cleaning sludge from oil pan

[jimloiselle]

Hi you all, Need a good way to clean the A model oil pan. My repair book says to pry the baffle tray out of the pan. But that looks hard to do without damaging the tray. Is this correct? If so, whats the best way to remove the tray. Thanks

[chopo]

i put my hand in the oil pump opening and lift. it snaps in/out not too bad to get out. wear gloves

[MikeK]

Slam it flange side down hard against the ground. It pops out. Warning! Expect sludge spatters.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by MikeK

Slam it flange side down hard against the ground. It pops out. Warning! Expect sludge spatters.

what mike k said

[160B]

I take the handle from a sledge hammer w/o the hammer, put it in the oil pump hole and pop the tray out of the pan. works every time

[Tom Wesenberg]

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One of the first things I learned when I joined the local Model A club was the slamming on the ground to remove the dipper tray. It works every time, but like Mike said, expect some splatters.

[1932BB]

Spread the pan sides slightly with a 2x2 between the bolt flanges near the center. The tray will pry out easily. Easy does it!

[jimloiselle]

Got it out! Thanks for all the tips. Jim Loiselle

[zzlegend]

Hey Jim. I just cleaned the sludge out in one of my engines last week. Messy job but worth it. You might want to pull the valve cover also and clean in there. Mine was very sludgy in there to. Good luck with it. Mark.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

WARNING, before cleaning the oil tray, locate the gravity flow oil passages & plug them with fat pipe cleaners & remove them AFTER the cleanup. If sludge is pushed down in a passage, it might plug it up & destroy a main bearing or a cam bearing. Bill W.

[Geo. H]

C'mon guys. Just put the pan in your wife's dishwasher. No need to take the tray out.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Geo. H

C'mon guys. Just put the pan in your wife's dishwasher. No need to take the tray out.

Single now huh.

[Mikeinnj]

Originally Posted by MikeK

Slam it flange side down hard against the ground. It pops out. Warning! Expect sludge spatters.

Wrap the pan in a large black garbage bag , then slam it on the ground; there will be no splatters.

[Paul from Maine]

The garbage bag is a Great and simple idea! Never thought of that! I put something with give like a few layers of corrogated cardboard or that old fiber wallboard on the barn floor next to the stairway, go up a couple of steps and drop it on the flanges. Little or no splatter and easy on the flanges. Doesn't kill the grass or pollute the water supply either!

[Special Coupe Frank]

Working on spare '29 engine: dipper tray just fell-out when I turned the pan upside-down...

Is there an reason the dipper tray needs to be a tight-fit ?

SC Frank

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Special Coupe Frank

Working on spare '29 engine: dipper tray just fell-out when I turned the pan upside-down...

Is there an reason the dipper tray needs to be a tight-fit ?

SC Frank

Hit a bump in the road the dripper tray jumps up hits the moving connecting rods, bends up the tray which hits more rods, snaps the oil pump, no oil to the engine all hell breaks loose and you buy a Shay to solve the problem in the future.