Columbia Lubrication

[SoCalCoupe]

Trying to install a Columbia 2-speed made for a Zephyr in my '41 Ford. The Columbia manual says "Keep lubricant up to NEW oil level hole in the OVERDRIVE AXLE at all times....CAUTION: DO NOT USE FORD OIL LEVEL."


I can sort of see a line on the Columbia unit that's above the bottom of the Ford fill plug. In pictures I've seen of installed Columbias, there's a fill plug in the Columbia unit, just outboard of the Ford fill plug, that corresponds to the 'fill line.'


I'm 100% certain there's no fill plug in my Columbia. Anyone come across this before? Do I need to remove the Columbia and have a fill plug hole drilled and tapped.


I'm quitting this project for today. No sense in continuing assembly if I'm just going to have to pull it apart again.

 

[glennpm]

Something is wrong. The extra plug was not an option. You need to fill to that plug, run the car in drive with wheels free for five minutes; then fill to the lower level of the Columbia plug again.

Glenn

 

[SoCalCoupe]

Something is wrong. The extra plug was not an option. You need to fill to that plug, run the car in drive with wheels free for five minutes; then fill to the lower level of the Columbia plug again.

Glenn

You're right; something's wrong. That something is that it's a Zephyr Columbia. Found this thread where Ken/Alabama says the Zephyr Columbia didn't have a plug and the solution is to have one drilled.

I'm truly hating this project. Just hope I can get it done before I die so my widow doesn't end up with a basket case in the garage.

 

[jimTN]

fill it to the Ford plug then take the bolt out of the C housing that is between the Ford plug and the C plug in the above pic and finish the fill thru that hole, may take a while but a squeeze bottle will do it. I have a Z in one of my Fords and will check on the plugs it has. That one has run lots of miles.

 

[SoCalCoupe]

Does anyone know what kind of threads these are for the fill plug? Are they pipe threads?

 

[SoCalCoupe]

fill it to the Ford plug then take the bolt out of the C housing that is between the Ford plug and the C plug in the above pic and finish the fill thru that hole, may take a while but a squeeze bottle will do it. I have a Z in one of my Fords and will check on the plugs it has. That one has run lots of miles.

That seems rational. It does look like that hole would fill to the same level as the Columbia plug.


I love FordBarn! Don't know how I'd solve all of early Ford V8 issues without it.

 

[glennpm]

Alternate fill port

 

[pistonbroke]

I find this intresting as my 38 zephyr with a columbia from day one had a fill plug as most did. I wonder why and when they would produce one with no fill plug? Tim

 

[TerryOH]

1934 Columbia's did not have their own fill plug. By early 35 they did have the plug.

 

[Ken/Alabama]

Trying to install a Columbia 2-speed made for a Zephyr in my '41 Ford. The Columbia manual says "Keep lubricant up to NEW oil level hole in the OVERDRIVE AXLE at all times....CAUTION: DO NOT USE FORD OIL LEVEL."


I can sort of see a line on the Columbia unit that's above the bottom of the Ford fill plug. In pictures I've seen of installed Columbias, there's a fill plug in the Columbia unit, just outboard of the Ford fill plug, that corresponds to the 'fill line.'


I'm 100% certain there's no fill plug in my Columbia. Anyone come across this before? Do I need to remove the Columbia and have a fill plug hole drilled and tapped.


I'm quitting this project for today. No sense in continuing assembly if I'm just going to have to pull it apart again.

The Columbia for the Zephyr doesn’t have the fill plug like the Ford units. This was due to the Zephyr having the Hypoid style differential.this is a picture of the Columbia for my 39 Zephyr.