1930 Model A diaper pan

dstoverud

Junior Member
My diaper pan collects quite a bit of oil, and if not careful, sloshes out and onto the road. What is the cause of abnormal amount of oil? Crankcase dipstick is 1/2 full today, and I have to remove and empty this pan much too often. If this a big repair?
Thank you!
 
"What is the cause of abnormal amount of oil?"

Assuming you mean "oil leak?", it's usually either a sloppy rear main or missing gasket between the block and flywheel housing.
 
Thank you, Katy. It didn't use to leak this bad, so I'm thinking the gasket is there, but maybe worn out, or your suggestion the rear main. I hatge to think of pulling the whole engine.
 
Are you using synthetic oil? If you have a marginal issue synthetic oil will make is much worse. I use 15-40 diesel tractor oil.
 
Fitted the roadster with a roaddraft tube oil filler. Could that cause the adverse effect seen by the above posts?
 
Is this a high mileage engine?

What weight oil are you using?

I have never owned a Model A that did not mark its spot. Just a couple of drips, not a puddle.

On higher mileage engines. I have been using 20W-50 HD oil with one blue bottle of STP.

This formula has worked well on oil dripping issues. Also engine noise. Thinner oil, increased oil dripping.

Enjoy.
 
Have someone step on the clutch while you watch the front pulley. You should only have less than .005” movement, and that’s stretching it. I’ve seen some with .020” ,which allows a pretty good rear main leak. You can also undo the three bolts that hold the inspection cover to the fly housing, which then allows you to run the engine while looking for oil leaking at the back of the rear main bearing.
 
Thank you, Katy. It didn't use to leak this bad, so I'm thinking the gasket is there, but maybe worn out, or your suggestion the rear main. I hatge to think of pulling the whole engine.

Don't be too afraid of pulling the engine. It's been done many millions of times often by people who are as mechanically apt as a house fly.
If it has to come out, take it out or you will likely never get it fixed. JMHO.
 
My diaper pan collects quite a bit of oil, and if not careful, sloshes out and onto the road. What is the cause of abnormal amount of oil? Crankcase dipstick is 1/2 full today, and I have to remove and empty this pan much too often. If this a big repair?
Thank you!

Put a large feminine napkin in the janitor and change it once a month or as needed.:p
 
If your rear main bearing clearance being too great is causing your leak adjust your main bearings. Or ignore it and suffer complete bearing failure and the resulting cost, it’s up to you.
 
A clogged or blocked off oil filler pipe or breather cap would cause this too.

this is the easiest thing to check, just pull that oil filler cap off and make sure there is no obstruction in the cap or filler tube. engine pressure will pump oil rite out that main bearing.

always check the easy stuff first we should not instantly jump to pulling the pan and checking bearings.
 
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