The Ford Barn

Jims52F1 · 11-23-2021, 10:21 PM

Just getting started on refreshing a 52 Ford F1 engine that’s been sitting in my barn about 10 years. I want to remove the intake manifold but haven’t been able to find any info on how the oil fill tube is attached to the intake manifold. Tried turning with vise grips but medium force didn’t make it budge. Can this oil fill tube be removed and what is the procedure? Want to be able to put it in my media blast cabinet. Thanks for your help! New to this discussion group but greatly appreciate everyone’s posts.

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ford38v8 · 11-24-2021, 12:03 AM

Don't use any media that you wouldn't be comfortable mixing in with your engine oil.

tubman · 11-24-2021, 09:48 AM

I bought a Sharp 4 BBL manifold from eBay several years ago. For some reason, the seller had shipped it with the oil fill tube still installed, causing packaging complications and and increased shipping costs. I soon found out why. I tried literally for a year to remove the oil fill tube. I soaked it with penetrant, heated it, and tried everything from Channel-Locks to pipe wrenches to remove it and never had it even twitch. Now it was an aluminum manifold, so it may have been bonded a little tighter to the steel tube than normal. In the end, because I had an extra oil fill tube and the manifold was much more valuable than a steel tube, I resorted to cutting it down and using a Dremel to slit the remains so I could remove it.

If you are dealing with a stock iron manifold, you can probably use some more extreme methods and get it out. I'm just relating what I went through.

19Fordy · 11-24-2021, 09:54 AM

Vise grips will destroy the tube.
The only way I found that works to remove the tube is to use penetrating oil at its base and then grab the top of the tube and rock it back and forth. You may also wrap a piece of leather belt around the top and tap it with a ball peen hammer- a little at a time.
It takes lots of patience.

Jims52F1 · 11-24-2021, 10:00 AM

Thanks for all the valuable suggestions! Just didn’t know if it was only pressed in or there was some kind of keeper on it. I’ll spray good with penetration fluid for a couple of days then see if I can persuade it out. Appreciate the responses!

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19Fordy · 11-24-2021, 10:09 AM

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Jim: Here's what the tube looks like. Notice the different diameters.
Its a press fit. You might also be able to loosen it by inserting a broom handle inside the tube and using it as a lever to rock the tube back and forth. If you do this, be careful not to flare out the top of the tube or deposit wood chips into your engine.

Jims52F1 · 11-24-2021, 10:17 AM

Thanks so much. Pictures very helpful and appreciate the time you spent to send them!

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glennpm · 11-24-2021, 02:42 PM

Penetrating oil, I like PB Blaster, at the base and a piece of closet pole, as 19Fordy and others have mentioned. Now insert a piece of closet pole or broom stick wrapped with a wet cotton sock or towel inside the tube. Now heat the manifold all around the manifold with a heat gun. Heat it for a few minutes and use a infrared thermometer to monitor it if you're nervous about it. I'd start at about 250°F and would have no problem going to 300°. Keep the manifold bolted down to the motor so that it is held down securely while doing this work.

The wet cloth inside the tube will keep it cooler and with the high coefficient of expansion of aluminum, the hole in the manifold will increase in diameter. The wet cloth will keep the tube from expanding to any great degree.

I've used this method replacing wheel races in aluminum motorcycle wheels, rear axle bearings on Chevy's, bearing race removal in my generator, etc.

Glenn

Pete/Ct. · 11-24-2021, 04:39 PM

Brought mine to a local machine shop and they removed it without any damage. Went to put it back but of course couldn't find it. Bought new new one with cap and the day it arrived I found the original staring me in the face on my workbench. Tough to get old. So if you need a chrome one with chrome cap I have one for $ 25.00, if I don't lose it.
Pete/Ct.

Jims52F1 · 11-25-2021, 09:26 AM

Thanks for the offer. Still waiting for penetration solution to work but hopefully can get original out without too much damage. Did find that mud-dobbers had filled breather cap full of mud! Sit too long in barn. Will have to replace cap for sure!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE [emoji884]

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11-23-2021, 10:21 PM	#1
Jims52F1 Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Posts: 36	Oil fill tube Just getting started on refreshing a 52 Ford F1 engine that’s been sitting in my barn about 10 years. I want to remove the intake manifold but haven’t been able to find any info on how the oil fill tube is attached to the intake manifold. Tried turning with vise grips but medium force didn’t make it budge. Can this oil fill tube be removed and what is the procedure? Want to be able to put it in my media blast cabinet. Thanks for your help! New to this discussion group but greatly appreciate everyone’s posts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11-24-2021, 12:03 AM	#2
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,646	Re: Oil fill tube Don't use any media that you wouldn't be comfortable mixing in with your engine oil. __________________ Alan

11-24-2021, 09:48 AM	#3
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: Oil fill tube I bought a Sharp 4 BBL manifold from eBay several years ago. For some reason, the seller had shipped it with the oil fill tube still installed, causing packaging complications and and increased shipping costs. I soon found out why. I tried literally for a year to remove the oil fill tube. I soaked it with penetrant, heated it, and tried everything from Channel-Locks to pipe wrenches to remove it and never had it even twitch. Now it was an aluminum manifold, so it may have been bonded a little tighter to the steel tube than normal. In the end, because I had an extra oil fill tube and the manifold was much more valuable than a steel tube, I resorted to cutting it down and using a Dremel to slit the remains so I could remove it. If you are dealing with a stock iron manifold, you can probably use some more extreme methods and get it out. I'm just relating what I went through.

11-24-2021, 09:54 AM	#4
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,950	Re: Oil fill tube Vise grips will destroy the tube. The only way I found that works to remove the tube is to use penetrating oil at its base and then grab the top of the tube and rock it back and forth. You may also wrap a piece of leather belt around the top and tap it with a ball peen hammer- a little at a time. It takes lots of patience.

11-24-2021, 10:00 AM	#5
Jims52F1 Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Posts: 36	Re: Oil fill tube Thanks for all the valuable suggestions! Just didn’t know if it was only pressed in or there was some kind of keeper on it. I’ll spray good with penetration fluid for a couple of days then see if I can persuade it out. Appreciate the responses! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11-24-2021, 10:17 AM	#7
Jims52F1 Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Posts: 36	Re: Oil fill tube Thanks so much. Pictures very helpful and appreciate the time you spent to send them! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11-24-2021, 02:42 PM	#8
glennpm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wiscasset, Maine Posts: 1,981	Re: Oil fill tube Penetrating oil, I like PB Blaster, at the base and a piece of closet pole, as 19Fordy and others have mentioned. Now insert a piece of closet pole or broom stick wrapped with a wet cotton sock or towel inside the tube. Now heat the manifold all around the manifold with a heat gun. Heat it for a few minutes and use a infrared thermometer to monitor it if you're nervous about it. I'd start at about 250°F and would have no problem going to 300°. Keep the manifold bolted down to the motor so that it is held down securely while doing this work. The wet cloth inside the tube will keep it cooler and with the high coefficient of expansion of aluminum, the hole in the manifold will increase in diameter. The wet cloth will keep the tube from expanding to any great degree. I've used this method replacing wheel races in aluminum motorcycle wheels, rear axle bearings on Chevy's, bearing race removal in my generator, etc. Glenn Last edited by glennpm; 11-24-2021 at 02:57 PM.

11-24-2021, 04:39 PM	#9
Pete/Ct. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kensington,CT Posts: 339	Re: Oil fill tube Brought mine to a local machine shop and they removed it without any damage. Went to put it back but of course couldn't find it. Bought new new one with cap and the day it arrived I found the original staring me in the face on my workbench. Tough to get old. So if you need a chrome one with chrome cap I have one for $ 25.00, if I don't lose it. Pete/Ct.

11-25-2021, 09:26 AM	#10
Jims52F1 Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Posts: 36	Re: Oil fill tube Thanks for the offer. Still waiting for penetration solution to work but hopefully can get original out without too much damage. Did find that mud-dobbers had filled breather cap full of mud! Sit too long in barn. Will have to replace cap for sure! HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE [emoji884] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk