I'm trying to change the oil in my 1950 Chevy ton and a half but I'm having trouble I'm 22 and fairly new at this any help is appreciated. I was told that oil filters were optional then but not sure.
Funny thing happened last week. The son of a family I do a lot of work for booked in his car for an oil change. He asked if he could watch and learn. Usually I try and keep people out of the shop, but they are a good family. So my apprentice did his oil change and carefully explained everything we do. Of course this was on an OT ride. But perhaps something you might want to consider. I was happy to give the kid the some knowledge. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Frankenchev, good for you not being afraid to ask. Buy yourself a factory manual that will explain lots of things you need to know. And as suggested find a local that can and will explain it. There is a drain on the bottom of the oil pan, you MAY have a filter. A friend that was MUCH older then you didn't ask for help and wound up draining the transmission and couldn't figure out why the engine dipstick still showed oil.
I've had good luck on Ebay finding manuals. Sometimes you can find factory manuals that have been converted to DVD, which make them very easy to use, store, and search. They don't have the smell and feel of the real deal manual though. Any chance you have someone near you that is a car guy? Having someone that can go over the basics (fluid changes, tune up basics) with you is priceless.
Welcome to the Hamb Often there will be videos on youtube that are most helpful, - if you can't find a Hamber close by that can personally show you. But please don't be scared away from the hamb by this comment. One way to learn is to ask.
It appears there's a shop manual for your truck (along with many other old Chevys) available online here: http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com
Oil filter was optional on your engine. If you have one, it will be a can about the size of a coffee can on the left side of the engine in front of the carburetor. Best to change oil when the engine is hot and oil is thin and free flowing. Get under and take out the drain plug. If you use ramps or jack up the vehicle be sure there is no mistake about it. DO NOT trust a jack, use jack stands or blocks NOT cement blocks. Every year guys get squashed, don't you be the next. With the drain plug out let the oil drain into a pan. Inspect the gasket, if it is worn put on a new one. You should need a new one every 3 or 4 oil changes. If it leaks do not over tighten, that is how plugs get stripped. While the oil is draining you can take a grease gun and grease all the fittings. Wipe them off with a rag first so no dirt goes in. If you have a filter it should be changed every 5000 miles. Oil should be changed every 1000 without a filter , 2000 with. If you use modern oil and drive in a clean environment you can stretch this out. The filter should have a big bolt on top. Unscrew the bolt, take off the lid and you can pull out the filter. It should have a wire bail or handle on top. Have a pail or plastic bag handy to put it in. Wipe out the housing with rags or waste and put in a new filter. We used to use a suction gun to***** out excess oil. O ya, there may be a drain plug on the bottom, that you can drain out the oil first. Some have a drain plug and some don't. Pop in a new filter and don't forget to replace the gaskets on the lid. With the filter in place you can pour fresh oil over the filter so it doesn't have to fill from the crankcase. This step is optional but recommended. Wipe a little oil or grease on the gasket so it will seal better and not stick when you take it apart next time. There used to be a whole list of things that went with an oil change and lube job. Grease fittings, oil hood hinges and door hinges, check battery, inspect tires and check pressure, check emergency brake cables and adjustment, check air filter, clean and oil the oil filler cap etc. This should all be laid out in the owner's manual or service manual.
This friend of mine called me at work once to say she was having trouble putting oil in her car. She says " I checked the dipstick and it was a little low. I added oil and filled it to the top but it still says low" Turns out she was filling the PS pump. IF you have the original inline 6 the oil filter will be mounted on the intake manifold with a couple of hoses going down to the block http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/296193/
Never stop asking questions, the more you ask the more you learn. Also check the stovebolt forum. Not much hasn't been asked about these trucks there already. This is the shop manual for that truck:
Things we take for granted. We all learned from asking. 35years ago I was just starting out in the business. A friend was teaching me how to do this. Funny thing was when i was greasing the front end.. I tried to grease the brake bleeders too and couldnt figure out why they wouldnt take any grease. Took me a year to live that one down. I'll never stop learning I'll Never know it all.
Thank you guys soooo much... it's great that there's so many people willing to help, even though it's something simple I appreciate it and will definitely be picking up a manual. I just recently moved to oregon and I dont know anyone here so I can't really ask besides here.
When you go to drain oil, run engine beforehand, to help it run out from being hot as others said, but it is also a good time to clean internally. I use a product that I pour into engine, run for ten minutes, then take sump plug out. Whole mixture comes out, and hopefully engines nice and clean inside, ready for fresh oil. I read here last week, someone uses ATF ( ******* fluid) to do same job. I just buy my additive from the parts store. There's several different brands available.
Lol. No, she wouldn't of got it. Intelligence wasn't one of her better qualities. Haha Here is a link to the manual online, but the hard copy is so convenient to take over to he car when you need it. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/ Edit: this is for cars not trucks, sorry. Truck manual http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/index.htm
As previously mentioned, buy a "Factory Chevrolet" shop manual, (either original or reprint), for your year of truck. Much better than a Chilton's or Haynes, and it would be specific to your truck. It would be the best investment that you could make in your truck.
...........................I believe this is where some of you guys in Oregon might be able to step up and kinda take this young man under your wing. He seems like a very sincere and appreciative young person.
I once heard of a young guy that was trying to get an old Chrysler running and when he drained the oil he used his trusty 5 quart drain pan and pulled the drain plug. A large pool of very black oil covered the garage floor and he found out the trans and engine shared an 11 quart sump.
Your oil filter will not be part of the engine like a late model motor it will be in a canister that is hanging up toward the top of the motor somewhere. This is rich my friend. LMFAO One time when I was in high school I got really intoxicated and forgot to put the little rubber washer looking gasket in my '55 fords canister type of filter and fired it up and proceeded to make asphalt out of my gravel drive. I lit it off, then checked the oil after because it wasn't showing any pressure, it was pretty near empty. I counted the oil cans several times before I looked under there and found the problem.
FrankenChev, PM me if you want someone to walk you through it. I'm in West Salem and know those old stovebolt engines pretty well.
Here is a Chev engine with oil filter, it is the orange thing in front of the carburetor. If there is nothing there on your truck you don't have a filter and can skip the whole changing the filter thing. If you do have a filter it only needs to be changed every second oil change if that. Life of filter 5000 miles or more.
All this talk of oil changes etc. , reminds me of a very old blonde joke : A blonde came in and asked for a seven-hundred-ten cap We all looked at each other and another customer asked, 'What is a seven-hundred-ten cap ?' She replied, 'You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine, I have lost it and need a new one..' She replied that she did not know exactly what it was, but this piece had always been there. The mechanic gave her a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710. He then took her over to another car which had its hood up and asked 'is there a 710 on this car?' She pointed and said, 'Of course, its right there.'
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