to cope.

As I mentioned earlier, the filter system in a stock '49-up flathead is far from efficient and leaves far more grit and contamination in the oil than it takes out.

I would also venture that an aftermarket PCV system would be a wise addition to a street-driven flathead. They are available on the internet. Thought not as efficient as an OEM PCV system, one of these would be better than no PCV system at all.

Oil changes are a h***le, but they are relatively cheap. In my humble opinion, the money you spend for oil changes and grease jobs will earn the best return on investment of any you make on your car.

 

When I first picked up the car, I noticed that after running it for a while the radiator would leak. Today, I filled it up again, took almost a gallon. Then I noticed a little leak down on the left side of the radiator. I believe it's the overflow hose. I'm thinking I need something on the end of that hose/pipe but I'm not sure what to do with it.

 

Be careful of your dog! Warm anti-freeze smells like candy to them, BUT IT IS DEADLY POISON! I lost one of my best dogs by not disposing of overflow properly. It only takes a few licks and the effects are unreversable.

Your situation is pretty much normal for a flathead. They run hot and boil after being shut off. The steam pushes coolant out the overflow to be lost on the ground. (This is where the dogs will get into it! They will even eat the dirt which has absorbed the coolant just to get it!)

Use a coolant recovery system to get this problem under control. Be sure to mount the catch can high enough that the coolant will be siphoned back into the radiator properly. Also, spend a couple extra bucks and get "low-tox" anti-freeze which is less toxic to animals...it will still kill them, but they must ingest more of it for it to be deadly.

I think this will minimize the problem you have, although it may not eliminate it entirely. Be sure to check the rest of your system to be sure you don't have any other leaks.

Hope this helps.