[apbright]

Yesterday I was happily 65mph freeway motoring in my '31 S/W Town Sedan on a California sunny early-November day, taking in the rewarding purr of that Ford engine. Then, of course, a sudden change in sound, a slight loss in power, and a growing knocking sound. Initial thoughts were of a choke left open. But then the air was permeated by that dreaded burning-oil smell, followed by a yet-more dreaded louder knocking sound. Fearing something awful, I killed the ignition, depressed the clutch, and pulled over to the shoulder.

There, I opened the right engine hood to discover an oil return tube dutifully returning oil.... to the ground. Opening the left engine hood, I checked the engine oil level, to discover it has leveled off to zero. With two decades of engineering experience as a guide, I then took the next logical troubleshooting step: I called my priest and asked him to administer my engine's last rites over the phone (his response was I should consider spending more time with my family). The day ends with a long drive home in the cab of a AAA flatbed, consoling myself by listening to the young truck driver's nice stories of rebuilding his dad's '69 Camaro, the one he was driven home in from hospital after his birth.

That night, assuming my engine was a fused monad of metallurgy, on a lark, I checked to see whether it would turn over. Much to my surprise, it did. I pulled the spark plugs, squirted oil into each cylinder, added 4 quarts to the crankcase, and turned over the engine several times to mix fresh oil with my previously-remaining carbon-deposit lubricant. Pulling the dipstick, I see, indeed, an odd mix of carbon-deposit and fresh oil. I let this sit overnight.

Today, I drained the remaining fresh-oil/carbon-deposit mixture, and replaced it with more fresh oil, a new oil filter, and turned it over a few times with plugs out. Then, plugs back in, ignition on, rub rabbits foot, prayer to Patron Saint of Automotive Numbskulls.... hit starter... and, well, yes, it started right up. It blew smoke for a while (presumably burning off the oil I poured into the cylinders), and... then ran just fine. No remaining knock detectable.

I'm sure I divided by two (or more) any remaining crank bearing life. And, on my drive to work tomorrow, I still half-expect the entire block to split right down the middle and crankshaft to drop to the ground. But, given that molten lava was my expected result, I, for now, am most surprised and feel blessed. I'll take it for an early Thanksgiving.

Happy (early) Thanksgiving to all,

Andrew