MTFCA Forum

I saw this in Dukes encyclopedia, but I have never seen one in person.

Matt

Hi Matt, If you still have that 1917 Chevy 490 and it has a original engine go look at it. The early Chevy 490's, up to 1919 I think, had a plunger type cam operated oil pump like the one you show in Dykes Manual. The later Chevy 490's used a gear driven oil pump driven off the back of the generator- distributor drive.

Keith,
Yes I did see this in the 1917 Chevy. But I have never seen someone drill a hole in the side of the block in make a oil pump off the great shaft. For most model tease I would not want to do that. But it seems like it may be a good idea for a speedster or something like that.

Matt

Matt, In one of the Ford T speedster books, Speed & Sport or Fast Ford, it shows using the early Chevy 490 oil pump on a Model T engine cam lobe. The problem Chevy had with the pump is its low volume, but it only pumps oil to the dip tray in a 490, that is why Chevy went to the later gear type pump. I think the T racers that did this were in the late teens to early 20's and pumped oil from a small oil tank into the front of the engine on longer races. I will have to go back and look for the article in the book when I have some time.

Kieth,
Thanks for your insight!

It seems like the movement of the cam shaft is very small. And I would agree not too much oil.

Matthew