No Gaskets?

[CatMan1]

I was watching a video on Youtube from TFL Classics the other day. They have an 'A' and a 'T'. The owner was was telling the mechanic that the Model A had no engine gaskets and that's why they leaked so much. Has anyone heard of this theory? My '28 leaks some, but it has gaskets. They'd have to have gaskets. Anyway, they are pretty interesting videos to watch!

 

[Keith True]

I don't know if people say that kind of stuff because they are truly ignorant of fact,or they say it to get a rise out of people and stir the pot.It takes longer to watch an episode of Gunsmoke than it would take to watch a years worth of my youtube viewing,and things like that are the reason why.

 

[rackops]

This is why I rarely ever put much faith in the statement: runs/drive/stops/etc. "as a Model A should".

In that guy's world, a Model A should leak everywhere. That's _not_ how that's supposed to work. But...given the number of leaking cylinder heads I see on used Model As, I sometimes wonder if it's a belief that's more widely held...

 

[nkaminar]

Many modern engines are put together without gaskets. A sealant is applied using a robot.

 

[Bob Johnson]

What incorrect statements can you find:


Friction shocks
Downdraft carburetor
Could not find brake adjuster
Battery is removed from under vehicle
Machine tolerances not as good as modern vehicles


Just a few
Bob





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruP2KY5edzM

 

[ModelA29]

Many modern engines are put together without gaskets. A sealant is applied using a robot.

A guy I worked with had a Cadillac made when they first started using that method. They found the stuff got too hard, cracked and leaked. They added a bottle of snake oil at each oil change to keep the stuff pliable.

 

[rotorwrench]

Some older tech stuff didn't hold it's mud as well as modern stuff but they all tend to mark their spots when they are worn out. Slinger rings worked relatively well but after shut down, a drop or two could escape under certain conditions. Folks that worried about it would put a catch pan under the leak.

 

[Fullraceflathead]

Some of these beliefs are kind of like rumors, they get passed along and shared these stories change and the credibility if any is completely lost. I think they probably are confusing the rear main seal with the no gasket story. The Model A and Model T don't have a rear main seal just a slinger.
On an another note, I always thought it was odd that Henry ford used a rope seal for the front of the crankshaft but never used a rope seal for the rear of the crankshaft!!!