The Ford Barn

shoe box Jack · 03-06-2022, 09:04 AM

just out of storage and oil dripping from back of engine. Can the pan come of while in the 49 and can the seals be replaced ? thanks for any info. jack.

Gene1949 · 03-06-2022, 09:09 AM

Depending on how long it's been stored the rear main seal might have dried out and shrunk enough to give you the leak.
If it were mine I think I would drive it and see if it heals itself

Ford Freak · 03-06-2022, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene1949

Depending on how long it's been stored the rear main seal might have dried out and shrunk enough to give you the leak.
If it were mine I think I would drive it and see if it heals itself

Yep, me too. How bad is this leak, after the car sits for a day?
Heck, I have seen many pictures of early V8's in dealer showrooms that had drip pans under them!
And then there is the old saying: If your flathead doesn't leak oil out somewhere, there probably isn't any oil in it! - F F

Tinker · 03-07-2022, 01:01 AM

Drive it. That's just a few drops of oil to coat your chassis from rust.

There is a reason there is a factory cotter pin in the rear of the pan to flap in the wind and keep the hole open on the early models.

cas3 · 03-07-2022, 01:20 AM

A recent thread on the hamb, a guy asks what kind of oil for his flathead. One response was "whats underneath it now?"

aussie merc · 03-07-2022, 01:31 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

take it for a mild run clean the sump area place a sheet of paper under the car and run at high idle for 15 minuets if you only get one or two drops on the paper don't worry nothing unusual in that

shoe box Jack · 03-07-2022, 07:18 AM

thanks for the info, the car has sat for 5 months. I will take it for a drive next month when the weather is nicer Jack.

Frank Miller · 03-07-2022, 08:06 AM

To answer your question as t whether the pan can be removed. The tie rod need to be dropped down, I unbolt the pitman arm from the frame and remove the steering arm from the box. The front two cylinders need the pistons at the halfway point or somewhere near so the pan can slide rearwards.

Ford Freak · 03-07-2022, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cas3

A recent thread on the hamb, a guy asks what kind of oil for his flathead. One response was "whats underneath it now?"

Good one! LMAO Thanks cas3!! - F F

joe 1950 · 03-07-2022, 10:30 AM

On my 50 cpe after it sits in the winter 4-5 months always drips on the first few runs and then slowly goes down to couple drips during the summer a good friend of mine and me installed new rear main seal @ 10 years ago and it never really ever got any better than drips which is normal my old saying is you can live with drips but not puddles

shoe box Jack · 03-07-2022, 03:17 PM

Thank you for the reply Frank Miller. Jack.

Ford Freak · 03-07-2022, 04:36 PM

Jack - how bad is this leak? - FF

aussie merc · 03-07-2022, 05:43 PM

many years ago Cummins had a similar problem with new engines leaking oil and would not cover them under warranty unless the engine had done 20k and was still leaking Their reason that the engines sat waiting to be used and cranks had settled pushing the rear seals out of shape and it took 10/15k of use to get the seal back to the correct shape

shoe box Jack · 03-08-2022, 08:59 AM

When I moved the car there was a line of drips across the garage floor, and there is a very small puddle under the car. After a few minutes the dripping stops. The engine was rebuilt 12 years ago this is the first time I have noticed the dripping, come spring I will take it for a drive and see what happens. Jack.

rotorwrench · 03-08-2022, 01:09 PM

I would be wondering if the pan is overfull by a good bit. A cracked block will add to your pan but it won't be oil. Cold country requires good anti freeze protection. I just hope it's only a leaky rear seal. A person can fix that.

Tinker · 03-08-2022, 09:07 PM

With all this said. Oil pressure is key. Old flatheads leak a drop. If they don't you are either not telling the absolute truth or spent a lot of money and don't drive it.

Tinker · 03-08-2022, 09:12 PM

Don't think it was ever designed that way in the day or they cared. Not a big deal.

cas3 · 03-08-2022, 09:49 PM

Thats why they had the oil rack out in the driveway next to the gas pumps

38convsedan · 09-05-2022, 05:14 PM

Newbie question—does engine have to come out to replace rear main seal?

Zeke3 · 09-07-2022, 09:11 AM

No, the oil pan can be removed in the vehicle. The crankshaft has to be set to a specific location and the wishbone is disconnected at the frame and blocked down with a block of wood. There were several different types of rear main seals used from just a slinger to an actual seal depending on what year engine you have.

03-06-2022, 09:04 AM	#1
shoe box Jack Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kingston Ontario Canada Posts: 251	oil leaking from rear of oil pan just out of storage and oil dripping from back of engine. Can the pan come of while in the 49 and can the seals be replaced ? thanks for any info. jack.

03-06-2022, 09:09 AM	#2
Gene1949 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Pahrump, NV Posts: 374	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Depending on how long it's been stored the rear main seal might have dried out and shrunk enough to give you the leak. If it were mine I think I would drive it and see if it heals itself

03-07-2022, 01:01 AM	#4
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Drive it. That's just a few drops of oil to coat your chassis from rust. There is a reason there is a factory cotter pin in the rear of the pan to flap in the wind and keep the hole open on the early models. Last edited by Tinker; 03-07-2022 at 01:06 AM.

03-07-2022, 01:20 AM	#5
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,578	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan A recent thread on the hamb, a guy asks what kind of oil for his flathead. One response was "whats underneath it now?"

03-07-2022, 01:31 AM	#6
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) take it for a mild run clean the sump area place a sheet of paper under the car and run at high idle for 15 minuets if you only get one or two drops on the paper don't worry nothing unusual in that

03-07-2022, 07:18 AM	#7
shoe box Jack Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kingston Ontario Canada Posts: 251	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan thanks for the info, the car has sat for 5 months. I will take it for a drive next month when the weather is nicer Jack.

03-07-2022, 08:06 AM	#8
Frank Miller Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn, MA Posts: 2,106	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan To answer your question as t whether the pan can be removed. The tie rod need to be dropped down, I unbolt the pitman arm from the frame and remove the steering arm from the box. The front two cylinders need the pistons at the halfway point or somewhere near so the pan can slide rearwards. __________________ “The technique of infamy is to start two lies at once and get people arguing heatedly over which is true.” ~ Ezra Pound

03-07-2022, 10:30 AM	#10
joe 1950 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Green Bay Wi Posts: 400	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan On my 50 cpe after it sits in the winter 4-5 months always drips on the first few runs and then slowly goes down to couple drips during the summer a good friend of mine and me installed new rear main seal @ 10 years ago and it never really ever got any better than drips which is normal my old saying is you can live with drips but not puddles

03-07-2022, 03:17 PM	#11
shoe box Jack Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kingston Ontario Canada Posts: 251	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Thank you for the reply Frank Miller. Jack.

03-07-2022, 04:36 PM	#12
Ford Freak Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Pittsford NY. USA Posts: 1,096	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Jack - how bad is this leak? - FF __________________ 1952 Ford F1 1965 Ford Falcon Sprint 2007 Ford Mustang GT

03-07-2022, 05:43 PM	#13
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan many years ago Cummins had a similar problem with new engines leaking oil and would not cover them under warranty unless the engine had done 20k and was still leaking Their reason that the engines sat waiting to be used and cranks had settled pushing the rear seals out of shape and it took 10/15k of use to get the seal back to the correct shape

03-08-2022, 08:59 AM	#14
shoe box Jack Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kingston Ontario Canada Posts: 251	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan When I moved the car there was a line of drips across the garage floor, and there is a very small puddle under the car. After a few minutes the dripping stops. The engine was rebuilt 12 years ago this is the first time I have noticed the dripping, come spring I will take it for a drive and see what happens. Jack.

03-08-2022, 01:09 PM	#15
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan I would be wondering if the pan is overfull by a good bit. A cracked block will add to your pan but it won't be oil. Cold country requires good anti freeze protection. I just hope it's only a leaky rear seal. A person can fix that.

03-08-2022, 09:07 PM	#16
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan With all this said. Oil pressure is key. Old flatheads leak a drop. If they don't you are either not telling the absolute truth or spent a lot of money and don't drive it.

03-08-2022, 09:12 PM	#17
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Don't think it was ever designed that way in the day or they cared. Not a big deal.

03-08-2022, 09:49 PM	#18
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,578	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Thats why they had the oil rack out in the driveway next to the gas pumps

09-05-2022, 05:14 PM	#19
38convsedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2022 Location: Lakeland Florida Posts: 377	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan Newbie question—does engine have to come out to replace rear main seal?

09-07-2022, 09:11 AM	#20
Zeke3 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Columbus, IN Posts: 1,407	Re: oil leaking from rear of oil pan No, the oil pan can be removed in the vehicle. The crankshaft has to be set to a specific location and the wishbone is disconnected at the frame and blocked down with a block of wood. There were several different types of rear main seals used from just a slinger to an actual seal depending on what year engine you have.