Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Good evening everyone, I am back with another question. My 29 Leatherback has not been started in over 70 years. Looking for opinions on weather I should pull the oil pan and take a look at things or leave it on. I has oil in it, it was garaged all the time it sat, and the engine is free and turns easily. I am pulling the head, because that was leaking.

Any other recommendations will be welcome and appreciated.


Thanks for all our help!!

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

I would remove the pan. It's not a big job. I took the pan of my 31 after it had been idle for about 30 yrs. There was lots of gooey sediment in the bottom of the pan so I took the tray out, cleaned the pan well, made sure the rear main drain tube was clear and tightly in place and cleaned the screen on the oil pump. In my opinion, time well invested.

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

The prudent thing to do is to take the pan off as well as the valve cover and cam gear covers and just check things out. Why was it sitting for so long? Did some one park the car because there was a knock? I bought the wheels off a Model T that was parked in 1949 because the engine developed a rod knock. I know of a 1913 Buick that has been parked for many years now because it developed a knock.

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

It’s like the lottery how lucky do you feel?

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Thanks for all the responses, I will give the engine a good once over!!

Because I really don't feel all that lucky, especially with so much at stake LOL

As to why the car was parked, I am not sure. My Grandfather bought it new in 29, drove it as a daily driver until they parked it. After my Grandfather passed, the car was willed to my father. He never did anything with it so it remained parked all those years. Then just before my dad passed about three years ago I promised him I would get it running. So that is where I am today. I don't think it was parked because of an engine knock, because no one ever told me it did. My dad never said that, and his brother, who is still here has never said that either. So I am hoping it is a good engine.

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

If it hasn't had oil circulation for that long, a person needs to get oil to the mains and cam as well as the dipper tray before even considering a start. Carefully clean out the valve chest & check for stuck valves. Check the bottom end & oil pump as well as the pump & distributor drive. Fill the valve chamber through the distributor drive port (a litte over a quart). The rest goes in the dipper tray when refilling the sump.

Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders will free up sticky piston rings. Clean the whole fuel system. It will need it after that many years.

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Great advice, thank you, it is much appreciated. This site is full of great people and great advice!!!

One question though. What is the best way to get oil to the mains. By priming by turning the oil pump?

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Pore oil down the hole for the distributor, one quart before start up, don’t over fill the oil pan

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

I bought a mystery 30 Tudor last Sept. with the same non running history as your 29. Pulled the pan and found horrors to behold therein.
1.Fiber timing teeth in pan
2. loose oil pump cover.
3. missing rear main bearing drain tube. replaced the tube.
4. lots of gunk in pan and valve chamber.
5. stuck valves, which also required access to the valve chamber to loosen with PB blaster and much cranking and taping said stuck valve back down through the spark plug hole in head.
All previous advice above is spot on, especially adding oil through the distributer prior to start up to lube dry bearings.
BTW, the 30 Tudor in question ran well after installing a good carburetor and new points and condensor. It was 10 days work well spent. Let us know what you find in that oil pan and cylinder head.

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

One more thing...the big spring that attaches to the base of oil pump in the 30 Tudor with the loose cover also was rusted away and floating loose in the pan, leaving nothing to hold it in place. Yikes!!

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Once you take the valve cover off there are two holes-one in the back bottom corner and one in the middle behind the dist. drive gear. They go to the mains, pour some oil in them and watch. if it dissappears then the tubes to the mains are clean. the front is lubed from the cam gear area. Then put the cover back on and fill from the dist. hole.

Mike

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

Does it have to be down the distributor hole? Can you just take the top of the oil return tube off and pour a quart into the valve chamber?

David Serrano

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

much easier to pour into the distributor hole on top than the return tube opening on side.......jmho

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

There is a 3rd feed opening behind the no.1 exhaust tappet that is hard to see. I had to feel for in last time I looked. The oil pump feeds just outboard of the no.1 tappet along the outer edge of the valve chest. If a person hand cranks the engine with fresh oil in the sump, oil should flow from that port while cranking for a bit. This would require the plugs out but the last time I performed that test, I had the head off to unstick valves.

Sitting around for long periods can take its toll on these engines.

Re: Engine work after 70 years of not running!!
 

I would also inspect the bearings. Used oil has acid in it. This acid can do a lot of damage to bearings over the years. I learned this from experience.