Oil viscosity (weight) for model A

[Kohnke Rebabbitting]

Oil does not evaporate in a months time and surface tension should keep some of it in the bearings. Even if the oil did drain out of the valve chamber there should still be oil in the bearings and dipper trays. Guess you could do an experiment, take two pieces of plexiglass say about 2 by 3 inches, spread some oil on one and press together with .015 clearance between the two. In a months time look and see how much oil still remains between them.

You don't have to take a test Mr. Red, your already right. No matter if a fresh take out, or a month before, there is enough oil in the bearing to start with out damage.


Herm.

 

[Kohnke Rebabbitting]

When I was much younger and didn’t know any better. My first Model A lost oil pressure on the way home from the gas station I worked at after school. We had just put the oil pan back on after cleaning the sludge out.

I would say that car was driven about five miles with the oil pump not working.

Put car on lift, took oil pan off, reconnected oil pump correctly, refilled with the old oil. Than back on the road home. It ran fine until I graduated from high school. Enjoy.

We built a T motor for a guy in Omaha, and their club was on tour, when the Guys oil plug dropped all the oil on the black top, and they said, it took a mile to catch him to tell him he didn't have any oil, and it didn't hurt that motor.


Herm.

 

[40 Deluxe]

The oil in the dipper tray is always full after the engine shuts off.


When it is 14 above, you should have had 20 wt. oil in it already but if it is still 30Wt., There wouldn't be but a few seconds difference, if any. Those Model A Oil Pumps really put out. I had a 31 Model a coupe with a box in the back that I drove in the winter hunting. the oil wasn't changed very often, and it had 30Wt. year around, never any problems with bearings, and it sat out all year, by the chicken house. pull up once, and it was running. In any case, the oil would be there, before the heat from the bearings would be.

As I commented, an engine can run longer than expected without oil.
Have you had experience with hit-and-miss engines with exposed crankcases? How are these bearings lubricated? Have you re-Babbitted them?