81A Oil Pick Up

4

47Merc

Senior Member
I have an 81A engine in a 40 ford and when you take the sump plug out the mesh screen of the oil pick up is hard down against the bottom of the pan. There is no clearance between the pan and the screen. Is this normal?
I have no idea what has been done to the engine by previous owners but it has very good oil pressure and it has had a cam change because it has a cam extension piece to drive the 3 bolt distributer.
 
47Merc said:
I have an 81A engine in a 40 ford and when you take the sump plug out the mesh screen of the oil pick up is hard down against the bottom of the pan. There is no clearance between the pan and the screen. Is this normal?
I have no idea what has been done to the engine by previous owners but it has very good oil pressure and it has had a cam change because it has a cam extension piece to drive the 3 bolt distributer.
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Have just done an oil change in a 81A engine in a 39 Ford. Can confirm that the mesh screen as as you describe. Put finger up in hole and can up against the mesh. It wouls appear to be normal. My oil pressure is good and cam also is a later one with the extension piece for distributor.
Phil NZ
 
The screen extends at least a quarter inch below the pickup shell, so you have plenty of area to draw oil.
 
As noted the screen has a convex surface shape - it normally extends a good 1/4" below the sheet-metal "can" that it is attached too. Also, I've seen many different pump/screen combinations installed in engines that they did not come out of (different years). The last 1932 engine that I found had a good ole' 49-53 pump and screen in it (much better oil pump than the original 32). The only bad news was they removed the original 32 oil tray from the pan so that it would fit . . . Arggggggggggggggggggggggh! :)
 
The screen is there to block objects larger than the screen openings from reaching the oil pump gears. If there is a hole(s) in the screen it is not going to do a good job of blocking, the larger the hole the larger an object can reach the pump gears. Depending on what the object is the pump gears could be damaged.
 
I have some screens with a spring loaded bung in the side so if the screen gets blocked at least some oil will get thru.even if its dirty.
Lawrie
 
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