truenorthfree

Ok, so I have a strange one to ask about here in hope of getting some guidance.

I just replaced the carb on my 59 and went for a test drive, hit the gas hard off the stop sign and promptly blew out 2.5 quarts of oil fr0m what I thought was the gas pump but turned out to be the missing bolt used for holding the pump rod in place while installing the gas pump.
I filled the car back up with 5W30 as that was all the gas station that I had to walk to had and drove it home, the next day after going for a drive to make sure there where no leaks, I pulled up in the drive way and did a bit of fine tuning on the idle of the carb. As I finished and got in the car the instrumentation was flashing a low oil pressure warning.
I pulled in the garage and let things sit for a couple of days, I started it up today and the pressure was at about 55 pounds, which is where it has always been at.
Could this have been due to leaving it idling so long with the thinner oil, as the temp of the engine did climb to about 220 degrees.
Any input would be appreciated as I do not want to lose oil pressure while driving at highway speeds!

65GGvert

Your 59 has a flashing low oil pressure warning?

truenorthfree

I put in the Dakota digital gauges so yes it does, just a bit of an upgrade from the stock.

67:72

30 is not appreciably thinner than 40 or 50 in this regard - the 5W components of the oil won't really be affecting anything until temps are colder. Let me see if I have this right: you replaced the lost oil with 5W-30; drove it home and the next day; later the light came on; you parked it and a couple days after all was fine and as expected prior to the oil loss incident?

Sounds like an anomaly and not something that indicates an imminent problem. However, be aware of any new ticking or knocking sounds from the engine in case the lost oil starved the bearings. Perhaps drain the oil and send a sample for analysis to see the amount of aluminum and copper in it. https://www.blackstone-labs.com/

silver837

Check the sending unit for the pressure gauge .

truenorthfree

Yes, I put the oil in and then the next day after going for a drive parked in the driveway and tuned my idle for about 15 or so minutes.
Today when I started it the pressure jumped to right where it had been,

CaptainEgg

I.m still trying to figure out how you had no bolt in block by just replacing carb?

R66

""went for a test drive, hit the gas hard off the stop sign and promptly blew out 2.5 quarts of oil fr0m what I thought was the gas pump but turned out to be the missing bolt used for holding the pump rod in place while installing the gas pump.""

Promptly losing 2-1/2 quarts of oil out of the bolt hole thru to the fuel pump cavity with the fuel pump rod in place would require a huge amount of clearance between the pump rod and the bore it fits in. What else did you do in addition to the carburetor work - change oil or any other maintenance??
How far did you drive before noticing the low oil pressure? Was there 2-1/2 quarts of oil on the ground under the car or a trail behind the car? One would assume the passenger's side of the engine bay was covered in oil?
Did you hear a backfire noise at anytime during the test drive. After adding oil, the oil pressure returned with no noises?
Assuming the 59 has the draft tube to ventilate the engine (crankcase ventilation). I would think any large amount of oil loss would be thru the draft tube although a small amount may have escaped thru the fuel pump cavity. How much, how far, have you driven the car since you refilled the loss of oil and has it lost any oil since then?
It is good you noticed the oil pressure loss and stopped immediately. The pressure loss could have been from the check valve in your oil filter adapter sticking open temporarily, but that would not push oil out of the engine in my opinion.

dmtparker

Hot engine (220), and idle speed = low pressure. Totally normal. If you had revved the engine, I bet the pressure would have come up.

Dan Hampton

Hook up a mechanical gauge that is viewable and see what pressure you have over the course of a few miles.

truenorthfree

It had never been a problem before, thought looking at the top of the block in hind sight it was leaking a bit for a while.
When I hit the gas hard and wound it up to 5 thousand rpm it must have created a channel and streamed the oil out onto the fan and then back to the exhaust header so that it looked like the car was on fire at 50 miles an hour down the road.
That is why I thought it was the gas pump, and when researching how to replace the pump noted that the top bolt never had anything in it prior to me using it to hole the push rod.

R66

I am trying to understand an instant discharge of a large amount of oil without a blown gasket and now does not leak, basically self healing.
I am guessing the oil pump could create an excessive amount of pressure and if the check valve at the filter stuck closed the highly pressurized oil would find a way out. With an older engine with the draft tube venting the valve galley, I would think the oil would be forced out of the tube (about 1" in diameter). There is a 3/8" +/- drain hole in the fuel pump cavity of the block that should be more than adequate to prevent the oil from pressurizing the cavity unless the whole engine was pressurized with liquid oil. I have seen newer engines with a defective PCV valve and no draft tube nor vented oil fill cap blow oil out of an intake gasket, valve gasket, dip stick, etc. but not self healing.
Crazy thought brings the question of PCV conversion to eliminate the draft tube and spin-on oil filter without a check valve in combination with an oil filter without a check valve combined with the lack of a vented cap on the fill tube. This would make a sealed system that would create excessive pressure and find a place to vent, possibly the seal at the timing chain cover that could possibly be 'self healing' . In addition, pumping all of the oil to the top of the engine with drain back thru the timing chain cover to the pan might be a possibility at sustained high rpm, with the oil forced out of the rubber harmonic dampner seal, which I guess could heal upon venting of the pressure.
Basically, you have me grasping at straws to explain your mechanical delima. I would recommend you keep a close eye on the dip stick as this may be only a warning of an imminent failure to come.

truenorthfree

I think that an additional problem may have been clogged PCV valves.
I did not notice the oil pressure while driving that was when the oil blew out onto my exh manifold from both the absent bolt and probably from the fuel pump as well.
No noises and oil pressure has come back to 55 with no noise
I have driven it an hour since doing the complete fix on the pump and PCV and no apparent oil loss from any points with the inside of the engine bay looking clean.

truenorthfree

Sorry I should have put more emphasis on all the other things I did to remedy this, not only was the bolt inserted additionally I reinstalled the gas pump with new gaskets and nice high temp silicone. The PCV valves were also replaced.
It was after all this work that I got the low oil pressure message in my driveway after going for a drive and then tuning the carb in the driveway for 15 or so minutes.
No problems since with start up showing 55 psi, I will get our for another drive tomorrow as I am working on the garage rather than in it for the near future. Siding does not go up by itself!!

R66

I understand some now!! You do have a PCV valve(s) system and thus a sealed system except for a fresh air inlet in the valve cover or some where. Is the engine original with the draft tube or a later model motor. I jumped to conclusions thinking it was a stock 59 setup.

Have fun with the siding.

truenorthfree

Unfortunately the previous owner blew out the original motor with a valve lifter through the side of the block while racing.
So I have a crate 350 from 1998.
I was only thinking about the pressure and failed to provide complete details on what had happened prior to this.

jim lockwood

How in the world do you do that????

Expiring minds want to know......

R66

Me too!! Maybe a bank shot - two rails.

truenorthfree

Just the story I was told by the kids as they were settling his estate and selling the car.
The 283 block was there with a hole in the side and I did not think it was worth trying to salvage or if it was even possible and given this was a long distance move had no more room in the truck for more stuff.