[30 Closed Cab PU]

If the drain oil looks bad, or if some sludge drains any, and if you stick your pinky finger through the drain hole and feel sludge in the bottom of the pan, definitely drop the pan and clean out the bottom end and the oil pump filter screen.


If you have not worked on an A before, be aware that the oil pan holds up the oil pump via a spring on the bottom of the oil pump. The oil pump will fall out when you drop the pan unless you hold it up via a threaded hole in the side of the block.


There is a hole in the side of the block that you take out a threaded NPT (pipe) plug, and insert a special NPT bolt/tool, do not use a standard or Metric bolt, it will strip the hole threads and possible wreck the block.


If sludge is found, also remove the valve access cover; clean out the valve galley sludge, hand crank the motor and see if valves are operating properly since they can freeze/sometimes stick. Also make sure the small holes in the bottom/back of the valve galley are clean/not blocked. These passages gravity feed oil to the lower end Babbit/Insert bearings.


Actually since the main part of cooling on an A is thermo siphon with water pump mainly as an aid for low speeds (or is it high speeds, can never keep this straight), for getting it up and running you can start/run it some without a working water pump and generator. You'll probably have to charge the battery up after you are done with the gen disconnected.