The Ford Barn

stouchton · 07-30-2013, 11:11 AM

Had a friend look at my A and tell me I needed to drill a 1/4" hole in the bottom of the clutch cover to let accumulated oil drain (and to also stick a cotter pin in it to keep from clogging). He told me it is in one of the service bulletins (I could not find it...).

So, after many hours searching I came up with nil. It makes sense to me to do it, looking at how it was built. Seems any oil passed by the slinger will collect and hit the clutch prior to getting high enough to lubricate the radius ball.

Just looking for some advice on this. I do have the complete service bulletins - maybe I just missed it?? Should the hole be drilled (is the theory right?)? And, if so - simply at the lowest point on the bottom?

Larry Seemann · 07-30-2013, 11:16 AM

There is already a hole like that at the bottom of the flywheel housing for that purpose. Or did I misunderstand the question?

newshirt · 07-30-2013, 11:28 AM

Quote:

The cotter pin in the drain hole in the flywheel housing is placed there to prevent the hole [from] becoming clogged. The movement of the pin prevents any possibility of dirt or other foreign matter plugging up the hole.

Service Bulletins, page 218, second column, near the bottom

stouchton · 07-30-2013, 12:51 PM

Thanks Ray - I must have missed it.

Larry - Been under the car a couple times and never noticed a hole. The fellow who mentioned it to me also went under the car and said it wasn't there. I'm not sure if they were drilled at the factory or not.

I will read up on the service bulletin and crawl underneath and have a second look.

Did they put something different in the hole in 1931? I did notice what looked like a brass rivet on the bottom of the clutch housing. It seemed tight to the housing, and did not seem to have a place for oil to leak out. I figured it was for something mounting in the bottom of the clutch housing, for the life of me I am not sure what it would be.

Tom Wesenberg · 07-30-2013, 01:31 PM

There should be a large cotter pin in the hole, with the round head inside the housing and the ends spread just a little. This will move around some and keep the hole from plugging up. If the cotter is missing, just make up something out of a coat hanger that you could bend enough to make it stay in the hole. The next time the tranny or engine comes out, you can then fix it the right way.

stouchton · 07-30-2013, 01:54 PM

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Tom - so I am gathering that the hole I am looking for is under 1/4" diameter and the cotter pin was inserted from the inside of the housing. Also - this hole would be directly on the bottom of the clutch housing - in front of the radius ball, correct? (didn't get to look at service bulletins yet).

I really did not see anything like that under mine - not even a hole.

Mitch//pa · 07-30-2013, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stouchton

Tom - so I am gathering that the hole I am looking for is under 1/4" diameter and the cotter pin was inserted from the inside of the housing. Also - this hole would be directly on the bottom of the clutch housing - in front of the radius ball, correct? (didn't get to look at service bulletins yet).

I really did not see anything like that under mine - not even a hole.

here is a pic of the bottom of the clutch housing
please excuse the bubble wrap lol

stouchton · 07-30-2013, 02:20 PM

Holy Smokes! Thanks Mitch - picture is worth a thousand words!

Mike in NRN IN · 07-30-2013, 02:26 PM

Check out this thread on FordBarn -

While this describes the 'alignment' it also shows the hole in the flywheel housing quite well.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34484

When I got my coupe and replaced the clutch, I found the hole clogged with dirt and no cotter pin.

I didn't know there was a hole, until I started cleaning things and reading the Les Andrews books.

If you say there is a brass plug in there, I would recommend drilling it out and working a wire / portion of coat hanger into the hole until you have a chance to pull the transmission out.

Mike

newshirt · 07-30-2013, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stouchton

I really did not see anything like that under mine - not even a hole.

You don't have something like this covering it, do you? This accessory attaches to the bottom of the flywheel housing, and will obscure the hole and cotter pin. Consider taking a photo of the bottom of your flywheel housing and posting it here.

http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/4706

1931 flamingo · 07-30-2013, 03:33 PM

Mine was "missing. I inserted the c/pin backwards and was able to spread the ends so it stays in.
Paul in CT

stouchton · 07-31-2013, 08:52 AM

Crawled under her last night (no lift

) and lo and behold I've got a 3/16" hole

No cotter pin, but I can easily add that.

Thanks for your help. Should have paid more attention the first time I was under there. The hole was hard to see, felt it with my finger first then wiped the oil off and could see it.

Napa Skip · 07-31-2013, 09:03 AM

And that - I guess - is the whole story...

07-30-2013, 11:11 AM	#1
stouchton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Pottstown, PA Posts: 342	Clutch cover hole?? Had a friend look at my A and tell me I needed to drill a 1/4" hole in the bottom of the clutch cover to let accumulated oil drain (and to also stick a cotter pin in it to keep from clogging). He told me it is in one of the service bulletins (I could not find it...). So, after many hours searching I came up with nil. It makes sense to me to do it, looking at how it was built. Seems any oil passed by the slinger will collect and hit the clutch prior to getting high enough to lubricate the radius ball. Just looking for some advice on this. I do have the complete service bulletins - maybe I just missed it?? Should the hole be drilled (is the theory right?)? And, if so - simply at the lowest point on the bottom?

07-30-2013, 11:16 AM	#2
Larry Seemann Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Spokane, WA. Posts: 496	Re: Clutch cover hole?? There is already a hole like that at the bottom of the flywheel housing for that purpose. Or did I misunderstand the question? __________________ Larry Seemann

07-30-2013, 12:51 PM	#4
stouchton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Pottstown, PA Posts: 342	Re: Clutch cover hole?? Thanks Ray - I must have missed it. Larry - Been under the car a couple times and never noticed a hole. The fellow who mentioned it to me also went under the car and said it wasn't there. I'm not sure if they were drilled at the factory or not. I will read up on the service bulletin and crawl underneath and have a second look. Did they put something different in the hole in 1931? I did notice what looked like a brass rivet on the bottom of the clutch housing. It seemed tight to the housing, and did not seem to have a place for oil to leak out. I figured it was for something mounting in the bottom of the clutch housing, for the life of me I am not sure what it would be.

07-30-2013, 01:31 PM	#5
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Clutch cover hole?? There should be a large cotter pin in the hole, with the round head inside the housing and the ends spread just a little. This will move around some and keep the hole from plugging up. If the cotter is missing, just make up something out of a coat hanger that you could bend enough to make it stay in the hole. The next time the tranny or engine comes out, you can then fix it the right way.

07-30-2013, 01:54 PM	#6
stouchton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Pottstown, PA Posts: 342	Re: Clutch cover hole?? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Tom - so I am gathering that the hole I am looking for is under 1/4" diameter and the cotter pin was inserted from the inside of the housing. Also - this hole would be directly on the bottom of the clutch housing - in front of the radius ball, correct? (didn't get to look at service bulletins yet). I really did not see anything like that under mine - not even a hole.

07-30-2013, 02:20 PM	#8
stouchton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Pottstown, PA Posts: 342	Re: Clutch cover hole?? Holy Smokes! Thanks Mitch - picture is worth a thousand words!

07-30-2013, 02:26 PM	#9
Mike in NRN IN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 208	Re: Clutch cover hole?? Check out this thread on FordBarn - While this describes the 'alignment' it also shows the hole in the flywheel housing quite well. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34484 When I got my coupe and replaced the clutch, I found the hole clogged with dirt and no cotter pin. I didn't know there was a hole, until I started cleaning things and reading the Les Andrews books. If you say there is a brass plug in there, I would recommend drilling it out and working a wire / portion of coat hanger into the hole until you have a chance to pull the transmission out. Mike

07-30-2013, 03:33 PM	#11
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: Clutch cover hole?? Mine was "missing. I inserted the c/pin backwards and was able to spread the ends so it stays in. Paul in CT

07-31-2013, 08:52 AM	#12
stouchton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Pottstown, PA Posts: 342	Re: Clutch cover hole?? Crawled under her last night (no lift ) and lo and behold I've got a 3/16" hole No cotter pin, but I can easily add that. Thanks for your help. Should have paid more attention the first time I was under there. The hole was hard to see, felt it with my finger first then wiped the oil off and could see it.

07-31-2013, 09:03 AM	#13
Napa Skip Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Napa CA Posts: 412	Re: Clutch cover hole?? And that - I guess - is the whole story... __________________ Skip Keyser Napa Valley A's Olympic Vintage Auto Club (1980-1982) MARC of San Diego (1977-1978) MAFCA (since 1978) MARC (since 1977) ---------- Model A owners belong in their Model A’s; Model A’s belong on the road.