Fresh overhaul & modern lube'

[warrene]

Am doing an overhaul of my motor, new rings, valve job, four new SS valves for the exhaust. Rods & mains are all fitted and snug, looking at the main oil feed tubes with gravity feed make me realize that these bearings could starve of oil in cold weather at startup and 'till things warm up. I'm going to start with 5-W20 oil and may keep using it, we'll see how this drains from the rear main down it's tube into the pan. It works in the new cars and will work in the Model A if things are good, I also always add a half pint of 15-40 (diesel) oil to the fill, this give some EP for the camshaft & tappets since modern oils are now lacking.
I use 80/90 in rear end & tranny, have also used HI-Tran or universal tractor fluid in them, never use the old crap stated in old books, modern lubes a FAR superior, use it, I've driven the A since 1948, ain't the first rodeo.

warrene

[eagle]

Lucas oil stabilizer makes the tranny shift very smoothly. Makes the shifter feel slick and gears mesh easily.

[J Franklin]

I would suggest 5-30 instead of 5-20 oil since a rebuilt engine will run at a higher temperature at first. Things in an A engine will never be to the close tolerances as a modern engine. I would use a product such as Marvel Mystery Oil and ditch the diesel. Just my thoughts.

[Synchro909]

If you're using stainless valves ( a magnet is only lightly attracted to them), seek GOOD advice first before you set the clearances. I recently put in a set and was told to set the tappets at 0.025" by the company that did my camshaft regrind which I thought was excessive. I was warned that SS valves expand more than the original type so need more clearance when cold. I decided on a compromise 0.022" and that I would check things soon after starting the motor. At about 50 miles, I dropped the sump and looked at the lobes on the cam shaft. It was obvious that the followers had been rubbing the heels of the lobes so I opened them up to the recommended 0.025".

[rotorwrench]

There are few if any modern manufacturers that make valves like Ford did. They were still useing the standard stainless head welded to the steel stems for many years and had little or no troubles with them other than normal wear and tear. All stainless valves do have a tendency to gall the stem & guide if clearance is too close. Bronze guide liners are the best way to insure no galling with the new all stainless valves. We used the same clearances for stainless valves as we did for the sodium filled steel stem valves in the aircraft. The expansion rate is not all that much different.

Any multi viscosity oil with at most a 10 grade for the winter (cold) test should be fine for the model A engines. SAE 20 straight grade was commonly used back in the day for winter use. When the polymers expand in the multi vis type oils, they do it because the temperature is up by that time and that will give the best viscosity for warmed up operation. I wouldn't use any oil additive other than MMO for the old Ford engines. The MMO added in the fuel is better for the valves but the engines will tolerate solvents like MMO inboth oil and fuel as long as you follow the directions for use.

[Jim Brierley]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Always use modern oils! Adding zinc or diesel oils are a waste of time and energy. Model A's have steel cams, not cast iron as in newer cars, plus they have relatively little spring pressure. Modern oils still contain zinc, only not as much as they did in the late 50's and 60's.

[captndan]

Lucas or STP in the tranny is not a good idea. The high speed gears will throw it to the side of the case where it will stick. Thus reducing to total amount of lubricant in the tranny. 600W is still the way to go.