Oil

Gooseloony

Gooseloony

Senior Member
Is there a way for a simpleton to tell the difference between detergent and non-detergent oil? Would like to know what is now in my A. Thank you, Nick
 
I don't know of any way to tell unless you send in a sample for analysis. I would just start using detergent no matter what the car had before. If the engine has sludge, it needs to be cleaned out.
 
Was reading (on MAFCA site) that engine will start to burn more oil and valve problems could occur if changing from non-detergent to detergent? Sure don't need engine issues, so thought it might be best to continue to use what is in there now (but don't know what was being used). With my limited skills little hesitant to drop the oil pan and deal with oil pump, gasket and creating more problems for myself.
 
With the very limited Model A engine information given, just one suggestion from past Model A experiences:

1. First Simple Test: If you unscrew the oil pan drain plug & nothing comes out, chances are 99.99 to 1 you have non-detergent oil sediment sludge on the bottom of the oil pan blocking oil flow.

2. Secondly, even if oil does comes out, with an unknown 80+ year old engine, plus past experiences of listening to former Model A owner's idea of what constitutes a clean Model A engine, in "any" & "all" cases, I would drop the oil pan & remove the side valve chamber cover to see if they need cleaning.

3. Third, clean if needed and provide fresh detergent oil.

4. Fourth, just get out and drive as many miles as you would like in peace without fear of creating a mosquito killing oil burning Model A smoker that many of us witnessed in the late 1940's & early 1950's.

Hope this helps to quell your engine lubrication concerns in a positive manner.
 
Make sure if you drop the pan, that you clean the oil screen. I bought an engine with bad mains and all it's life it dad seen nothing but non detergent, sludge making oil. When I got to the oil screen, It was about 80% blocked with sludge. The amount of oil that could get through was no way sufficient, maybe that's why I got the engine so cheap and why the mains where bad, ya think?
Terry
 
Thank you guys. I think I will just open the drain a see what comes out as H. L. Chauvin suggested. If it "flows" out I may be alright, if not I guess it's time to drop the pan.
 
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