Anybody found an oil funnel that will lock in place on our old trucks? My car’s oil fill is a booger to access. I’m thinking of a kit like this, but want to find a version that will also work on my ‘84 351W:

https://www.powerbuilt.com/products/...ehicles-240151



This is only one example. Many different brands out there.

 

I don't use funnels. I bought a $10 plastic oil fill can from Walmart with a accordion snout on it. I have lots of different vehicles that use different amounts of oil, and I have started buying and using the Walmart 2 gallon diesel oil. So I just fill the oil fill can with the proper amount from the 2 gallon container, and then just dump it in the engine. Works pretty good.

I looked and looked on their site, can't find it.

 

Similar to this?:


https://www.lislecorp.com/lubricatio...th-lid-and-cap






I have one, but unfortunately it takes up a lot of shelf space. I had been using the same oil in all my vehicles, but now need something different for old vs. new. That means a second oil can if I want to go that route, so I’m leaning towards a good funnel.

As picky as I am, I want a funnel that locks in place and more importantly, won’t spill everywhere if I fill it too fast. (Edit) My truck has a baffle at the fill opening, and it is super easy to overwhelm it when filling from the flex spout fill can. I’ve given up trying to use it on my truck.

 

The first two decades of owning my truck with the 6.9 diesel I bought my oil in 55 gallon drums. I got the hand crank pump for the oil drum. It put out a measured amount of oil per crank. I'd catch the oil in a two quart oil can with the flex spout. That worked well for my truck and other vehicles too. When you are changing out 10 quarts per change economy comes to mind. I could get a 55 gallon drum of Shell Rotella delivered for just under 300 bucks and it came with a free country music CD! I'm sure it's alot more money now and my annual mileage is lower these days so after the second drum of oil was used I switched to one gallon jugs. I stocked up a few cases of gallons back when the price was low. Now I'm using a giant funnel that's big enough to hold two gallon bottles in it. Its completely stable in my fill spout. After pouring in 10 quarts I can leave two bottles in the funnel and go have coffee while the last few table spoons drain out.

 

Alas, not really enough room on my truck for a big funnel like that. Between the AC compressor and air cleaner, there's not a surplus of room. I like being able to let the bottles drain unattended. I had been using one of these smaller funnels, and it worked okay, but could still flop around, so you couldn't walk away while in use. It was even worse on my car, as the opening in the valve cover is much bigger:




Tried a universal model that supposedly would lock in place, but it was useless. It barely gripped the opening, and the tip of the funnel did not extend far enough. When used on a slant, such as on a V8 engine, oil missed the opening!:




Ah, but like Goldilocks, the third time was just right. I gambled one of these and it arrived yesterday. Shop around as I noticed several previously unknown brand names for the same kit, at much different prices:



You pick one of eight adapters that connect to the valve cover. The adapters have a gasket or O-ring to seal fully to the engine. Then you plug the funnel into the adapter. The funnel has two O-rings for a leak free connection. You can also use the offset piece in the middle if needed, but I didn't need it on my car or truck.




Here's a view of the bottom of the adapter, next to the stock filler/breather cap:




I'm quite pleased with this relatively inexpensive kit.

 

Looks like you found a workable solution. On my old 350 it had a valve cover oil fill just like yours. But back then oil came in tin topped cardboard cans. I had the plunge in spout so insert the spout and invert and stick in the valve cover filler hole. Stayed there perfectly. Then later they switched to plastic quarts. Those I had to hold in place one at a time x 5. Back then I only used Castrol GTX oil.

 

Found the kit worked on the Chev 350 in one of my Jeeps, with just a teensy bit of trimming. And best of all, it worked with the flathead 4 in my CJ-2A:



Note how the funnel is perfectly sized to hold a rectangular bottle, so you can leave it unattended to drain.

But alas, none of the adapters fit my Corvair.

 

You have a Chevy 350 in a jeep? What kind of drive train is behind it?

 

In my defense, I didn't do the engine swap. It was already like that when I bought it. The rest of it was in really good shape, so I couldn't pass it up. I don't have a picture handy, but it's this style, only 2-tone. I really like the looks of the skinny grave digger tires on this example. Mine came with fat chrome rims and I've hated them since day one. I'm not a fan of the high-school drug dealer look. I have scrounged up a set of original skinny rims but haven't pulled the trigger and opened the wallet just yet:


Not mine



Mine still has the stock T-90 3-speed, Dana 18 transfer case, Warn overdrive, Dana 44 rear axle, and Dana 27 up front. The T-90 is marginal behind a V-8, but I'm not flogging the poor thing.

Originally this wagon had the 6-230 "Tornado" overhead cam engine. It was quite advanced for its day, but had a lot of teething problem so developed a bad reputation. I've toyed around with swapping back if I can find one at a reasonable price.

 

I had a 63 jeep wagoneer with the 230 OHC. A very strong motor but wasn't very good on gas hauling around all that iron. It had three on the tree and warn hubs. I liked the engine and it would cruise on the highway at 70 mph and still get 15 mpg, same as in town driving. You do have to pay attention to keeping the valve lash adjusted and not to over tighten the valve cover lest you split the rubber gasket.

And the Chevy 350 is also a favorite engine of mine on the gas side. I loved my Chevy half ton with the 350 motor and the 350 turbohydromatic three speed transmission. If I were building a gas truck today I'd use that drive train.

 

except I'd junk the 350 trans and get the better 400 instead hah

 

I put 350,000 miles on that 350/350 combo. The engine was still tight, not using oil. The trans was maintained and never a lick of trouble. I so wish I had kept it.

The 400 turbohydromatic is also a great trans, so I wouldn't say no to that. Rolls Royce used the 400 in the silver shadow because GM had the best AT at that time.

 

See I would go with a 700r4 and you get over drive.
I had one behind a 6.2 turbo diesel 230+K on the motor & trans.
Rear end was a different story, why a 10 bolt in a truck was beyond me?
Dave ----

 

I wouldn't be opposed to going to the 4 speed THM. Because I owned the THM 350 and I put it through the paces for 350,000 miles with no issues I found it to be excellent. The smoothness and responsiveness was better than any other V8 auto combination I've driven. I was getting just under 20 mpg with that combo so the rear end was a highway ratio. I'm not sure of the ratio I had. But good mileage so probably closer to 3:1 than 4:1