OT Antique Car Problem

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: OT Antique Car Problem
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 10:31 am:

First off I've been working on antique cars for over 50 years but have a problem I've never experienced before. My 1917 Maxwell engine had a total rebuild and I put 4 quarts of 30w non-detergent oil I got from Advance Auto in the engine. I've been out of the cat hobby for the last 15 years and was very surprised to see the oil come out crystal clear but thought it was something new in the way oil was now refined. Anyone else notice this or did I get some defective oil?
Second problem is I can't get this car to stop leaking! Every plug has been tightened to the point that I believe the next step is stripping them and they still leak. The oil pan, wet clutch bellhousing and transmission all have pipe plugs that still drip, the shaft that has the oil level gauge float arm leaks and now all 15 of the oil pan bolts have started to drip!! It's almost like instead of oil I added that gear oil that has the ability to climb gears to my crankcase? Has anyone else seen this water clear oil and had oil leakage problems like this?
I'm having sooo many problems with this car that I have never experienced before that my brother recently suggested maybe I needed to perform an exorcism on it!

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Burger in Spokane on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 11:28 am:

I used chocolate pudding and have experienced no leaks at all ! :-)

Sometimes a guy just has to think "outside the box". :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Todd on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 11:37 am:

Are you sure that that's not synthetic oil? That's what it sounds like, clear like water and leaks all over.
Check w/Advance Auto about it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 12:51 pm:

If the plugs are below the oil I would start by draining the oil out. Then I would take the plugs out and put a little of the white Permatex thread sealer on them. You could also use the soft copper crush washers and sealer in places like the pan bolts.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Wrenn on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 07:45 pm:

Ken I was thinking the same thing earlier, but was reluctant to mention it. Had a captain buddy a few years ago put synthetic oil in his Detroit Diesel engine in his boat only to come back the next day to find ALL the oil in his bilge and the engine virtually bone dry! One reason why I'll stick to "real oil" as long as the industry lets me. By the looks of the shelves, it won't be for much longer either.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kevin Whelihan on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 08:12 pm:

HMMMM? I must just be lucky because I run synthetic oil in my "T" and don't have any leaks. I also run it in my truck, car, boat (4 stroke), four wheeler, and John Deere rider and don't have any leaks in those either. Gosh! Maybe I should buy a Lotto ticket.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Whaley, Georgetown Ontario Canada on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 08:12 pm:

Howard,

Do the bottles say "motor oil" or "lubricant" on them.

I picked up some Castrol SAE 30 non detergent "lubricant" last year and it is designed for compressors. It is crystal clear. I wasn't even looking when I picked them up.....onpy noticed when I opened the first one and it was the color of water. Comes in the same bottle with the same markings, only difference is that it says "lubricant" on the bottle instead of "motor oil"


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 08:52 pm:

Greg, I wished I could go back and check but I threw the bottles away when I filled the engine several months ago. One thing I found interesting is after Ken's reply I typed " synthetic oil" into Google and it automatically filled in "leaks"
Seems I'm not the only one having this trouble as the internet is full of leaks questions. Now all I have to do is find good old fashioned "crude"

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Whaley, Georgetown Ontario Canada on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 09:17 pm:

My experience with Synthetic oil is that it doesn't cause leaks, it simply cleans out the crud that was stopping the leaks in the first place. With your engine being a new rebuild, I doubt that the oil is causing the leaks.

I think Mark has the right idea. A little sealant on the plugs and copper washers.

For the cost of the oil, I would replace what is in the engine with some good old fashioned SAE30 non detergent oil. Not synthetic, not clear, just good old cheap straight 30.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Whaley, Georgetown Ontario Canada on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 09:23 pm:

I just went out the garage and opened up the SAE30 "lubricant" just to see how thin it is.

This stuff is pretty thin. I didn't have any SAE30 "motor oil" to compare it to, but I do have some 5W30 and the clear stuff looks a lot thinner to me. Pours almost like water.....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 10:07 pm:

I don't get why you are using non-detergent oil in a newly rebuilt engine........


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 10:18 pm:

I think Greg may be on to it as the kit to service my air compressor had 2 quarts of oil for compressors in it and it was clear.
And the compressor has some dampness around gasket surfaces and it was new when i bought it in 2010.

I see it often on tractor restorations that folks clean them up real good and paint them and a few months later they are covered with oil.
A little pipe dope or thread tape or something along that line on the bolts would help slow it down alot for cheap.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Clayton Swanson on Saturday, September 06, 2014 - 10:31 pm:

i am with craig, forget the non detergent in a in a fresh motor. thats for old motors that grew up with the stuff, and have crud caked all over the block, and you want it to stay caked to the block. new motor, use new technology oil


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Stroud on Sunday, September 07, 2014 - 02:45 am:

Non detergent maybe for the first oil change. I have heard somewhere years ago that the non detergent oil was supposed to help seat the rings? Dunno. Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Stroud on Sunday, September 07, 2014 - 02:46 am:

I like how spell check flagged non, but not dunno. Oh well. Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By keith g barrier on Sunday, September 07, 2014 - 07:07 am:

Non detergent oil for the first 500 miles, this has pretty much been the standard practice for as long as I can remember. It is for the purpose of seating rings and running in other parts, do as you wish. KGB


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration