That's what it says here: https://midfifty.com/item.php?INV_ID...nual-drum-drum

 

Thanks again Ross. I should be all set! I have a 2018 catalog, and it doesn't have the additional description that you found. It's interesting that a special adopter (bracket) is mentioned right in the Mid-Fifty description of the master cylinder, but Diane apparently isn't aware of it because she said she wanted to see a picture of what I ended up using. It makes you think, "What else don't the Mid-Fifty experts know?" That being said, Diane did apologize for getting my order wrong, and is giving me a partial refund. I think she would have given me a full refund if I would have asked for it. She also treated me very well with the recent temp gauge and sender situation.

I'm so thankful to be able to come to this forum for help and support. I guess it does take a village to build a truck (at least for some of us low information/skill types). Thanks again everyone for your help and interest. Now, it's off to the next thing. I bet all of you are wondering when (or if) I'm ever going to get those yellow stripes on my bumpers!

Jim

 

Yes, we are.

 

Hi Ray. Thanks for checking in. I've had the reflective tape for the yellow bumper stripes for probably two years. The stripes were going to make their debut for the Memorial Day parade, but I got side tracked on how to display the giant flag I was given. The Fourth of July is coming up. It would be reasonable to expect the stripes for the parade on that day.

I noticed for the first time that your truck is listed as being for sale. I'm sorry to see that! Maybe I missed something, and it's been for sale for a long time. I hope you are not experiencing health problems.

Jim

 

I'm just back from a long week-end camp-out and 200 mile plus adventure with my truck. There were lots of positives: The brakes worked flawlessly, the wipers also worked (with just a few issues), and sleeping in the cargo area went better than expected. There were just a few stray mosquitoes to deal with.

...But (of course) there were some problems. My mileage seems to have dropped about 3-4 mpg. I'm also noticing a puff of black smoke at start-up, and the tail pipe is blowing out black soot (again). Even more troubling, is the fact that there is a significant change in oil pressure.

Since the engine rebuild and gauge replacement, the oil pressure has been a solid 40 psi. The replacement gauge I put in barely moved, and I've often wondered if it even works. Now, all of a sudden, there is lots of movement with the gauge. At idle the pressure is less than 10 psi and barely over 20 at highway speed.

Another sign of trouble is when the engine is raced, it stumbles as it revs-up. There are a few thousand miles on the most recent carb re-build. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Jim

 

Unless you are looking at a certified, calibrated oil pressure gauge, I wouldn't be too concerned. But check for gas in the oil, could be a fuel pump leaking into the crankcase. Would explain both problems. Yet another good reason to go electric.

 

It's a busy day today, and I wasn't able to get the oil pressure checked. I'm pretty sure, however, that there isn't gas thinning out the oil. I say that because I can't smell it, and the crankcase is not over full.

I'm beginning to think the problem might just be something a little wrong with the carburetor resulting in a slower than usual idle speed. Running errands this morning, the gauge still read close to 0 at idle, but just a very little pressure on the accelerator brought it right up to the 15-20 psi range. At highway speeds, it couldn't make it up to 40 psi, but I recently changed oil, and it occurred to me that with the new oil, my oil pressure possibly doesn't reach the 40 psi that I'm used to seeing, and I just didn't notice it until now.

Jim

 

What oil weight are you using?

Excessively low idle speed requires rich setting on the idle mixture screw. Try setting the idle speed to 650 RPM and adjust the mixture screw further in (CW). (edited)

 

Thanks Ross! We used 10W30 oil for the most recent oil change. Previously, I was using straight 30 wt oil. Tomorrow i hope to check the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge, adjust the carb, and re-set the idle speed.

Jim

 

I would suggest that you change your oil again. Put in the 30 wt brand you used before, and see if she acts like her old self. Not that much money, not that hard to do, and eliminates one factor.
After all, you made a change, and saw a change. In most testing protocols you would change back, and see if that was the cause of the change. So...that's what I would do anyway.

A reason to believe 10-30 is really different in your engine than 30 wt:
Viscosity is thinner for 10-30. Great for very tight tolerance modern engines. Not so great for large (relatively) tolerance flatheads. Lower viscosity = more oil out tailpipe. Looks like black soot because it is black soot. I would be interested to know if your oil leaks (or drips or seeps or weeps) changed when you started running the 10-30. I went from leaks to weeps (no drips) when I changed from 10-30 to 40 wt. Harder for heavier oil to leak out rear and from mains. (I live in coastal California - not very cold winters = 40 wt OK here for F-1 Truck parked in garage.)

Your oil pressure is down because the friction is down due to the lighter weight oil. You are still getting good flow, likely better. Flow is the key here, oil pressure is a proxy for flow, being able to be measured much easier than oil flow rate.

Sure someone will read this and say something about how the 5-30 or whatever works great for them. But...
These re-built 3 and 4+ times engines can be very different from one another for many reasons, as you well know.

As for gas mileage down, that could be loss of horsepower due to lighter oil not making as good of seal between rings and cylinder wall. Heavier oil can make better compression. A statement not made by anyone on this forum that I have seen in my Freshman year hear. Something old flat track flathead west coast wing sprint car racers knew. (Google sprint car images) Those flathead guys mostly gone now. Again, talking about flatheads, not modern Coyote engines.

As for carburetor, I have even lower mileage than you on my re-built Holly 94. For me, I notice what you describe when going about 15 mph in 2nd gear. (T-5 tranny). A subtle surging, maybe better described as a hiccup in the get-a-long. I was thinking, "Why does this act like a power valve problem?? But I just re-built this a couple of thousand miles ago?" When I read your post on your carb issue I began to wonder if we are getting China junk rebuild kits, like something is funny with the power valves they are sending over. Obviously your other friends here know more about Carbs than me. (And many other things too - always learning I am.) Will be interested to find out your solution and try it for myself before going all in for another re-build so soon.

 

Very interesting, Maniac!

What weight should I be using in my 54 and 55 both with 239 Yblocks?

What's your opinion on Amsoil?

 

Thanks Maniac for your thoughtful response. As suspected, the carb was considerably out of adjustment. We were able to turn in the mixture screw more than a full turn. As we did so, the idle speed increased. Adjusting the carb, seems to have corrected the engine stumble and excess soot in the exhaust.

With a mechanical gauge, the oil pressure was found to be 50 psi at idle and 60 psi at higher rpm's. These were surprising numbers to me, but my mechanic friend thought they were not out of the ordinary for a newly rebuilt engine with a high capacity oil pump. Interestingly, when the oil pressure sending unit was re-installed, my gauge went back to barely moving again and reading in the 30-40 psi range. There must have been a loose connection causing the changes I was experiencing.

Based on what happened today, it would appear that going from straight 30 to 10W30 wt oil did not noticeably affect oil pressure. My engine, transmission, and differential, however, all do some dripping. The jury is still out on if changing to a higher wt oil viscosity would be helpful in reducing the oil spotting on my garage floor.

Jim

 

I corrected my reply above; screwing the idle mix in leans it out, which is what you did and it apparently did the trick.

I've been running Mobil1 synthetic 10w30 in my (flathead V8) engine for the last couple of years. Can't point to any major difference but it's really not much more expensive and is a far better oil than anything available in 1952. I drive my truck year-round, so running a straight-weight oil would require changing for the seasons, a complete waste of money.

 

I don't really run my truck in the winter, so using a multi-grade oil wouldn't be absolutely required. I've never tried synthetic oil in any of my vehicles, but maybe I should.

I'm always telling my wife that our 2012 Jeep is the last primary vehicle we are buying. I'd best take good care of it! Mobile1 might be just the thing to stretch out the service life of our already aging jeep. Is switching oil types anything to be concerned about? Our Jeep has 175,000 miles on it. Thanks.

Jim

 

There is absolutely no benefit to running straight 30. Unless it is 160 deg. out, your engine will benefit from a multi-vis oil. 60 or 70 deg. is still "cold" to an engine.

Whatever you are running in your Jeep must be working! They do make "high mileage" synthetics, couldn't hurt. All modern oils are cross-compatible, no worries about changing.