we have a junkyard flathead (eab) pulled a year ago last fall. we desludged it and it started easily, runs fine. put about 1000 miles on it this summer. used rotella oil and changed it 3x. the engine shows little or no smoke out of the exhaust, but quite a bit out of the crankcase breather. is that normal for a tired engine? it doesn't seem to have as much power as i remember from a rebuilt 8ba i had years ago. we didn't do a compression test but we will before we put it away for winter. am considering a total rebuild but just wondering about the smoke.

 

They do smoke a fair bit with some wear, but it's most noticeable at idle. The draft tube doesn't do a thing when it's not moving. Put on a PCV system and drive it!

 

thanks ross, another good idea from you. i had read several threads about adding pcvs but they were for ohv engines. found the pic and desc of yours and will do it. thanks again. dick r

 

If it runs decent and isn't using a lot of oil I agree just drive it. My Flathead according to the PO was last apart in the early 70's. After I got my truck it run pretty rough, but after sitting for 7 years I was expecting to have to do tear-down. I changed jobs and needed to use it as a daily driver, or I would have had to purchase another vehicle. To my surprise the more I drove it the less it leaked from the pan seals, and the less oil it took. I'm still using it as my daily driver 5 years later, that 6 to my amazement is still going strong. One thing I suggest though is not going down to 10W oil, I use 20W-50W. As the viscosity thins on my engine the consumption goes up. The addition of the 3.23 gears and that 5-speed trans was the icing on the cake though. Every time I drive I'm still amazed just how perfectly suited for the Flathead 6 that trans is.

 

just wanted to bump this up the list to thank ross (albuq f-1) for the pcv idea for my flathead v-8. i hooked one up as he suggested except i couldn't find a grommet, so i used a large neopreme washer that fit the pcv and covered the hole. i bulked up the valve with some vycor rubberized flex flashing and rtv'd it in place. i can't see any smoke at all now. my flattie is a little tired and will get a rebuild someday but it runs great< touch the starter and let go, it's running> i'll keep on driving it and enjoying it. thanks, dick r