Freshly Rebuilt 59AB Help Needed, Near end of my Rope

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

You have done a good job checking every thing. My suggestion, I've done this many times on big truck engines. Remove the oil pan, hook up an oil pressure tank to the sender unit fitting hole, put a pan under the car to catch the oil, put pressure to the tank, look under the engine, see if you can see a lot of oil going past cam bearings, main bearings, or back of cam gear, ect. I have found the problem before. Walt

[anothercarguy]

Originally Posted by hydropower

Are the cleanout plugs in the crank? Is the bushing for the fuel pump rod installed?

Can't say I've looked for either of these items. The fuel pump rod stands nicely vertical in it's hole so I assume that the bushing is in place. I'll look for both these items when I get into the shop later today.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[anothercarguy]

Originally Posted by chuck stevens

I'm very interested in your problem, as I have an 8BA in a 40 with a simular problem.
It was totally rebuilt, everything new. It has good oil pressure on start up but goes to zero at an idle after warmed up. I have checked the relief valve on the oil pump, the pick-up, and the oil galley plugs, same as you. I have gotten about three thousand miles on it, it is quiet, carries 25-30 lbs at road speed when up to temp.I also have an Isky max 1, new cam bearings hummmm. I will read yor posting everyday, thanks Chuck S.

Could you use a pre-luber to pressurize it before pulling the cam?

Originally Posted by Walt Dupont--Me.

You have done a good job checking every thing. My suggestion, I've done this many times on big truck engines. Remove the oil pan, hook up an oil pressure tank to the sender unit fitting hole, put a pan under the car to catch the oil, put pressure to the tank, look under the engine, see if you can see a lot of oil going past cam bearings, main bearings, or back of cam gear, ect. I have found the problem before. Walt

Thanks Chuck and Walt. I like the pre-lube oil pressure tank suggestion. I need to rummage around the shop to see what I can cobble together to make one this afternoon.

[Kurt in NJ]

What Walt says was going to be my suggestion too, I will also add that by changing the pressure in the tank (raising it) you can check where the relief valves open---a good bearing just drips slow

[George/Maine]

When you first started the engine you had oil to filter sound like good oil pressure .Now you have it removed and plugged.
Some times the block is modified for full oil flow check the block for any changes.
Also make sure the pickup tube and screen is good and clean.

[JSeery]

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Where was the return from the oil filter connected on the engine?

[Ol' Ron]

A few years back a fellow told me the new cam bearings had .006" clearance. I told him that was too much, so he line bored a set of .010 bearings. This made me think, I asuned thst new bearings would be right. Now I check this.

[anothercarguy]

Originally Posted by George/Maine

When you first started the engine you had oil to filter sound like good oil pressure .Now you have it removed and plugged.
Some times the block is modified for full oil flow check the block for any changes.
Also make sure the pickup tube and screen is good and clean.

Originally Posted by JSeery

Where was the return from the oil filter connected on the engine?

The engine has not been modified for the full (95%) oil filtering. The oil filter return line is (was) connected to the fitting on the side of the oil pan. Currently, I have a mechanical oil pressure gauge threaded into the oil filter supply fitting (and the sender for the 2 electric gauges is in the normal position).

[JSeery]

Any way you could post a photo of the return fitting on the side of the pan. That is not a normal return location.

[anothercarguy]

First pic shows the non-drilled boss where the 95% oil filtration mod would require a return line, 2nd pic shows where the supply for the filter is usually connected (but now has the mechanical gauge connected), 3rd photo shows the fuel pump rod bushing in place (green is a bit of grease when I first installed the fuel pump rod), 4th shows the front fitting of the oil pan where the oil filter return line was connected and the last photo shows the inside of the oil pan at the oil filter return fitting.

[42 1/2ton]

The oil supply and return look correct for the optional Ford filtering system. I have two oil pans (1942 29A) that have the same fitting on side of pan.

[RalphM]

I always thought the return was in the dipstick boss?

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by JSeery

Any way you could post a photo of the return fitting on the side of the pan. That is not a normal return location.

Yes it is. Later they used the a fitting in the dipstick boss.

[JSeery]

Well, guess that totally takes care of the modified oil system issue! On to other areas.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

Yes it is. Later they used the a fitting in the dipstick boss.

You are correct of course! I overstated that (or incorrectly stated that as the case may be). Just wanted to make sure he didn't have some internal modification to the oil system. But with the pan off all of that is answered.

[zzlegend]

Originally Posted by anothercarguy

First pic shows the non-drilled boss where the 95% oil filtration mod would require a return line, 2nd pic shows where the supply for the filter is usually connected (but now has the mechanical gauge connected), 3rd photo shows the fuel pump rod bushing in place (green is a bit of grease when I first installed the fuel pump rod), 4th shows the front fitting of the oil pan where the oil filter return line was connected and the last photo shows the inside of the oil pan at the oil filter return fitting.

I have 3, 59AB's from a 1946 and they are all like this.

[anothercarguy]

Ok...findings so far...using some fittings, a valve and my brake bleeder, I was able to apply a constant supply of 30 lbs of air (cleaner than what I expected oil might be, picture #3). Carefully listening with a piece of hose, I determined the most amount of air was coming from: the front oil pressure relief bleed off hole (behind cam timing gear) and at the front and center cam bearings.

I took apart the oil pressure relief valve and looking more closely, looked at a flat spot (see pictures 1 and 2...I had assumed previously that this was supposed to be there). Can anyone confirm whether it is supposed to be there or not? If not, can I turn it down in my lathe to create a smooth surface and then shim it back?...as for the air leaking at the cam bearings, I think it takes me back to full disassemble for proper measurements and to confirm what a number of you have suggested might be the cause (wrongly sized cam bearings and cam journals.

[JSeery]

The flat spot belongs there, but it is usually smoother in appearance.

[jrvariel48]

Originally Posted by JSeery

The flat spot belongs there, but it is usually smoother in appearance.

Ditto JSeery!

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

That flat spot belongs there, it's a little rough but that's not the problem, you can install a couple of small flat washers in the cap to raise pressure on the spring, are you sure the plug is installed in the front of the main oil line behind the cam gear? I put oil in the pressure tank and force it in to the engine, if that plug is out oil will running out by the front main. Walt