Outside Oiling System for hill climbing: What would work best for me?

[Matt in California]

I am making to take the T in the mountains for camping. This would involve going up continuous grades of more than 6% for many miles. And certainly, I would need to go above 10% grade in some sections. A friend of mine agreed in the sanity of this idea and suggested that I get an outside oil line installed. I have no excuse with a inventory of choices of outside oilers that I acquired over time, but never took the time to add them to my car.

I will show what I have and I am open to suggestions of what to use or avoid.

Option 1 Hill & Dale

Note someone didn’t want oil on their bands!

Option 2 Ford Faithful I use this on an engine stand because the oil line was plugged.

Option 3 NOS Modern Taiwan T-3082 BS this maybe 20-30 years old. The main assembly is aluminum.

[speedytinc]

The "TEXAS" hogs head pick up is higher than the "faithful" I would recommend that type. Moves a lot of oil.
It can be made to over oil to the front. You can meter down as needed.
Forget the mag oiler.

[Dan McEachern]

Definitely the best. On the other end weld a pipe elbow in the side wall of the crankcase just behind the dam and connect your oil line to that. The bolt on brackets are better than nothing, but restrict oil flow.

[jiminbartow]

This is the best. A super high volume oil line. Install the oil pickup scoop on the hogshead in line with the magnets which fling the oil into the oil scoop forcing a high volume of oil to the front bearings.

Picture is from the Snyder’s catalog.

IMG_8944.jpeg (14.39 KiB) Viewed 2665 times

One of the first prototypes of this outside oil line was installed on my 1926 coupe by the inventor in 1979. Note that the other end is installed between #1 and #2 bearings high enough on the crankcase to splash and spray the oil on the piston bearings as well as the crankshaft bearings.

I think the worst outside oil line is the one that utilizes the magneto post housing. There are just too many tight restrictions and turns for the oil to take before it gets to the front and then it is only a trickle. You can see how little room there is for the oil to get up into the outside oil line by the picture looking up into the mag post housing when the fitting is tightened. The tightened fitting can also ground out the magneto if the fitting touches the mag post. A bad design all the way around.

[kelly mt]

I run in the steep mountain roads here in Montana and run two types of oilers. One car runs the stock oiler plus the hogs head high volume type. The other has two inside oilers plus the mag oiler. I don't run a mag so the "obstructions" are removed from the mag post. Long steep pulls are routine with no problems. I would also suggest scoops on your rods.

[Craig Leach]

Some additional info will help with the advice.
If the engine is all together then the Texas T oiler is problematic to install ( I agree with Dan is the best ) The higher that the oil enters the oiler the steeper angle it will deliver oil to the front. If I’m going to be running in the mountains most of the time I would install as many as I could. I run a mag post & Texas T style on my engines. I also make the Ford funnel larger. My run stand testing has shown that running an extra quart of oil will greatly improve the amount of oil delivered to the front of the engine through an outside oiler. Fuel delivery will also be an issue on steep grades. Auxiliary gearing or a 10 tooth pinion will be a big help also. Outside brakes a big plus especially with a auxiliary trans.
Craig.

[big2bird]

Use three. One on each side, and large funnel inside.
You cannot get too much up front.

[speedytinc]

Use three. One on each side, and large funnel inside.
You cannot get too much up front.

"You cannot get too much up front."
Oh, I beg to differ, learning the hard way. I modified the inside pickup on one of those hi volume HH oil pickups.
The engine let out a big cloud of smoke after waiting @ stop lights. I meetered down the front inlet to the motor & no more smoke.
The oversized pickup does provide a reservoir of oil to constant feed the meetered front.

I never cared for the bolt on pan inlet fitting. Back in earlier times I brazed 1/4" X 3/8" pipe bushings into the crankcase side.
For my '14 I was not going to butcher the correct pan that way, so I brazed those fitting into the lower 3 dip inspection cover in front of #1 dipper.

[Norman Kling]

I would disagree about the mag post oil line. This is a personal experience I had. When I first installed the engine in the T, the first time out, the magneto stopped working and I had to use battery for about 10 years. I was working restoring another T and I rewound 3 magneto rings. I decided to install one in the car which I had been driving for 10 years. when I pulled the engine and separated the transmission I noticed the funnel was missing from the inside block oil line. The funnel was laying on the bottom of the crankcase. That happened 10 years before when a magnet which was hitting the oil funnel broke it off. It cut the magneto ring when that happened. So I drove for 10 years even taking the Canyonlands tour in Utah, which has many steep grades to climb. Around our home there are a few Ruckstell hills too.
Anyway, the only oil getting to the front for all those years was from the inside line without the funnel and the magneto oil line. The one shown in the picture shows the fitting too far into the plug. It should be cut off even with the inside surface of the plug so that the oil will flow freely into it. Since it is right above the magnets, you should get a high volume of oil into it.
Norm

[Craig Leach]

Hi John K,
On the subject of to much oil & smoke, I made a fourth dip in my three dip pan with a 5/8" damn at the rear. This holds a huge amount of oil in
the dips. Because combustion is not great @ idle mine smokes in parades & @ long stop lights. It has never fouled a spark plug in 14 years, uses
no noticeable oil & I have not taken up a bearing in that time. I would rather burn a little oil than some babbitt be sides they leak more than
they burn. Please don't be offended that's just my opinion.
Craig.

[SurfCityGene]

Pat Kelly's is the best at providing good oil flow to the front bearings!

[speedytinc]

Hi John K,
On the subject of to much oil & smoke, I made a fourth dip in my three dip pan with a 5/8" damn at the rear. This holds a huge amount of oil in
the dips. Because combustion is not great @ idle mine smokes in parades & @ long stop lights. It has never fouled a spark plug in 14 years, uses
no noticeable oil & I have not taken up a bearing in that time. I would rather burn a little oil than some babbitt be sides they leak more than
they burn. Please don't be offended that's just my opinion.
Craig.

No offence taken. The free flow of ideas & experiences is a good thing.

I had not fouled plugs either, yet. I did get a huge carbon build up on my axle tube top.
That stuff also collects on the underside of the exhaust valves, building up & limiting flow eventually.
The oil smoke cloud was more of an annoyance, especially from green do gooders & the T behind me.
I had a Tall dam on a 4 dip. Similar excess oil smoke. I cut it back down to about 1/2" during the last rebuild.

[jiminbartow]

Sorry to disagree Norman, but the magneto post housing is not right above the magnets but is right above the solder button which substantially blocks the opening. The manufacturer of the mag post outside oiler kit should have provided instructions if the brass fitting should be cut off or provided a shortened version of the fitting. Keep in mind that the curvature of the housing could prevent the fitting from being cut off sufficiently without cutting off the threads needed to secure it to the housing and preventing it from leaking.

[Jim Eubanks]

Have Terry's oil lines on both of my T's and never had a problem I have full size 1/2 in copper tube. I had no problems with putting the fixture on because I drilled and taped the holes with a rag and magnet under the mounting location when installing.

[dobro1956]

Matt. We have about 10,000 miles on our T. All in the Ozarks of Arkansas. We use the Texas T oiler and stock T inside oiler like a lot of the others mentioned. Now our mountains are not as big as the Rockies and Sierras but we are mostly off road and even run trails with the Jeep guys. So we are climbing steep grades on gravel and working the crap out of the car from time to time. We do have a Warford to help with the hard hills. With frequent oil changes our engine still looks new inside and have never had to touch the bearings.

[Matt in California]

Wow! Lots of great insight and experiences. I have been reading everyone's responses and wanted to do some more research.

Here are the things I am learning/considering:

• Types of oiling systems

• How much flow does each oiling system provides?

• Maximum grade each system works at?

• Too much oil? Or too much oil heading down hill?

• Price- I was hoping to use one I had, but...

Original Ford Oil System
see:https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/8 ... 1516815784

Flow: 20 minutes/gallon @500 RPM for 1926 Ford large oil funnel (Note 16 oz is 1/8 of a gallon)
Maximum Grade: 20% (based on 19 5/8" length with a 4" rise)
Price: Free- included with engine

Hogshead Scoop Type- High Volume Outside Oil Line
Jim Patrick gives the origin story from 1977 for the hogshead scoop type outside oil line here: https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/2 ... 13252.html One important point Jim makes is that this is a pressure fed outside oiling system because the oil flying off the flywheel, ring gear and magnets.

The following is Texas T Parts T3081-HVOL • High Volume Oil Line Kit: http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/merchant ... y_Code=New
Flow: 1 minutes/gallon @500 RPM Texas T Parts Test Results: https://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals ... esting.pdf
Maximum Grade: ? (Likely this system would provide oil higher than any other system because of "pressure" off flywheel.)
Price: $127.75 (Lang's version 3081HVOL2 - $86.50)

Mag. Post Oil Line
Flow: 14 minutes/gallon @500 RPM Texas T Parts Test Results: https://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals ... esting.pdf
Maximum Grade: 44% (based on 19 5/8" length with an 8 5/8" rise)
Price: $32.95 Lang's 3082BOL kit

Internal Pan Plate Oil Lines
I noticed Pat Kelly's post on the internal oil lines. I have never notice these existed!

I run in the steep mountain roads here in Montana and run two types of oilers. One car runs the stock oiler plus the hogs head high volume type. The other has two inside oilers plus the mag oiler. I don't run a mag so the "obstructions" are removed from the mag post. Long steep pulls are routine with no problems.

I found the following image on this thread: https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/8 ... 1516815784

I also found that Fred Houston shared his experience with the inside oil lines here: https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/1 ... 77128.html

1) THE FOUR TUBE "PERIOD CORRECT" OILING SYSTEM. The four tubes or oil lines are; the original internal oil line, the common accessory oil line from the magneto plug to a pan bolt at the front of the engine. Two accessory oil lines installed on either side of the oil pan dipper plate. These two internal oil lines will flow up to an 17% grade, while the standard oil line will flow until a 20% grade is reached, while the outside accessory mag post oil line will continue to flow up to a 44% grade. An additional quart of oil is advisable when making a really long pull such as Pikes Peak.

2) Oil line Ratios: Standard internal oil line, 19 5/8" length with a 4" rise (20%). Magneto plug oil line 19 5/8" length with an 8 5/8" rise (44%). Pan plate oil lines 16 " length with a 2 7/8" rise (17%).

3) We climbed Mt. Evans in Co in our 13 runabout, over 14,000 feet with this system and had no problems with either oil or fuel. It sure was fun! I'm ready to try Pikes Peak!

4) Folks continue to knock the Mag post oiler. I get excellent flow out of mine. It needs time to fill the tube, but flows well once it starts. I don't know about the repops, as I always use an original. Available on ebay. I've purchased probably a dozen in the past 3 years. This post should raise the price on those babies!

Flow: ? (Perhaps each would give similar to the standard Ford internal line.)
Maximum Grade: 17% (based on 16 " length with a 2 7/8" rise)
Price: $108 ($53.95 for the two from Lang's 3081ACC & 3081ACCP @$53.95 each)

Other Options

• Ford Faithful Transmission Cover oiling system

• Starter Cover oiling system

Okay this is a very long post. I would like to hear more comments. My engine is currently installed in my car. Any reason to not go with the two internal oil lines?

Thanks!
Matt