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Hi, I picked up a new project, it runs and drives, so I thought I would change the oil and filter and move on to 12 volt conversion. The oil pan has about 1/2" of sludge and there wasn't much oil in the filter canister. So, I guess I am pulling the pan and intake, it doesn't look to hard. To anyone that has done this before, anything special to watch out for? Are there any water passages in the intake? What are the 2 holes in the center of the intake gasket?
Those 2 holes are for the intake heater. The exhaust comes up thru there to assist in warming the intake and carb. This helps in running when cold.
The sludge sounds like our flatty. It’s so thick and gooey and deep. The oil pan is easy to remove and scrape out. Not sure you need to pull the intake as most of the sludge will run into the pan.
Bob, welcome to FTE the best Ford Truck Forum on the world wide Web! I can't help you with your sludge problem but want to welcome another PA Ford truck enthusiast!
The photo below shows why it's worth pulling the intake. No water passages in the intake. Flatheads didn't come with positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) and the valve chest area tended to collect sludge. Some people use a wet/dry vac to clean out the valve chest, but I can't imagine what a mess that makes of the vac. Better to just carefully scoop out as much as you can, then wipe it with cloths. Anything that falls down from there ends up in the pan.
For the same reasons, it's worth cleaning out the draft tube and soaking the oil filler cap, so the crankcase can breathe freely.
Normal for the oil filter canister to be mostly empty after sitting. They drain back to the pan. It is not a full-flow filter like on modern engines. It filters about 5 - 7% of the oil coming out of the oil pump. Because they filter much less oil, the filter element is much finer than a full-flow.
What sludge? Oh that sludge! Here are before and after pictures of the extent of my sludge problems. I might get the sludge of the year award.
before after
Thanks guys. It did take hours of cleaning, about 2 - 3 hours for 2 days, scooping that crap out with every tool I found or made. Then I used kerosene, brake cleaner and fogging oil in that order, along with about 4 rolls of shop and paper towels. Getting the sludge from the springs was the hardest. I see why the call them fat fenders, my ribs and chest were hurting the next day from bending over those fat fenders LOL. I am debating on whether or not to pull the distributor and front cover to clean up that area. I just hope I can save this engine, sure I can put a newer engine in it put I think the flathead adds character.
So, with the history of the truck that I know about, I bought it from an 82 year old guy from around Lehighton PA and he did some work to it.I guess he should have changed the oil more often, I was cursing him a few times when cleaning the sludge out. But I do know these engines did sludge up pretty fast. He changed it over to 5 lug by swapping the whole rear end and springs out and also did the front. It looks like a Dana 44 rear but I have to check that out more. For some reason he closed up the front seams in the fenders, I thought it might have been because of rust, but from behind, they look solid. I am also going over the steering system, those tie rod ends were hard to pop! That will probably be my next question about steering parts, I'll save for another post. Thanks again, Bob.
Pull that distributor - if you can.
Removed mine last weekend. Pulled out 2 inch, then got stuck. Eventually it loosend up and came out with a hand full of carbonized flakes. I would not have believed it without seeing first hand. Judging from the valve valley, yours will look similar. So, just do it.
How is your breather tube? Mine was restricted to the diameter of a pea, Disgusting, really.
Bob, get your truck running good and come to the central PA Mountain Truckstock in September. It is at the Bald Eagle State Park near Milesburg, pa just off of I-80. If you live near Leighton you are only about 135 miles away. Read the Central PA Mountain Truckstock thread for details.
It's not real hard to pull the front timing cover, especially if you still have the fan and generator out. And it does collect a lot of sludge. Much harder to clean tho, because there isn't much room around the gears. And when you put the t.c. back, you have to compress the front rope seal to get it back in position. Here's what the same engine I posted above looked like there.
It's not real hard to pull the front timing cover, especially if you still have the fan and generator out. And it does collect a lot of sludge. Much harder to clean tho, because there isn't much room around the gears. And when you put the t.c. back, you have to compress the front rope seal to get it back in position. Here's what the same engine I posted above looked like there.
10-30-2017, 05:14 PM
