VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum 1940 2 door using oil

I have a 1940 that uses a quart of oil in 100 miles. I changed the metering rod in the carb and have the plugs burning light tan. No oil fouling on the plugs. No leaks on the floor. I painted the underside and it is still dry. There is no cloud following me. I can see a slight blue haze when I rev it in the garage. I have northland mxp 50 in it now. any ideas?

I would remove the 50 weight oil and replace it with 10-30W.

YES!! Before you develop some really bad engine problems with the lower end.

I agree, also the wiper rings cannot wipe the heavy oil off the cylinder wall as easy and is burned off.

It was not unusual for these engines to have excessize oil consumption and not smoke or leak......cure.... new rings.
Yikes....no #50 oil.

A little over a year ago, I bought a 50,000 mile, 2-owner, well-cared for 1940 Chev 1/2 ton pickup. As soon as I got it home, I ran it around the neighborhood for a bit to warm the engine, then I changed the oil, filling it with 5 quarts of Quaker State 10W30. I then took it out on the highway for a 70 mile drive. The truck ran really well, with good power, smooth acceleration, and no obvious smoking. The following day, I took the truck out again on the same 70 mile trip. On the way home, the oil pressure began to gradually decrease. When the gauge needle started wavering, I pulled over and shut down to check the oil. When I pulled the dipstick, it was bone dry. I thought I must have had some kind of massive leak, but there was no evidence of any leak, and no oil in the cooling system. I called my wife and had her bring me some oil, refilled the sump and drove on home, with no apparent damage to the engine. On the way home, now keenly aware that the engine must be burning excessive oil, I noticed that when I came to a stop light, after a few seconds, a noticeable cloud of oil smoke would catch up to and engulf the truck, however, when running down the road, no smoke was visible. Some futher drive-testing revealed that the engine was burning 1 quart in 35 miles, which was obviously unacceptable.

I did a compression test and found all six cylinders to be above 100 psi, leaving me stumped as to how the engine could be burning that much oil. On the advice of Chevgene and others, I took the engine apart and found it to be in very good condition except for one thing--the oil control rings on the pistons were completely carboned up. The rings were probably the original factory-installed rings, as the cylinder bores were still less than .010" oversize at the tops of the bores. The oil control rings were the type that have about 36 small radial holes around the periphery. Approximatel 95% of the holes were totally blocked with sludge/carbon.

I honed the cylinders to break the glaze and installed a new set of standard sized rings. The valve stems and guides were still within size tolerance, though right at the limit, so I just lapped the seats and called it good.

After reassembly, I broke the motor in for about 500 miles at varying speeds. Then I took the truck on a 2500 mile road trip and found that the engine burned about 1 quart per 1500 miles--not too bad for a 216.

I'd say check your cylinder bores and piston rings, particularly the oil control rings.

Mark Yeamans

I hope you cut the ridge at the top. If you dont, the new rings could hit and bust.

Changed the oil to 10-30 and drove it 50 miles. The motor seems happier with the lighter oil but it used a quart. I can see signs of oil on the plugs and the #2 plug is wet. This is a 66,000 mile car. I was hoping not to have to overhaul the engine but It looks like it needs to come apart. Maybe I'll get lucky and all it will need is rings and gaskets.

The correct way to cure the engine is to do a complete overhaul job like what was done yras ago.....Replace rings, fit new wrist pins, adjust rod and main bearings, grind valves.......and if it were mine I would replace the timing gears as they will be going out in the next 5000 miles due to lack of oil. It is necessart to remove the engine front mounting plate and clean the sludge of of the grove in the back of the plate. This is the path the oil takes to lubricate the timing gears. The timing gear failure is the most common major engine faliure on these engines and will leave you stranded as well as bending the intake valves.

While I was at Wamolart buying 10-30 I picked up a bottle of slick50 for high mileage engines. Never tried overhaul in a can before but what the heck. I replaced the quart burned and dumped in the slick stuff. I took it for a 30 mile drive this morning before work. Back in the garage, checked the oil and it's full. Checked the #2 plug and it's dry. The engine is noticeably quieter(I fear rods but haven't adjusted push rods yet). I would guess it still needs the overhaul of yore, but if I can get 500 miles to a quart I can still drive it while I overhaul a 235. I found a 1954 235 that I believe will bolt in with the 216 front cover. I would like to use the 216 valve cover and carburetor(manual choke and looks). What lifters should I use? Any wisdom would be appreciated.

The 216 carb won't bolt to the 235 manifold, the bolt holes are different spaceing.
Lifters? is it a truck engine or a passanger car engine?
Trucks are usually mechanical lifters and passanger car hydraulics.
Front cover?

O.M.G...what a rare find..You must have one of those secret ECO-Cars that your President is fixing to give everyone. Burns anything but gasoline. Cow paddys are just like superchargers. SMILE blue38

If the 1954 engine is from a Power Glide the front engine mounting plate will not work. The PG engine had a high liftcam and the lobes are higher and they will not passthru the opening in the front plate.
All trucks and stick shift cars had solid lifters and all PG engines had hydraulics.

I think I can put the carb base in the mill and elongate the holes. Just wondered if it would be too lean in a 235. Looks like I will have to drill the 235 front plate for front mounts. It is a power glide engine. Is there a particular hydraulic lifter that works better. In Iowa we have an abundance of supercharger patties. I can box some up and send it to AZ. if you would like.

Why mess up a Rochester carb for a 216? I figure that there was a good reason that Chevrolet changed the size of the intake and carb base from the 216 to the 235 engines.

Find a Rochester carb for a 235. Maybe someone will trade with you.

I'd say that if you are in Iowa you may need to keep them cow patties, dry them all out and stack them by the firewood, when you run out of electricity and propane and fuel oil and burn all the trees, they burn nice and hot in a wood stove. The folks out on the great plains gathered them up for heat. Back in the olden days, they used to say that in the Panhandle of Texas "The wind pumped the water, (windmills) and the cows cut the firewood (cow patties)!"

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd....2066189_2b739c2aee9a96df7072cb4fda9e3b0c[/img]

Back working the 40 after a long absence. The 54 235 has been completely overhauled and runs really nice. I rebuilt the steering gear while motor was out. Clutch and flywheel out of a 46 truck was renewed. Next its off the the muffler shop for mufflers and tailpipes. Should be able to get some windshield time when the snow leaves.

Engine looks nicely detailed. What are you using for carburetion ?

A weber progressive two barrel. I had trouble with it early on but it turned out to be a leak from the manifold adapter. I welded, machined it flat, and drilled the proper holes. Now it seals and works like it should. Manual choke hooked right up. The accelerator linkage required some modification but is still in the stock location. I haven't figured how to rig the hand throttle yet.

Nice looking.