Safe To Drive.....?

What oil are you running?

I would recommend 20-50 oil and see what happens. As long as you do not run it too low on oil, it should be fine.

If the car has not been run for a while and has been parked for a time, sometimes the rings will not be well seated. Running the engine may help the rings to re-seat and you will have less crankcase pressure and the leak may diminish.

If the engine otherwise sounds fine, run it but watch the oil level and do not run too thin of oil.

My suggestion,

Chris W.
 
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Be sure the oil cap isn't pushed on too far where it bends the 3 or 4 stop tabs and blocks off the engine breathing.

Does the engine have rod or main bearing knock? If so, I'd fix it ASAP.
 
CWPASADENA said:
What oil are you running?

I would recommend 20-50 oil and see what happens. As long as you do not run it too low on oil, it should be fine.

If the car has not been run for a while and has been parked for a time, sometimes the rings will not be well seated. Running the engine may help the rings to re-seat and you will have less crankcase pressure and the leak may diminish.

If the engine otherwise sounds fine, run it but watch the oil level and do not run too thin of oil.

My suggestion,

Chris W.
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Can't recall now. I haven't had it long. I'll have to check.... I think 10W-30
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Be sure the oil cap isn't pushed on too far where it bends the 3 or 4 stop tabs and blocks off the engine breathing.

Does the engine have rod or main bearing knock? If so, I'd fix it ASAP.
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I've checked the cap, it's the accessory one with a long tube, and it seems fine. So far I don't hear any knocking or banging. Seems to run pretty nicely.
 
If you have until "next month" you should be able to drop the pan and tighten up the bearings if nothing is broken. It Shouldn't take more than a day. You would seem it incredulous to see what Ford listed in a time study to do the very same job! Maybe just a few hours or less.
 
Of course it's worth dropping the pan.


You've got the time, so fix it. My first post that basically said don't let an oil leak keep you home was made when I thought you wanted to make your trip this weekend.



Get under there and fix the problem. These cars are simple and when they were in their prime they were worked on by everyone from farmers to paperboys. Read about the job, watch youtube and ask questions here and you won't have any insurmountable problems.
 
I do think I can accomplish this if I take it easy and am careful. Might take me a full week.....or two, but that's ok. I'm realizing that I'm going to have to learn to do most everything on this car and that's not all bad. It's good for me! Now wishing I hadn't jumped the gun and changed the manifold gaskets as I may have to take the manifold off to get to the valve cover. Live and learn....right? I couldn't take the sound of that sick exhaust any longer!
 
In my mind your using to light weight oil. Not trying to say that that is the problem, but your comment on not knowing for sure what is in there gives me pause.

I would take a minute before you start taking things apart and change the oil. I would put in 20w-40 and see if that helps with the dripping. Even 20w-50 for summer use.

$15.00 well spent. We use Walmart brand motor oil.

Good luck.
 
WHN said:
In my mind your using to light weight oil. Not trying to say that that is the problem, but your comment on not knowing for sure what is in there gives me pause.

I would take a minute before you start taking things apart and change the oil. I would put in 20w-40 and see if that helps with the dripping. Even 20w-50 for summer use.

$15.00 well spent. We use Walmart brand motor oil.

Good luck.
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I have been confused about what oil to buy. I know there is a lot of info and thoughts on it. I could try it. Maybe I will.
 
CatMan1 said:
I may have to take the manifold off to get to the valve cover. Live and learn....right? I couldn't take the sound of that sick exhaust any longer!
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Manifolds do not have to be removed to remove the valve cover.
 
With this few miles on the engine and if the car has not been driven for a while, the rings may not be sealed. Change to 20/50 oil and run it a few hundred miles and the rings may seal up which will lower the crankcase pressure and the leak may slow or stop. Dropping the pan at this point may not tell you much.

My opinion.

Chris W.
 
CWPASADENA said:
With this few miles on the engine and if the car has not been driven for a while, the rings may not be sealed. Change to 20/50 oil and run it a few hundred miles and the rings may seal up which will lower the crankcase pressure and the leak may slow or stop. Dropping the pan at this point may not tell you much.

My opinion.

Chris W.
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To your point...... This car did have a brief stint with smoking and burning oil. Then it quit. Also, the compression tests showed 1-4 being 60, 55, 55, 60. Don't know if that's low or not.
 
CatMan1 said:
To your point...... This car did have a brief stint with smoking and burning oil. Then it quit. Also, the compression tests showed 1-4 being 60, 55, 55, 60. Don't know if that's low or not.
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Change the oil and drive it. Needs to run.

Enjoy.
 
CatMan1 said:
To your point...... This car did have a brief stint with smoking and burning oil. Then it quit. Also, the compression tests showed 1-4 being 60, 55, 55, 60. Don't know if that's low or not.
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That's not bad for a stock engine.
My 28 engine runs fine and doesn't smoke, and has 50 PSI and each of the 4.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Be sure the oil cap isn't pushed on too far where it bends the 3 or 4 stop tabs and blocks off the engine breathing.

Does the engine have rod or main bearing knock? If so, I'd fix it ASAP.
Click to expand...

I witnessed recently a fellow club member at a parade who had a real bad rear main oil leak. He said that he just took it to a local antique car professional mechanic. This guy took the oil cap and packed it full with steel wool. Literally hammered it in tight. Afterwards, boy did it pump out the oil from the rear main then!

We suggested to him to go back to an original oil cap (no steel wool) and run it with no more than 4 quarts of oil. We are betting his issue could now get better…. Time will tell now…
 
If you have end play on your crank, checked by watching the front pulley move while someone steps on the clutch, then tighten bearings probably won’t help. Shouldn’t be more than 4 or 5 thou. I’ve seen 10 to 12without leaking too much. You can pull the three bolt small inspection cover at the back of the pan, and watch where the oil comes from as it idles.
 
Drive your car and enjoy it. Just bring along a quart or two of motor oil. By the way, Model A's leaked when they were brand new.
 

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