Oil Pan screen
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From: Appleton, Wisconsin
Oil Pan screen
Should I drop the oil pan and check the screen for clogging?
I've have not done this in the 12 years i've had the truck. I only put a few thousand miles a year on it.
I'm nervous about how hard it is to do this, but I also want the screen to be clean because of the problems I've heard if this isn't checked
Todd
I've have not done this in the 12 years i've had the truck. I only put a few thousand miles a year on it.
I'm nervous about how hard it is to do this, but I also want the screen to be clean because of the problems I've heard if this isn't checked
Todd
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From: Valley Center, CA
Have your oil pressure checked if you are worried about blockage. And if it helps you sleep, then go ahead and have the oil pan removed for a visual inspection. I have never heard of an oil pickup screen becoming blocked. 
John
John
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From: Southern New Hampshire
How about telling us what engine in what truck? Flatheads were notorious for clogging up the screen due to the straight 30W non detergent oil that was used.
If it is a V8 flatty then you might even consider changing the pump as gear mesh tolerance changes a lot over time. The Melling M19 pump that Ford went to in 1950 is still in production. Speedway has them as well as Reds.
If it is a V8 flatty then you might even consider changing the pump as gear mesh tolerance changes a lot over time. The Melling M19 pump that Ford went to in 1950 is still in production. Speedway has them as well as Reds.
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From: Appleton, Wisconsin
It's a 239 flathead V-8. Is this the engine that I heard was notorious for clogging up the screen? If the engine light comes on its usually to late.
Thanks for the info
Todd
Thanks for the info
Todd
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From: Southern New Hampshire
Yep, thats the engine. But Ive never seen an idiot light on a flatty?? Always use a real mechanical gauge.
Modern engines can also partially plug the screen. This is primarily due to the the valve guide seals breaking up and falling into the pan. Being extremely light they remain in suspension and get sucked onto the screen where they seem to get stuck. Ive recently had those problems with a 351W and 318 Mopar.
Modern engines can also partially plug the screen. This is primarily due to the the valve guide seals breaking up and falling into the pan. Being extremely light they remain in suspension and get sucked onto the screen where they seem to get stuck. Ive recently had those problems with a 351W and 318 Mopar.
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From: Appleton, Wisconsin
Thanks for the info and tip
Ya, my gauges are all 12 volt-they were converted before I bought it. My oil light and battery light are the "idiot type" out of a 56 ford.
I want to put in a oil pressure guage. Do i put a "t" valve below the oil filter beehive to connect a pressure gauge?
I see mid fifties sells the gauges. I'm not good at wiring so I hope it's not a big pain to do
Ya, my gauges are all 12 volt-they were converted before I bought it. My oil light and battery light are the "idiot type" out of a 56 ford.
I want to put in a oil pressure guage. Do i put a "t" valve below the oil filter beehive to connect a pressure gauge?
I see mid fifties sells the gauges. I'm not good at wiring so I hope it's not a big pain to do
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From: Albany NY
I think most of the later V-8's have a large inspection cover on the bottom of the oil pan so you can get to the pickup screen without removing the entire pan.
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From: Southern New Hampshire
I want to put in a oil pressure guage. Do i put a "t" valve below the oil filter beehive to connect a pressure gauge?
I see mid fifties sells the gauges. I'm not good at wiring so I hope it's not a big pain to do
Use the stock location port on the back of the block for an oil gauge line. I use real ones, not electric. About $35 in Advance Auto, AZ, etc for a nice AND accurate 3 gauge set or you can buy individual ones. The oil filter in a flathead only passes 20-25% of the oil and has a volume restrictor built into the feed. Not a good place to put a gauge line.
I think most of the later V-8's have a large inspection cover on the bottom of the oil pan so you can get to the pickup screen without removing the entire pan.
True for 48-52 truck blocks that still have the original pan. Most of the truck engines I pick up these days have car pans from swapped in engines. Ive always liked that big cleanout; even Ford realized the screens clogged up! Ford went cheapo in 53.
I see mid fifties sells the gauges. I'm not good at wiring so I hope it's not a big pain to do
Use the stock location port on the back of the block for an oil gauge line. I use real ones, not electric. About $35 in Advance Auto, AZ, etc for a nice AND accurate 3 gauge set or you can buy individual ones. The oil filter in a flathead only passes 20-25% of the oil and has a volume restrictor built into the feed. Not a good place to put a gauge line.
I think most of the later V-8's have a large inspection cover on the bottom of the oil pan so you can get to the pickup screen without removing the entire pan.
True for 48-52 truck blocks that still have the original pan. Most of the truck engines I pick up these days have car pans from swapped in engines. Ive always liked that big cleanout; even Ford realized the screens clogged up! Ford went cheapo in 53.
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Fleet Owner
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From: NM
I still didn't see what year your truck is, but on my '52 it took all of half an hour to drop the pan, and another hour to put it back (cleaning off old gasket, painting it, etc). Depends on your exhaust, whether it's been lowered, other things -- mine is stock*. Was your engine rebuilt 12 yrs ago, or just the way you bought it? At any rate, I guess my point would be, dropping the pan isn't tough, and not even very messy, but it let's you check an awful lot of stuff. You could check out the oil pump, check for sludge build-up in the pan and screen, see the cylinders, check for excess play in bearings, etc. It's a great Saturday afternoon project, I highly recommend it! (*PS -- my truck also has a one-piece Merc pan, not the original truck pan with the sump plate)
-- Ross
-- Ross
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From: Appleton, Wisconsin
"Use the stock location port on the back of the block for an oil gauge line. I use real ones, not electric. About $35 in Advance Auto, AZ, etc for a nice AND accurate 3 gauge set or you can buy individual ones. The oil filter in a flathead only passes 20-25% of the oil and has a volume restrictor built into the feed. Not a good place to put a gauge line."
Hi 286 Merc
3 gauge set? you mean 3 seperate gauges? Where on the dash do you put them?
Hi 286 Merc
3 gauge set? you mean 3 seperate gauges? Where on the dash do you put them?
Fleet Owner
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From: NM
Those chinese 3-gauge sets come with 1/16" teflon tubing for the oil gauge and I've had the tubing pop out of the compression fitting or break off, squirting oil all over the interior. So if you add in the cost of a quality braided hose, you're right up to where a nice Stewart-Warner electric gauge would be. It isn't like you need +/- 1 psi accuracy, but how much are you spending on your rig? The cost of a good gauge is cheap insurance.
-- Ross
-- Ross
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snipa........I think the 51-53 truck flathead V8's had the round cut out in the bottom of the pan and was held in by about 8 or 10 bolts. I am not sure about the car flatheads or what type of pans they had. The F2 & F3 oil pans also had a small brace on the back of the pan for added support.
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From: NM
Hseries, that's interesting about the brace... did it use 3 studs on the bottom of the pan? That's how mine is, but I always assumed it was a Merc pan, from a flatty with the sheet metal bellhousing as used in the early '50's .
-- Ross
-- Ross
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Sounds like a truck oil pan to me. I think there are three studs. Haven't looked at mine in awhile. The brace was used to firm up and support the pan because they were suceptible to getting dented the way they sat in the trucks compared to the cars. I am assuming that the F-1's have them also. I have never had an F-1 so I couldn't say for sure. I have been told by many oldtimers the F2 & F3's had the brace on the oil pan. As for the bolted on round clean out hole, they were on the trucks only from what I have been told. The car flatheads did not have them. The clean out holes were used for fleet vehicles & truck maintenance.
I am still looking for decent running 8RT flathead V8 to put into my 1951 F-3 pickup. The one that came with it, had froze and cracked the block in several places. A used older restoration in running condition will be fine. Nothing brand new or something that has been in a field for twenty years. The truck I have is rock solid throughout and an excellent restorer. The last three years I have been locating and buying used and new parts.
I am still looking for decent running 8RT flathead V8 to put into my 1951 F-3 pickup. The one that came with it, had froze and cracked the block in several places. A used older restoration in running condition will be fine. Nothing brand new or something that has been in a field for twenty years. The truck I have is rock solid throughout and an excellent restorer. The last three years I have been locating and buying used and new parts.