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Old 05-03-2020, 06:07 PM   #1
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Default Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

My 31 fordor just seems to run better and better every time I drive it. It' has not been driven for about 12 years so perhaps the valves s[were sticking just a bit something but it's starting to run quite well. I put some seafoam in the crank case to clean everything up and make sure things are working as they should. I'm a happy camper in that regard. I put a product called "Tire Life" in the tires to balance them and it made a significant difference. It is a liquid that I just shot through the valve stem with a syringe. It is supposed to condition the rubber and help it last longer also, but ????. Now on to the questions. I've noticed that it is using a fair bit of oil but don't notice any smoke and only a few drops on the floor, about the expected amount. By quite a bit I mean a quart in about 40 miles. That 40 miles is in about 10 trips while testing things as well as idle time in the shop and much of that time the engine is cold. Only had it up to running temp a couple of times. Which brings me to me second concern, When I went to pit some oil in it I noticed that there must be some serious condensation going on because the inside of the filler tube was coated in white sludge like moisture. The oil itself is clean. I suppose condensation should be expected with all the starting and shutting off and no REAL driving. Just wondering if this is expected/normal or ?????

Last edited by Licensed to kill; 05-04-2020 at 08:24 AM.
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Old 05-03-2020, 07:28 PM   #2
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Here is a link to a recent post that has some information that might help clear out the gunk in your engiene.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...board+radiator
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Old 05-03-2020, 07:42 PM   #3
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

What kind of sea Food? Halibut, tuna mahi-mahi? I'll try lob-stah.

You shouldn't be using a quart in 40 miles and I would think if you are your oil would be black instead of clean because of the wear on your cylinders/pistons.

These fellows know much more than I, I just had to find out what sea food you put in the crankcase.
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Old 05-03-2020, 08:41 PM   #4
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

So, you dump a bunch of seafood in the crankcase and wonder why it uses oil??

Seriously, I expect you meant seafoam? A quart every 40 miles is waaay excessive, so maybe a ring issue after 12 years of sitting.

Mine also does the condensation if I just do short trips. That part is normal.
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Old 05-04-2020, 08:25 AM   #5
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

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What kind of sea Food? Halibut, tuna mahi-mahi? I'll try lob-stah.

You shouldn't be using a quart in 40 miles and I would think if you are your oil would be black instead of clean because of the wear on your cylinders/pistons.

These fellows know much more than I, I just had to find out what sea food you put in the crankcase.
Damn auto-mistake. I edited that (seafoam)
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Old 05-04-2020, 08:29 AM   #6
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

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So, you dump a bunch of seafood in the crankcase and wonder why it uses oil??

Seriously, I expect you meant seafoam? A quart every 40 miles is waaay excessive, so maybe a ring issue after 12 years of sitting.

Mine also does the condensation if I just do short trips. That part is normal.
I'm gong to run it for awhile and see what happens. If the oil rings were maybe clogged or otherwise not doing their job, perhaps running it with the seafoam might bring them around. Just find it odd that it doesn't smoke and the plugs don't show oil fouling. If it's not on the floor and not in the rad and not apparently burning that much, where does it go????. There is also the slim chance that I somehow didn't have it topped up when I did the oil change. I find that hard to accept but there HAS to an explanation.
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Old 05-04-2020, 08:45 AM   #7
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

It may be leaking at higher rpm. If so, you should have a lot of oil on the bottom of your pan and transmission. All model a’s run better the more you drive them. They want to go. Good luck.
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Old 05-04-2020, 08:50 AM   #8
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

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It may be leaking at higher rpm. If so, you should have a lot of oil on the bottom of your pan and transmission. All model a’s run better the more you drive them. They want to go. Good luck.
I'll have a look.
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Old 05-04-2020, 10:55 AM   #9
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Make sure your oil breather is not plugged up, and also not getting a lot of blowby. If plugged it can force oil past the rear seal. only takes 30-50 miles to lose that much oil or more. To check you could take the cap off, inspect inside the tube, place a sock over the tube without the breather cap, and firmly duck tape the sock in place. Try running the car again and check to see if still is using as much oil.
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Old 05-04-2020, 11:14 AM   #10
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

I climbed under and took a look and it looks pretty clean. Not spotless of course but no signs of extreme oil leak. I don't n\have the stock filler tube. I have the one with the swing over lid and the flex tube coming out near the top and down to about frame level. I could stick a finger in the end of the tube to see how et it is but don't see evidence of excessive oil leaving by that route either. I', going to drive it for a bit and keep a close eye on the oil level and see if this reading was some sort of an anomaly, like perhaps I somehow didn't have it at full in the first place or whatever.
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:55 PM   #11
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Engine needs to be ran until it’s at full temp for a while to burn off condensation. Without a thermostat it takes a long time, or maybe never. Hence the milky residue in your draft tube. Been there, done that, reinstalled the thermostat.
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Old 05-04-2020, 02:32 PM   #12
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Good afternoon...What type of oil are you running in your A? 10-30 15-40 20-50 perhaps straight 30. Is it non-detergent or detergent...The oil you run can make a difference. Ernie in Arizona
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Old 05-04-2020, 07:08 PM   #13
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Get some miles on it and see if the oil consumption gets better.


Often when an engine has been sitting for a long period, the rings will loose their seal. After a few hundred miles, this should cure itself. Rings have to be really bad to pass this much oil.


My opinion,


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Old 05-05-2020, 10:05 AM   #14
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

I'm running 15-40 Rotella with some GM EOS added for the zinc. I doubt that the valve spring pressure is such that the lack of zinc in the current oils would be an issue but I add it anyway just to be safe. I add it to EVERY flat tapped engine I own (which is all of my gas engines except one).
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Old 05-05-2020, 10:06 AM   #15
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

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Originally Posted by CWPASADENA View Post
Get some miles on it and see if the oil consumption gets better.


Often when an engine has been sitting for a long period, the rings will loose their seal. After a few hundred miles, this should cure itself. Rings have to be really bad to pass this much oil.


My opinion,


Chris W.
That's what I'm kinda thinking. Time will tell. iF not, it looks like a rebuild, bore, pistons, rings, gaskets won't cost much as long as the Babbit is good.
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Old 05-05-2020, 03:05 PM   #16
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Just a question I had when I did some oil checking a number of years ago. When you refill the engine with oil, the dip stick will show that you have filled it up to the full mark with 5 quarts of oil if no oil was in your pan at the time you put in the new oil. Then after you run it after the oil change, the dip stick will show it to be down about one quart because the new oil you put in will fill up the pan.
Don't know if this is your situation but it caught me a number of years ago.
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Old 05-05-2020, 10:20 PM   #17
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

By this it appears you think full is 6 quarts - this overfills. Add 4 quarts or until full on the dipstick, start it for a minute or 2, turn it off and wait for a couple of minutes, then fill to the full mark on the dipstick.



The dipper tray retains some oil as you mention, the dipper tray oil does not drain when changing the oil unless you remove the oil pan and drain the dipper tray.


Fill to full if the dipper tray was emptied is around 5 quarts. 4 1/2 if dipper tray not drained.




Easiest way is the 1st paragraph above.
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Old 05-06-2020, 06:10 AM   #18
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

Be sure the dip stick goes all the way in. They can hang up on that tang and cause you to over fill it.
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Old 05-06-2020, 08:49 AM   #19
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Default Re: Some observations and a few more questions from a newbie.

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Originally Posted by Fred K OR View Post
Just a question I had when I did some oil checking a number of years ago. When you refill the engine with oil, the dip stick will show that you have filled it up to the full mark with 5 quarts of oil if no oil was in your pan at the time you put in the new oil. Then after you run it after the oil change, the dip stick will show it to be down about one quart because the new oil you put in will fill up the pan.
Don't know if this is your situation but it caught me a number of years ago.
There could be something to that since I pulled the pan when I first got the car to fix an oil leak (rear drain tube was missing) and while it was off I cleaned any sludge that was in it out and it was spotless when I put it back on so, yes, this, my first oil change was done with a completely empty dry oil pan. If some oil stays on the splash pan then my first dip stick reading would have measured ALL of the oil in the pan and my subsequent reading, after running it would show the oil level less what stays on the splash pan causing the level to be low from where it was initially. How much difference it makes I don't know but that would certainly make a difference.
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