| PeterFord | -- 01-26-2012 @ 3:42 PM |
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I have a 51 Ford F1 pickup. I just removed and replaced my oil pan (repair on the Boss). I installed new gaskets and front and real seals. The seals on this truck are the rope type. I took special care to install them properly. The rear seal is leaking. All bolts are tight. I have run the truck for about 50 miles since the repair. Is this normal. Do they need time to seat themselves. Should I pour in some rear main sealer into the oil (No-Leak engine oil treatment)? The No-Leak product advertises itself as a treatment for rear seals, explaining that it swells old rubber seals. Will this type of product work on the rope type of seal? I believe I have graphite rope seals. Many thanks Peter
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| Stroker | -- 01-26-2012 @ 4:11 PM |
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Peter: The "rope" seals should not be trimmed, as the extra length helps them swell to fit the void. The only other thing I can think of is if you have elected to use synthetic or semi-synthetic oil. These wonderful compounds,(for modern tight-clearance motors) will "creep" into the smallest spaces, and play havoc with the clearances that early Ford's were designed with. Having said this, how long have you run the engine? Sometimes "time heals all wounds". Dan
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| PeterFord | -- 01-26-2012 @ 5:47 PM |
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Dan: I have run the engine about an hour. I am using regular detergent oil 10w 30. I did leave some extra length on the rope seals, the amount they told me to leave. Maybe I need to run the engine longer. Although, I must say, I am tempted to use this Leak sealer. But I will give it some more time. Thank you
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| PeterFord | -- 01-26-2012 @ 5:48 PM |
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Dan: I have run the engine about an hour. I am using regular detergent oil 10w 30. I did leave some extra length on the rope seals, the amount they told me to leave. Maybe I need to run the engine longer. Although, I must say, I am tempted to use this Leak sealer. But I will give it some more time. Thank you
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| supereal | -- 01-26-2012 @ 7:45 PM |
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Sealer seldom does the job. The usual cause of that leak is overfilling the oil pan, using synthetic oil, or on oil weight too thin for the purpose. Rope seals, regardless of the care used in installation, almost always seep. That is why the old saying about Fords: "If it ain't leaking', it probably needs fixing'".
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| 51f1 | -- 01-26-2012 @ 8:09 PM |
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I wouldn't use an additive to stop the leak. Short cuts never work. I have never seen a rear seal that doesn't leak, although I have a front rope seal that, for all practical purposes, does not leak. You could be leaking between the rear main bearing cap surfaces. You should have used a little Permatex Aviation seal on the surfaces. But if you didn't, I wouldn't worry about it. How much does it leak? It may be doing about as well as it will do. If it is bad, pull it out and try again, and don't cut off any of the length of the seal. Richard
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| alanwoodieman | -- 01-27-2012 @ 5:56 AM |
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was your rope seal of the modern type-teflon impregnated? grey in color? We have just built 3 flatheads and the only leaks we occurred are with the rubber "o" rings on the front. I have replaced mine with what we used in the rear-grey colored, teflon and it quit leaking. If you used the old type, white in color it will swell with oil contact, especially if you did not soak it in oil before installing
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| PeterFord | -- 01-27-2012 @ 9:02 AM |
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I am using 10w 30. Should I be using 30w?
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| PeterFord | -- 01-27-2012 @ 9:05 AM |
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the rope was a modern graphite rope. They instructed to cut it to length using a special spacer to allow for some overage. erhaps I am too fussy about a small leak. Thanks Peter
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| alanwoodieman | -- 01-27-2012 @ 10:28 AM |
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we run 20w50 oil in our trucks, Kendell makes one with extra zinc protection, used to be called their racing oil, a little drip both front and rear is common, but if it pours out the rear it can get on the clutch and that is no good, give it a little time and if you choose to go to 20w50 oil, just let the truck warm up a little more
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| supereal | -- 01-27-2012 @ 10:29 AM |
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Many of us use 20-50 weight oil for mostly summer driving. It tends to leak less, and does provide some additional oil pressure at idle or low speeds. Some leakage can be around the main bearing seal carrier, instead of the seal, itself. There are modern lip seals for the front of the crank but, so far, none for the rear. As fixing your leak requires pulling the engine, I'd live with it and see if it slows down as the seal breaks in.
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| PeterFord | -- 01-28-2012 @ 6:29 PM |
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Allen Thank you. I think you are right. All trucks leak a drip or two. I have just been too particular. You made me feel better. Peter
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| PeterFord | -- 01-28-2012 @ 6:29 PM |
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Allen Thank you. I think you are right. All trucks leak a drip or two. I have just been too particular. You made me feel better. Peter
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| 51f1 | -- 01-29-2012 @ 1:08 PM |
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That stuff about synthetic oil leaking more than non-synthetic could be true! I realize that this is anecdotal, but, when I rebuilt my 8RC, I decided to use synthetic for its superior lubricity. My rear seal leaked a little, but not much more that you'd expect. After about 3,500 miles I decided that using synthetic was a waste of money. The leak at the rear seal has slowed considerably to where it is almost non-existent. The front seal never did leak. Richard
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| supereal | -- 01-29-2012 @ 2:31 PM |
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The same quality that makes synthetic oil preferable for newer engines in a problem in old ones. It tends to fill voids in surfaces that conventional oil doesn't, but can escape around primitive seals, such as the ropes used in old Fords. The synthetics are extending drain intervals, some times to 10,000 miles. The viscosity is now as low as 0! We insist that synthetic oils not be used in our rebuilt engines until at least 1,000 miles. Otherwise the rings will not seat before the crosshatch on the cylinder walls is gone. Lightly driven collector cars seldom rack up enough miles in a season to justify the high cost of synthetics. It is considerably less expensive to use conventional oils and change them at least at the beginning and end of the driving season to get rid of condensation and combustion by products.
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