engine with no oil drain back tube provision?

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by SeaSlugs

hmm it would be interesting to find out why they went back to the origional tube and such....maybe had problems with the oil sludging up and clogging the holes or effictively reducing thier diameters? who knows...

It would be interesting to know the history as to why Ford produced this engine in the first place. Yes it was an experimental design and all that.

Pluck

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by dlshady

Heck, it took me about 3 hours to just digest it...

At least YOU digested it...one of the few who has

Pluck

[Napa Skip]

Let me say up front that - as a registered mechanical engineer - I stand in awe of most (if not all) of Henry Ford's automotive engineering.

However, I removed the oil return pipe on my primary engine (in 1977) and my backup engine (1980) and have run them this way ever since, in daily driving - and otherwise - in Idaho, Washington and California, with no discernible degradation to engine lubrication. In fact - as iconoclastic as this may appear to other Model A owners - I think I can make a case for improved timing gear lubrication without the oil return pipe.

My principal concern with this set up, based on experience with marine diesel, steam turbine and reduction gear lubrication (and land-based power generation lube oil system design) was that there might be excessive foaming. There appears to be none, although I will admit this is difficult to determine.

I will - as a previous FordBarn poster stated - now go off line and wait to be squashed like a bug by others for suggesting such an unorthodox "modification".

Engine - passenger side.jpg

Oil Return Port - detail.jpg

[mantta]

That external drain tube also acts as an oil cooler.

[Hitchhiker]

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

A256479 would be a July 16, 1928 number and in the "window" of production of those engines.

By chance...what is the engine/frame number?

If the frame number matches this engine number...then to my knowledge, it would be the FIRST originally assembled Model A Ford that is known to have such an engine installed into it when originally assembled in 1928.

Also gas tank date and assembly plant code and number?

Is this "29 Coupe" a Special Coupe or Standard Coupe? By the looks of the photo, it is a Standard Coupe.

Are you sure it is not a 1928 Standard Coupe?

Thanks.

Pluck

When I have some time I'll get over there and inspect for the gas tank and assembly plant data.

We're just going off of the title info and what we were told. The engine number does match the title, but we haven't lifted the body to match the frame. "Fingers crossed"

Anyways here are some more pictures. How do we identify the year for sure besides the frame number? It does have the early style front frame/engine mount bolted straight to the block. Is that 28 only? I don't know it that is relevant.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109835

[dlshady]

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Originally Posted by Hitchhiker

When I have some time I'll get over there and inspect for the gas tank and assembly plant data.

We're just going off of the title info and what we were told. The engine number does match the title, but we haven't lifted the body to match the frame. "Fingers crossed"

Anyways here are some more pictures. How do we identify the year for sure besides the frame number? It does have the early style front frame/engine mount bolted straight to the block. Is that 28 only? I don't know it that is relevant.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109835

There were a ton of running changes during that timeframe, so it's difficult to give you one or two things to look at. You're on the right track though, as far as taking a bunch of photos and letting everyone have a look.

I noticed the taillight on the passenger fender, but does the rear of the body have the three D-nuts for the body mounted taillight on the driver side? Also, pull up the floormat on the driver side by the kick panel and see if it has the hole for the early left hand emergency brake. A car in the 200,000 to 250,000 serial number range would have still had that hole but it would have been covered by a block-off plate, while it's highly unlikely that hold would still be there on a real 1929 car. And this is all assuming that it's pretty well one car (with the exception of maintenance and typical parts replacement over the years) and not a car tha was cobbled together out of a bunch of parts. From what I can see it looks to be pretty much the former and not the latter.

Deron

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Napa Skip

Let me say up front that - as a registered mechanical engineer - I stand in awe of most (if not all) of Henry Ford's automotive engineering.

However, I removed the oil return pipe on my primary engine (in 1977) and my backup engine (1980) and have run them this way ever since, in daily driving - and otherwise - in Idaho, Washington and California, with no discernible degradation to engine lubrication. In fact - as iconoclastic as this may appear to other Model A owners - I think I can make a case for improved timing gear lubrication without the oil return pipe.

My principal concern with this set up, based on experience with marine diesel, steam turbine and reduction gear lubrication (and land-based power generation lube oil system design) was that there might be excessive foaming. There appears to be none, although I will admit this is difficult to determine.

I will - as a previous FordBarn poster stated - now go off line and wait to be squashed like a bug by others for suggesting such an unorthodox "modification".

Attachment 135704

Attachment 135705

hmm im goign to go safely asume your using modern oil which may not leave deposits and such. may have somehting to do with it (modern VS model A era oil)

also roads were much bumpier of existant so maybe the bouncing foamed it up...

probably tried to remove it as its more parts to machine correctly, more holes to drill and tap, harder to make the valve cover casting and having someone clean up more burrs. may have come down to purely a cost thing.

[colin1928]

A model engines used in airplanes had no oil return line also

[Purdy Swoft]

I've also seen Gordon Smith compressers with the outside oil line removed and blocked off.

[Bill in Al]

Hurry up! I want to know! Thank you Pluck,for your dilligence.