The Ford Barn

Paul Howes · 06-30-2018, 02:19 PM

I have a"B" engine in an "A". the bottom of my oil pan is covered with oil and I am loosing about one quart of oil every 1200 miles. This is a new problem. The front of the oil pan is NOT rounded. It looks to be cut off where it meets the flywheel inspection plate. In that area there is a large amount of maybe silicon?? The job of a previous owner. I can not till if that is where the oil is coming from. Sorry, on pictures. Suggestions??
Thanks, Paul

WHN · 06-30-2018, 02:49 PM

1200 miles on a quart of oil doesn’t sound bad to me for that engine.

How big a mark is it leaving on the ground.

Remember there is an old saying “Model A’s mark their spot”.

Paul Howes · 06-30-2018, 05:15 PM

I have heard the saying, BUT
I keep cardboard under the car so I'm not sure how big a spot it likes to leave. It does seem excessive.

WHN · 06-30-2018, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Howes

I have heard the saying, BUT
I keep cardboard under the car so I'm not sure how big a spot it likes to leave. It does seem excessive.

On a Model A engine, 500 miles to a quart I have heard for many, many years, is what to expect.

Our 29 leaves a little spot about the size of a quarter after a ten mile drive. We get about 500 to 600 miles to a quart. 20w-50 Walmart brand. Compression mid 60’s, no exhaust smoke or blow by. Enjoy.

Paul Howes · 06-30-2018, 05:57 PM

Thanks for your input. I use 10w40 in the car. I daresay I have a larger spot after a drive. I'll have to monitor the drip and see how large a spot I really end up with.

Y-Blockhead · 06-30-2018, 06:20 PM

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Paul, you could add some UV Dye https://www.amazon.com/Interdynamics...rds=uv+dye+oil to your oil and check with a fluorescent light. You can get it at most Auto Parts Stores. I used it to find a persistent leak that turned out to be my oil return tube. Even when I had a leak I wasn't losing a quart every 1200 miles... That seems excessive to me.

Good Luck

WHN · 06-30-2018, 06:50 PM

Paul, just for conversation, 1,200 miles might be to long to go without changing you cars oil.

Do you have a filter?

There are a lot of different views on oil. Everyone of us thinks we do what’s best, but these are old cars. Orginal spec’s are not like today. Oil is cheap, engine rebuild isn’t.

I change oil to offen, but knock on wood, as of today no engine issues.

Ford recommended change at 500 miles. Enjoy.

Paul Howes · 07-01-2018, 01:06 PM

Thanks y-blockhead for the info. on the dye. I'll have to try that.
To WHN, I normally change my oil more often than 1200 miles BUT I drove , with a friend , from Florida to up state N.Y. and back to Florida. Thanks, Paul

ursus · 07-01-2018, 02:58 PM

I am guessing that the fault may partly be found in how the B-pan was converted to fit the Model A Flywheel cover and how it was installed at the rear main area. Inadequate fitment may allow for leakage from the rear main and a previous owner tried to use silicone sealer at the interface of the cut and flywheel cover to stem the leak.

There are several methods of converting the B-pan for use on a Model- A and yours sounds like one that most mechanics would not undertake. Usually, the rear pan section is removed from the sump section by removing the spot welds that join the two together, but some just take a cutting wheel and chop away. The rounded end of the sump section is in there - you just can't see it because the remnant of the rear section is blocking your view.

If it were me, I would pull the pan and inspect the entire area to get the lay of the land. Investigate what a stock B pan looks like and use this knowledge to effect a better seal when you re-install the pan. If you have a leaky rear main bearing, then that needs to be addressed first. Good luck!

wensum · 07-01-2018, 04:11 PM

Ursus appears to be the first to actually answer your question? As teenagers, we ran a Model A as every day transport and rarely changed the oil, only topping it up with cheap recycled oil without any apparent ill effects.
Today with a few more dollars in my pocket and a modified engine with an oil filter, I change the oil around every 3000 miles, but still using a low cost oil on the principle that any oil today has to be a lot better than the oils available when they were new?
It appears to use very little oil between changes, a quart every 1200 miles seems excessive to me?
I'd certainly be looking at the conversion of the B sump to fit the A

06-30-2018, 02:19 PM	#1
Paul Howes Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: florida Posts: 16	oil leak I have a"B" engine in an "A". the bottom of my oil pan is covered with oil and I am loosing about one quart of oil every 1200 miles. This is a new problem. The front of the oil pan is NOT rounded. It looks to be cut off where it meets the flywheel inspection plate. In that area there is a large amount of maybe silicon?? The job of a previous owner. I can not till if that is where the oil is coming from. Sorry, on pictures. Suggestions?? Thanks, Paul

06-30-2018, 02:49 PM	#2
WHN Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Connecticut Shoreline Posts: 1,833	Re: oil leak 1200 miles on a quart of oil doesn’t sound bad to me for that engine. How big a mark is it leaving on the ground. Remember there is an old saying “Model A’s mark their spot”.

06-30-2018, 05:15 PM	#3
Paul Howes Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: florida Posts: 16	Re: oil leak I have heard the saying, BUT I keep cardboard under the car so I'm not sure how big a spot it likes to leave. It does seem excessive.

06-30-2018, 05:57 PM	#5
Paul Howes Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: florida Posts: 16	Re: oil leak Thanks for your input. I use 10w40 in the car. I daresay I have a larger spot after a drive. I'll have to monitor the drip and see how large a spot I really end up with.

06-30-2018, 06:20 PM	#6
Y-Blockhead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 5,873	Re: oil leak Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Paul, you could add some UV Dye https://www.amazon.com/Interdynamics...rds=uv+dye+oil to your oil and check with a fluorescent light. You can get it at most Auto Parts Stores. I used it to find a persistent leak that turned out to be my oil return tube. Even when I had a leak I wasn't losing a quart every 1200 miles... That seems excessive to me. Good Luck

06-30-2018, 06:50 PM	#7
WHN Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Connecticut Shoreline Posts: 1,833	Re: oil leak Paul, just for conversation, 1,200 miles might be to long to go without changing you cars oil. Do you have a filter? There are a lot of different views on oil. Everyone of us thinks we do what’s best, but these are old cars. Orginal spec’s are not like today. Oil is cheap, engine rebuild isn’t. I change oil to offen, but knock on wood, as of today no engine issues. Ford recommended change at 500 miles. Enjoy.

07-01-2018, 01:06 PM	#8
Paul Howes Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: florida Posts: 16	Re: oil leak Thanks y-blockhead for the info. on the dye. I'll have to try that. To WHN, I normally change my oil more often than 1200 miles BUT I drove , with a friend , from Florida to up state N.Y. and back to Florida. Thanks, Paul

07-01-2018, 02:58 PM	#9
ursus Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,378	Re: oil leak I am guessing that the fault may partly be found in how the B-pan was converted to fit the Model A Flywheel cover and how it was installed at the rear main area. Inadequate fitment may allow for leakage from the rear main and a previous owner tried to use silicone sealer at the interface of the cut and flywheel cover to stem the leak. There are several methods of converting the B-pan for use on a Model- A and yours sounds like one that most mechanics would not undertake. Usually, the rear pan section is removed from the sump section by removing the spot welds that join the two together, but some just take a cutting wheel and chop away. The rounded end of the sump section is in there - you just can't see it because the remnant of the rear section is blocking your view. If it were me, I would pull the pan and inspect the entire area to get the lay of the land. Investigate what a stock B pan looks like and use this knowledge to effect a better seal when you re-install the pan. If you have a leaky rear main bearing, then that needs to be addressed first. Good luck!

07-01-2018, 04:11 PM	#10
wensum Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: New Zealand Posts: 444	Re: oil leak Ursus appears to be the first to actually answer your question? As teenagers, we ran a Model A as every day transport and rarely changed the oil, only topping it up with cheap recycled oil without any apparent ill effects. Today with a few more dollars in my pocket and a modified engine with an oil filter, I change the oil around every 3000 miles, but still using a low cost oil on the principle that any oil today has to be a lot better than the oils available when they were new? It appears to use very little oil between changes, a quart every 1200 miles seems excessive to me? I'd certainly be looking at the conversion of the B sump to fit the A