The Ford Barn

Rich in Tucson · 03-22-2015, 11:04 PM

Fellas, I am looking for a way to salvage a block in which modifications were made for "full oil pressure" or something. The internal oil tubes to the mains were removed. The oil pump was modified to put all flow out of a fitting on the inside of the engine (and/or through the hole on the outside of the block).

Copper plumbing goes to the center main (from below) with a tee to route oil to the front main (from above). Another copper pipe from another tee goes up into the valve chamber (through the normal center main gravity feed hole) and back down through the block (in a drilled hole behind the gravity feed hole!?) to the rear main. The gravity oil passages were not plugged other than by the loosely fitting copper pipe through the center and new rear holes...

A Vickers airplane (remember them?) oil pressure relief valve with yet another copper pipe from the normally plugged hole in the side of the block was attached to the valve cover to permit regulation of flow to the valve chamber. This device was extremely temperamental in operation and was more like an on-off switch so it has to go.

We briefly ran this engine and of course had oil flowing out of the rear main since it had a stock configuration but that at least indicated it got oil to the rear main. However the engine clearly lacked oil supply to the valve chamber and with the unplugged holes in its floor it would not matter much anyway.

If the open gravity flow holes in the valve chamber are plugged would a remote oil filter (with inlet from the side of the block and outlet into the valve chamber) provide enough back pressure to cause some flow, at least equivalent to gravity flow, to the main bearings? If the oil filter is too free-flowing can anyone suggest a restrictive orifice or the like to put some pressure equivalent to or above gravity flow to the mains with overflow to the valve chamber? (sorta like what worked so well originally!)

Else, has anyone found a good reliable way to restore missing gravity oil tubes in the block? Thanks for all suggestions!

colin1928 · 03-22-2015, 11:26 PM

Hi Rich
While I have never replaced the gravity tubes in a A block I have replaced them in B blocks and believe they are the same tube BTW they are a seamed tube that can split if they get thin
I used the tube from Windsor V8 push rods cut to length

James Rogers · 03-23-2015, 05:10 AM

I have replaced the tubes many many times in engines that had rusted or otherwise damaged tubes. I use brake line tubing from any part store. It is flared and will slip into UNMODIFIED holes where the original tubes were. If your holes in the valve chamber were modified, all bets are off. The tubes will swedge in just like the originals and no body would ever be able to tell they were replaced. If the holes where the tubes go through were modified, you could epoxy them in with JB Weld and make it work.

Rich in Tucson · 03-23-2015, 08:10 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thank you Colin and James, that sounds like the way to go.

03-22-2015, 11:04 PM	#1
Rich in Tucson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 374	Need advice on fix for a modded block...for oil pressure Fellas, I am looking for a way to salvage a block in which modifications were made for "full oil pressure" or something. The internal oil tubes to the mains were removed. The oil pump was modified to put all flow out of a fitting on the inside of the engine (and/or through the hole on the outside of the block). Copper plumbing goes to the center main (from below) with a tee to route oil to the front main (from above). Another copper pipe from another tee goes up into the valve chamber (through the normal center main gravity feed hole) and back down through the block (in a drilled hole behind the gravity feed hole!?) to the rear main. The gravity oil passages were not plugged other than by the loosely fitting copper pipe through the center and new rear holes... A Vickers airplane (remember them?) oil pressure relief valve with yet another copper pipe from the normally plugged hole in the side of the block was attached to the valve cover to permit regulation of flow to the valve chamber. This device was extremely temperamental in operation and was more like an on-off switch so it has to go. We briefly ran this engine and of course had oil flowing out of the rear main since it had a stock configuration but that at least indicated it got oil to the rear main. However the engine clearly lacked oil supply to the valve chamber and with the unplugged holes in its floor it would not matter much anyway. If the open gravity flow holes in the valve chamber are plugged would a remote oil filter (with inlet from the side of the block and outlet into the valve chamber) provide enough back pressure to cause some flow, at least equivalent to gravity flow, to the main bearings? If the oil filter is too free-flowing can anyone suggest a restrictive orifice or the like to put some pressure equivalent to or above gravity flow to the mains with overflow to the valve chamber? (sorta like what worked so well originally!) Else, has anyone found a good reliable way to restore missing gravity oil tubes in the block? Thanks for all suggestions!

03-22-2015, 11:26 PM	#2
colin1928 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Australa Melbourne Posts: 878	Re: Need advice on fix for a modded block...for oil pressure Hi Rich While I have never replaced the gravity tubes in a A block I have replaced them in B blocks and believe they are the same tube BTW they are a seamed tube that can split if they get thin I used the tube from Windsor V8 push rods cut to length

03-23-2015, 05:10 AM	#3
James Rogers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Asheville,NC Posts: 3,104	Re: Need advice on fix for a modded block...for oil pressure I have replaced the tubes many many times in engines that had rusted or otherwise damaged tubes. I use brake line tubing from any part store. It is flared and will slip into UNMODIFIED holes where the original tubes were. If your holes in the valve chamber were modified, all bets are off. The tubes will swedge in just like the originals and no body would ever be able to tell they were replaced. If the holes where the tubes go through were modified, you could epoxy them in with JB Weld and make it work. __________________ http://www.model-a-ford-4bangers.com/

03-23-2015, 08:10 AM	#4
Rich in Tucson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 374	Re: Need advice on fix for a modded block...for oil pressure Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thank you Colin and James, that sounds like the way to go.