My oil leak & noise

[lh]

This is a 1930 and not many miles on a rebuilt engine. It had a knock noise for about 15 seconds at start up then went away. I pulled the oil pan off and there was no filings or metal in the pan, nice and clean. I checked one of the rod bearing that had the most "play" and plastigage was 0.0015". I did not check any other bearings because of no metal in the pan. But the rear drip tube is not tight and has slight movement and has some weld at the threads? Also the oil pump has a 1" crack in the housing probably from a screw to hold the pump in when it was reassembled. I could not remove the slotted plug from the side of the block, too tight.

So the plan is to use the old pump with the crack? Then do nothing with the drain tube, leave as is? I will live with the oil leak. I will wait for forum input before putting the oil pan back on.

 

[MikeK]

The rear bearing cap oil return tube needs to be air tight. It isolates the return path from any crankcase gas pressure during heavy throttle. That slight pressure, just a few inches water column, keeps the oil from returning to the pan and it then leaks out the rear, hence the tube. If you do not want to disassemble the rear cap, I would blast the area clean with a can of carb cleaner and smear some JB around it to seal it up. On the oil pump, some may leave it, but I am always fearful of cracks around rotating shafts. Used pumps are real cheap, and if the one you have is rebuilt with a new shaft and gears, simply transfer the parts to a sound pump housing.

 

[Del in NE Ohio]

I had a similar situation with a rebuilt engine last summer. The noise at start up was unbearable. It seemed to come from the front of the engine. Turned out to be a "tight" meshing oil pump drive gear causing the camshaft and timing gear to travel forward against the plunger and spring in the front of the timing cover. I overcame it with a couple of shims under the spring for additional pressure on the cam. Have you detected what the knock was you heard? (PS due too a loose fiting oil return tube, mine is secured with a dose of JB)

 

[pat in Santa Cruz]

I suspect the oil pump was causing the knock. I would replace it if its cracked.

 

[lh]

I reinstalled the old oil pump, with crack, and pan today. The timing was severely retarded.

It runs much better. More pick up and go.

I could not find a replacement oil pump, Snyders, Macs or Sacramento Vintage Ford. I will drive slow until I can replace it.

 

[Milton]

I reinstalled the old oil pump, with crack, and pan today. The timing was severely retarded.

It runs much better. More pick up and go.

I could not find a replacement oil pump, Snyders, Macs or Sacramento Vintage Ford. I will drive slow until I can replace it.

Brattons.