There are two types of oil petcock tools currently available through the vendors. I'd like to see vintage examples of both factory made and home made tools.
Mark, there are a bunch of them. I have one in each of my T's. I don't feel like taking pictures today!
Maybe some other day if you can. I'd live to see them.
In all the years of driving a T I never felt very confident with Henry's system of checking the oil. "Too much" is easy .... "too little" is also easy ... but inbetween is so fudgy. The glass sight gauges were also not so great. I had an "Akurat" repro in my last T but did worry about vibration breaking the fitting.
Getting ready to install the clear vinyl tube version with my retrofit which seems to work positively since it's system that doesn't require a vent.
Hmm .... well .... actually I'd love to see them. (Damned spell checker)
I know others disagree, but my gut feel is that if it's between the upper and lower, then it's alright. Someone on here once posted that they open the top petcock and fill till it runs out and then leave it open until it quits dripping. Quits dripping? So I guess if you closed it before that last drop fell, it'd be overfull? If it were THAT dang critical, there'd only be one. petcock!
As for the photo, I'll try to remember to take one tonight.
I have used a sight glass for many years but after reading about broken glass emptying the oil, I have taken it off for now. Don't know if I'll leave it that way or not. I did try replacing the glass with plastic tubing but couldn't get it to stop leaking. The plastic tubing between the two petcocks that Steve Jelf posted some time back looks like a pretty safe system, but I will need to buy a petcock opening tool to make it practical so this thread will be of interest to me too.
On a side note:
Before I replaced the rings on the worn out iron pistons I was running years ago, if there was any more than 3 quarts of oil the engine had no power.
After this latest rebuild, when I reassembled the totally dry engine I wanted to know exactly how much oil there is when it comes out of the upper petcock. In my case it was 3.93 quarts. So Henry's specification of a gallon of oil just slightly "overfills" the engine.
Mark
I have a couple of these, and some of the repops too. For me, I like checking the Ford way, and these tools make it easy.
The working end has a closed ended cup that the petcock handle nestles into, so you have solid control. The stick on the end clears dirt from the petcock to be sure you are checking a clear hole, and its not stopped up with road grime!
I really like the longer pick on the one with the elongated handle, it turns easy, you do need a good handle as that petcock can be stiff to turn, and it should be too
Very neat tool. So how do you check your oil to be sure it falls between the two petcocks as suggested?
Home made oil check tool.
Almost everybody has seen this, but here it is for the two people who haven't.
Mark,
If it runs out the top one, it's too full. If it doesn't run out the bottom, you're too low. If it doesn't run out the top one and it does run out the bottom one, then it's in between.
Crude but effective, and took all of 7 minutes to make.
Here's three different ones from our collection
I needed one a few years ago and happened to have a 1/2" thin wall 18" long that I used as a hydraulic jack handle. It had a slotted end to lock the jack and it worked perfect for the oil and also the radiator petcock. I also made one with 1/2" PVC. I drilled a hole in the back end for a nail to use for turning the tool. Last one is a 1/8" steel rod bent at one end for a handle and the other end has a clip I made with a piece of scrap. I will take pictures if I can find them all.
Hey Hal, Yeah I know the technique ... just think it's a dumb system. Steve's looks like proof positive to me. I'm just going one step further to keep the flexible tubing secure by extending the petcock.
I have several of the plain type I use in my cars, and a wood handle repro from the 60s era. But this is my favorite.
WHEN YOU THINK OF FORD
"THINK OF BLICK"
THOMAS J. BLICK
255-7 S BDWAY, BUFFALO, N. Y.
Sorry Mark.
Someone would've anyhow. :-)
And yet, how does one lightly swat the petcock handle to keep it closed so it stays there if not at close range?
Many very cool tools!
(Message edited by Duey_C on October 31, 2017)
Duey .... that's the same one I currently use. :-)
That's too funny! A plier. :-)
Here's mine. Not vintage, but certainly something someone might have done in the day.
This is the tool I use. It's the one tool that I never seem to misplace!
I've heard it said that if you use the plastic tubing, to close the petcocks when you're not actually checking the oil just in case the tubing comes off. Sounds like good advice!
I think the different accessory petcock tools are cool. Thanks to those who took the time to take and post pictures.
Chris I am with you, that is my tool of choice.
Chris L you beat me to it! LOL ;)
I generally use one similar to Chris. I have 2 of those. Sometimes you'll come across a stuck petcock and I will use plier in conjunction with the standard tool.
Andy
I have a few old original oil pet cock rods, but this is my favorite. This is very much like Donnie Brown's. I think it came from an old Ford dealer that was in St. Paul, Minnesota.