VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 piece of metal in 31 oilpan

I removed the oil pan from my ’31 Chevy today and found this piece of metal. It is about ½” long and 5/16” wide.. Looks like it was 3 pieces laminated together with a 3/8” diameter hole. Has machine marks on the sides. What could it be?

Also, there were two 1” long bolts on the driver’s side of the pan: one by the exhaust pipe and one by the breather. What is their purpose?

I cleaned about a quart of soft sludge from the bottom of the pan, about ½” think. What should I check before reinstalling the pan?



http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h355/joe15747/metal2.jpg

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h355/joe15747/metal3.jpg

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h355/joe15747/metal1.jpg

(1) The "mystery metal" is a mystery to me, too, but I'll bet somebody here will recognize it.

(2) The longer screws on the oil pan are there to protrude through the flange on the block and provide a place to fasten (with a 1/4"-20 nut) clips to hold tubing that serves the engine. If I remember correctly, the one by the exhaust is for the oil gauge line and the one by the breather is for the fuel line.... but I'm not near the car now to be sure.

(3) Most important is to be sure you use a brush and Go-Jo to clean under your fingernails before you go into the house for dinner -- it will save lots of hassle. Seriously, the sludge you describe is common. Just a good thorough cleaning of the oil pan is a great start. The other place tha sludge collects heavily is in the galleries above the main bearings. If you reach up into the block above the three main bearings, you'll find little "pans" in the casting which are used to collect oil and gravity drain it down to the mains. If you can give them a good cleanout too, it's a good idea.

Hope that helps.....

All the Best, Chip

Thanks for the tip on cleaning the top of the main bearings. Not sure how to accomplish this. I tried to look at them with a light and mirror, even tried my bore scope. It appears that there are holes and the cavity or groove. How can these be cleaned? Should I use a solvent? I don’t want to move some crud into a place where it will do more harm. Any tips would be appreciated.

Also how is the throw out bearing oiled? Is that the only thing that gets lube in the clutch assembly?

If Chip or the Junkyard Dog don't what is, what hope has anyone got of identifying it. It looks like the grip of a pistol. Buggered if I know how it got in there but. Just kidding!

jgeorge - Is there any part of the crankshaft counter balances missing? In one of the pictures it looks like some ground down welding material is still attached to a piece of the crank.

Roger

Is it a piece off of a tool? Hammer, hatchet, adjustable wrench, crow bar?

could it be a failed repair of the fuel pump cam follower lever arm?

this arm is made of three laminated pieces of steel. it would have to be from inside the pump housing?? perhaps someone has a pump disassembled they could see if my mystery piece would match any section of the arm.

thanks for all the suggestions

joe

Looks like it may just be part of some casting slag that finally broke off somewhere inside the engine block.
Or it may be part of a connecting rod with babbit on it.
Once you clean everything up, you may find that it may be a mystery.