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Old 08-22-2018, 04:56 PM   #1
37 Coupe
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Default Oil leak at rear of engine.

Thought I would venture back into a Model A after 54 years of owning my first and going to V8 Fords. Just bought a Deluxe '31 roadster last week and everyday I run into something that was kinda deceitful by the seller. The car was owned by the same man for well over 50 yeaars but I bought it from his 78 year old son. I know what is wrong with the radiator ,it won't hold water so I gotta fix that or get a new one. The worry I have today is the good size oil leak out the rear,quite the puddle on the garage floor. Real blak oil,not like the clean oil just changed in sump. Does the rear main seal or sling like my '37 Ford V8? Does it collect in bottom of bell housing like a V8 so this may be old oil that has accumaleted over the years? Also found out the engine is a '28 or '29 by the serial number not the original engine I was told. My fault for not checking everything over better. Mayby start looking for an engine someone is pulling for a hot rod, seems that is picking up as Brookville is selling more A bodies. Any suggestions,thought it would be a good winter project for small stuff.
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Old 08-22-2018, 06:03 PM   #2
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

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Originally Posted by 37 Coupe View Post
Thought I would venture back into a Model A after 54 years of owning my first and going to V8 Fords. Just bought a Deluxe '31 roadster last week and everyday I run into something that was kinda deceitful by the seller. The car was owned by the same man for well over 50 yeaars but I bought it from his 78 year old son. I know what is wrong with the radiator ,it won't hold water so I gotta fix that or get a new one. The worry I have today is the good size oil leak out the rear,quite the puddle on the garage floor. Real blak oil,not like the clean oil just changed in sump. Does the rear main seal or sling like my '37 Ford V8? Slinger. Does it collect in bottom of bell housing Yes. like a V8 so this may be old oil that has accumaleted over the years? Also found out the engine is a '28 or '29 by the serial number not the original engine I was told. My fault for not checking everything over better. Mayby start looking for an engine someone is pulling for a hot rod, seems that is picking up as Brookville is selling more A bodies. Any suggestions,thought it would be a good winter project for small stuff.
Repair/replace is up to you.
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Old 08-22-2018, 06:07 PM   #3
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

It could be Old black dirty oil in flywheel housing if the hole in bottom of housing is plugged.

There should be a large cotter pin that Ford installed sticking out of the hole that should wiggle around to keep hole open to drain oil. If it does not wiggle or is missing, the hole might be plugged with dirt.

Last edited by Benson; 08-22-2018 at 06:24 PM.
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Old 08-22-2018, 06:34 PM   #4
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Aside from the oil drip and the radiator how well does the engine run?

If it runs well, I would fix the radiator, make sure cotter pin is in hole at bottom of bell housing, and drive the car.

Check the oil level in transmission. You never can tell where oil will go. Enjoy.
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Old 08-22-2018, 06:48 PM   #5
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Has the engine been out of the car recently? If so be sure they replaced the gasket between the engine and the flywheel housing when they reinstalled the engine.

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Old 08-22-2018, 07:49 PM   #6
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

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The engine runs pretty good considering how prone it was for flooding so I have taken the Tillotson carb off and will do what I remember years ago get a Zenith or fix the warpage. The engine did not seem to burn any oil. I think engines are all the same 1928-1931 so mayby having an ealier engine is okay? I imagine Ford didn't care to much about numbers in engine exchanges or mayby they restamped? I do wonder if the oil sump is overfilled by the seller.
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Old 08-22-2018, 08:06 PM   #7
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Check that the filler cap is not jammed past the stops. The crankcase can not breathe if that is so. It will create pressure in the pan causing it to leak oil.
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Old 08-22-2018, 09:16 PM   #8
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

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Check that the filler cap is not jammed past the stops. The crankcase can not breathe if that is so. It will create pressure in the pan causing it to leak oil.
Also the dip stick needs to be inserted correctly or this will give a false reading on the low side, causing way to much oil in your engine = big time oil leakage!
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Old 08-23-2018, 10:13 AM   #9
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Is the oil the same color as the transmission oil? "Maybe" the front of the trans is leaking some????
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Old 08-23-2018, 10:58 AM   #10
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Good Morning...Can you tell how much oil comes out after you drive the car? If the engine is stock and has a good bit of millage on it, then you might need to drop the pan and remove shims from the mains and rods. At the least, clean out the pan and the oil pump and if a lot of muck, then clean out the valve chamber as well.

What you might do is take a shot glass and fill it with oil and pour it on the garage floor and see if the spread is more or less than your engine. A spread of an once or two is not all that bad. I do know people who fabricate a little drip pan to go under the hole in the bell housing and then check it every so often. The floor stays clean and you know how much oil your engine is loosing. Model 'A's do like to mark their spot. Ernie in Arizona
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Old 08-23-2018, 11:04 AM   #11
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Yyou can buy a "Oil Janitor" that snaps under the rear of the pan. You cut a oil pad to fit and replace it whenever you need to.
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Old 08-23-2018, 11:07 AM   #12
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

A Friend had his engine out 3 times, fussing with a REAR leak & discovered it was the front of the transmission!
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Old 08-23-2018, 08:15 PM   #13
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

I will also check that. I know it looks different then engine oil and I will do some forensic work on it tomorrow.Nothing smells like trans and rear end oil.thank You.
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Old 08-23-2018, 10:30 PM   #14
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

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I will also check that. I know it looks different then engine oil and I will do some forensic work on it tomorrow.Nothing smells like trans and rear end oil.thank You.


1. In the past I used smell the trans / diff oil to identify it .... not true any more at least with the oil sold and used in Model As nowadays. Both it and engine oil smell the same.

THe hypoid gear oils MIGHT still have that smell. None of my newer cars leak so I do not know about the smell.

2. Try this for leak at rear main.

Look at bolt heads that hold on the oil pan.

If there is a drop of oil on every bolt head on passenger side of engine then oil leak is very likely starting at the front timing gear cover and running back to rear and dripping off flywheel housing.

If you notice driver's side bolts are dry then it is even more likely this is the problem.

Note engine sits at a 3 degrees angle ... That is it is higher front to rear so oil runs to rear.

There are 9 bolts holding timing cover from front and two larger ones on the small "side cover"...

One bolt is hidden inside a recess near Generator mounting bolt.

Here is why this matters ... If someone has installed any or all of these bolts using split lock washers then the oil splashing off timing gear under the cover will leak out down the oil pan rail to run off the flywheel housing so it appears that rear main is leaking.

I use NO washers here and a dab Ultra Black on the head of bolt where it contacts the timing cover.

Try it ... MUCH easier than removing the pan to replace gasket, pulling shims or rebuilding the engine only to find it still leaks!

Last edited by Benson; 08-24-2018 at 10:43 AM. Reason: bolt
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Old 08-24-2018, 01:17 PM   #15
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

I did the inspection like you said and the oil stream is not left or right but right straight down the middle of the oil pan. So it looks like it is coming from a front seal?
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Old 08-24-2018, 08:45 PM   #16
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

I have been into a lot of engines that had a leak at the rear and NONE of them were leaking at the transmission. This includes a couple of my own.
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Old 08-24-2018, 11:54 PM   #17
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

Clean the pan and everything well, pull the rear inspection plate(3bolts), and start her up, and watch for where it’s coming from.
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Old 08-26-2018, 10:20 AM   #18
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Default Re: Oil leak at rear of engine.

The leak could very well be the front seal. Check it well to make sure. That seal isn't too hard to replace. Let us know when you get that far and we'll walk you thru it. Use the original type rope.
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