Major oil leak on rebuilt engine

[colin1928]

Thrust is the end play or the distance the crank can move front to back
on the rear main the Babbitt wraps around and the crank has shoulders that meet this part of the Babbitt

[George Miller]

To bad you machined off the singer. Now you will have a oil leak for sure. The Babbitt job does not look good. Did you check the end play, it should be .004=.006 your crank looks like in the picture that it has way more clearance than that.

Things that cause rear main leaks. To much clearance, to much end play, cap not flat on mounting surface, shims not touching the crank shaft, plugged return hole in rear main cap, return tube screwed to far in cap, return tube loose in cap, return tube to short, to much pressure in crank case, new style rear main seal.plus some I for got. Other words ever thing has to be done right.

[Kerk]

As a suggestion you might want to remove the oil fill pipe and be sure there are no restrictions. I have had to bend the baffles on one I worked on to provide enough breathing of the engine. The owner took it on a 1300 + mile trip with no trouble . Just a suggestion. kx

[Buford]

Is there a good seal at the rear of the camshaft? Oil leaking there could appear to be the rear main leaking from under the car...

[Doctor's Ford]

Originally Posted by George Miller

To bad you machined off the singer. Now you will have a oil leak for sure..... Things that cause rear main leaks......... new style rear main seal.plus some I for got.

New style rear main seal? That is what I have placed trying to correct the oil leak problem! Do you think is a poor seal or do you think the problem was with installation procedure? or both? I have read that the cork-neopreone composite was an effective solution when done properly.

I know most would prefer to have an expert rebuilder address these types of issues but as I said before there are NONE in this country. It is not a matter of finances or stubborness. Probably I will never get a good babbitt job done and need to be flexible trying to fix things with available expertise (or lack of...). Manuel

[Doctor's Ford]

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Originally Posted by Buford

Is there a good seal at the rear of the camshaft? Oil leaking there could appear to be the rear main leaking from under the car...

At time of dissassembly it looked that no leak was coming from the camshaft and we placed a new gasket. Now, just to make sure I get the right parts regarding your question: Is the rear of the camshaft sealed by the flywheel housing gasket? I read about shims in the flywheel but don't know where exactly they are placed. Are they helpful in certain oil leaks? Manuel

[Bob C]

The shim you are asking about are probably these.
http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/se...-6400&x=59&y=8

Bob

[DavidG]

Let's not add to the problem by offering advice about components that aren't used on a '33 four such as the shims shown above between the two upper bolts of the housing and the back of the cylinder block as were used on '32 fours. A '33 four does not use the dampener attached to the firewall like a '32 and those two upper holes remain unused on a '33-'34 four.

[Bob C]

Sorry, I guess Henry was confused also as they are listed in the 1937
and 1948 parts book as 1928-34.

Bob

[FrankWest]

Manuel,
I may be full of crap but If I had this problem, I would look at the following basic questions.
Lets summerize.
You located the exact oil leak locations? Right. You can be certain that oil is not leaking from somewhere else and just flowing down and out at these locations, Right?
That is why I asked if you could put a flourscent die in the oil and run the engine to verify the oil paths with a black light.
But if you are certain you know where the oil is coming from then you have to question whether the crank shaft is true? Could something be bent out of true and as it spins it wobbles such that it releases a path for oil??
If you are sure that those bearing are leaking.
And that those particular seals are good tight and proper
then maybe the something in the can shaft is out of true.

[Doctor's Ford]

Originally Posted by Bob C

The shim you are asking about are probably these.
http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/se...-6400&x=59&y=8

Bob

Yes, they are but Snyder's list them for 28-31. My model B is a 1933 and my question was how shims in the flywheel are related to oil leak.

Originally Posted by FrankWest

That is why I asked if you could put a flourscent die in the oil and run the engine to verify the oil paths with a black light.

Thanks Frank. I like the logic of your suggestion and will search how to do it. If you know of a specific product name I will be willing to try because I don't have any certainty where the leak is coming from.
Manuel

[FlatheadTed]

As my previous post people often get confused as to were the oil is coming from are you sure its not the cork seal over the top of the bearing cap ?? or the pan gasket were it meets the rear cap .Also I sus jest you check with the FB members before you let that engine builder loose on your engine case in point the slingar needs to be put back on ,Ted

[satelite]

Manual
the cork seal shown in one of your pictures was designed by of friend of mine in our Model A club. I have used them many times and prefer them over the full circle neoprene type which tend to harden under heat. The cork seal is really cork impregnated with vitron rubber. It is critical that the seal is installed correctly and the surface to which the seal touches by prepped with assembly lubricant. I always made sure the seal was initially raised .050" to .062" above the block and the bearing cap so that when tightened the cork gasket fits tightly against the bearing surfaces. My friend also recommends that at initial start up, the engine should be run for one to two minutes several times until the cork seal seats itself. Using this technique, I have never had a problem. This is assuming of course as someone has mentioned that the babbits were correctly installed and line bored. Hope this is of some help to you.
Don in SC

[Doctor's Ford]

Don in SC. Thanks a lot. Being inexperienced on this trade, this is the type of comment that I find very helpful. Will follow it when I reach that point again. Manuel

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by Doctor's Ford

Yes, they are but Snyder's list them for 28-31. My model B is a 1933 and my question was how shims in the flywheel are related to oil leak.




Thanks Frank. I like the logic of your suggestion and will search how to do it. If you know of a specific product name I will be willing to try because I don't have any certainty where the leak is coming from.
Manuel

Manuel, I have no personal experience with this product but this the kind of product I would try to find the leak origin point Make sure you clean of as much old oil from the motor before you run the engine with any tracer dies so that you will see the paths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK9RqhD2OfI



http://www.amazon.com/Tracer-Product...+leak+detector

http://www.amazon.com/Uview-413010-B...+leak+detector

[sugarmaker]

Ford Barn Folks,
Hope I am not causing concerns bringing this old thread back to the top But it has some of the same issues that may be what I have in my number 2 engine in my 32 Ford truck.

This original poster jumped through many hoops trying to get this B engine rear oil leak stopped, or reduced.
I have not made all the moves he did but can almost feel his pain!

I will be posting information on my thread as I make some attempts to understand the same issue and hopefully resolve it with my number 1 engine.
One of the things I read hear several times is not to remove the old slinger. Well I may be be past that on the # 1 crank. I believe my machine shop has that machined off already.

My summary on this is that a lot of experience goes into getting on of thesy B engines tightens up and to proper specs to reduce oil leaks to one or two drops per day or week!

I did not really add anything to this thread just my comments. Being a newbie I am trying to learn. And like others hope my engine is in good hands at the machine shop. And that we are making the right moves to have a good outcome.

Regards,
Chris