The return of the squirting oil

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lazarat

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
657
Hi all, When I first joined here I told the story of how the oil line to the pressure gauge decomposed while I was driving, and filled my shoes with hot oil.

The line was plastic. I converted to the copper line. All well, for now two years, until a week ago. I took the car out for its once a week "Dinosaur Run", a Disney outpost featuring dinosaurs, a couple miles west of me on I 4.

I get home and as it is sitting there idling some inner voice told me to look under the car. Oil is dripping out from somewhere on driver side rear of engine. I thought main seal, then oil filter, then I kept looking upward and saw it coming from above. Popped the hood, no not valve cover...its the damn copper line where it goes into the fitting. I tinkered with it and it just came out, broke inside. Lost a half quart.

So I go to the Orielly, get the 4 pack of the little ferrels, and cut nicely, inserted fitting and feral and replaced.

All well. Or so I thought. I even drove it 40 miles south on I75 to my daughters house. Got home, still all well.

The next day I go up the road about 20 miles to pick up the gal pal on the well travelled but rural 1 lane road. On the way back, suddenly the car is filling up with smoke. I pull over, car is gushing oil, same problem!

So as gal pal sits patiently in the hot car in the middle of nowhere. I am trying to somehow redneck engineer the fitting to plug it up on the 190 degree motor on a 90 degree sunny day. Suddenly I hear a voice..its a fellow hot rodder who pulled over to help. He said being a "Ford" guy he still decided to help....

Together we filled the fitting with teflon tape that he had to plug the oil leak, it worked. I lost a whole quart, but I still had the other half quart in trunk. The fellow hot rodder has Ford T's, a couple of early fifty coupes, and actually goes to our monthly cruise.

Anyway , I made it home, and now deleted the oil pressure opening by plugging it with a stainless fine thread bolt I happened to have. Too risky for now for whatever reason to have an oil pressure gauge.

I swear sometimes I think this car is suicidal.

Speaking of the monthly "Strawberry cruise", it has been restarted after Covid nonsense, pics will come.

.
 
That's the reason I switched to the electric versions! No more tubes running inside the car for me!

BoB
 
How did I not know you were near me? Are you near Plant City?

Yes indeed I am in the heart of Plant City close to historic district. I will be at Stawberry tomorrow all day with freinds stop by if you can. Got something to bring?

I was at the St Cloud show a couple weeks ago I also do Margaritaville and Old Town if weather ok.
 
It's best to put a coil or two in the copper line at the fitting to absorb vibration. I've never had a problem with copper lines if I did that.
 
It's best to put a coil or two in the copper line at the fitting to absorb vibration. I've never had a problem with copper lines if I did that.

Actually that did occur to me I thought it had enough bends close to that point to absorb but yes I did consider a couple loops. I am just curious as to why twice in two days after two years of no problems. I may go with one of the other suggestions above.
 
Actually that did occur to me I thought it had enough bends close to that point to absorb but yes I did consider a couple loops. I am just curious as to why twice in two days after two years of no problems. I may go with one of the other suggestions above.

That tubing is now work hardened from moving around. I doubt it will ever work without breaking again. The braided stainless is probably the best, Speedway has pre cut lengths with the fittings already installed, I bought some -3 for my flexible brake lines.
 
Check your motor/trans mounts

Thanx again for replies and knowledge.

The motor/trans mounts are tight as a drum...but!

I was told the car had a mild cam, possibly high torque. When I got the car the distributor was loose among many other loose things. The timing tag is missing so It took a few tries and recently I found the sweet spot, quick easy start, the best performance, but a slightly rougher idle. I am liking where I have it set, but the very slight vibration and overworked tubing as Bamamav stated leads me into the direction of the stainless, but will take a peak at electric.
 
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Copper, like aluminum, work hardens. Meaning as it is bent back and forth it becomes brittle and will break.
One or two coils stops the bending effect at the fitting but, Doc's suggestion is the ultimate fix.
 
Anyway , I made it home, and now deleted the oil pressure opening by plugging it with a stainless fine thread bolt I happened to have.

Be careful with running a bolt in there. That is for a tapered pipe fitting, so jamming a bolt in it could possibly damage the threads, making another problem...
 
Be careful with running a bolt in there. That is for a tapered pipe fitting, so jamming a bolt in it could possibly damage the threads, making another problem...

Yes I am aware I taped it and snugged it just enough, thanx. Going to get to this maybe today.
 
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