VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1941 216 oil line

I am replacing my oil line and want advice on what sealer to use on the threads of the brass fitting as it enters the block? I will be soldering the copper pipe to the brass fitting after I have screwed in the fitting. I would need a sealer that could withstand the heat from creating a solder joint.

The fittings I have removed from the block seemed to not have any sealer on them, but the 41 manual mentions using white lead which I have not heard of? Any advice on installing the oil line is also appreciated. Thanks, Mike

P.S. Maybe I do not even need a sealer??

Maybe?

The link below is what I used on steam lines for 35 years.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/RECTORSEAL-Thread-Sealant-with-PTFE-4YRW6

If you want to keep the heat away from the threads use something like this and solder it before you screw it in and then use a coupling farther away.

http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v14/641739296/1_2_copper_pipe.jpg_220x220.jpg

I did the “sweat it first then put it in” method as that is how it's shown in the shop manual and just used high temp teflon tape on the threads. It's much easier and you can easily bend the tube afterwards with a tube bender or just a piece of pipe. There isn’t that much pressure although I tightened the compression fitting relatively tight. Put the full two bends in upper section of the tube and wait to cut the tube until the very end. Trials fit the rocker arm connector then make the tube cut, if you’re off a little just take it out of the tube bends. Same applies to the bottom section. Good luck.

Brian

If you use teflon tape make sure you tape it in the right direction and don't use to much . Teflon tape is really bad to stop up small holes (oil pump).

Mike,

The line feeds to the loop in the middle of the rockers shafts. Thence on to gravity feed through the shafts to the valves and rockers, etc. Anything that is in excess to the loop is merely returned to the sump.

Accordingly, just tighten the line at the fixtures and don't worry about it. You don't need no stinkin teflon tape or solder.

Charlie

Charlie, you do need to solder the line to the brass fitting where it passes through the block or use a compression fitting. If you don't antifreeze/water would leak out of the block and contaminate the oil system, and likewise the coolant system would also be contaminated with oil as oil leaked into the block. I agree no sealant/soldering is needed were the oil line is connected to the rocker assembly.

Using a compression fitting as you attach the line into the block puts the oil line touching or very close to the cover of the pushrods, something I also want to avoid.

I am leery about soldering the brass fitting onto the line first and then screwing it into the block. The 90 degree bend is so close to the fitting that you can not get a pipe bender on it nor a pipe that close. So I pre bent the pipe with a bender and thought I could solder it in place? Of course I have still not thought through how/where I would get a small enough flame to melt the solder. I don't want to use the tip I use for sweating 1/2 inch copper pipe together. It has about a 3/8 of an inch wide flame. Maybe I need to get some smaller tips for the head of my propane tank? Thanks, Mike

would a small bernzomatic mini-torch work? amazon.com has one for about $20.00.
might work for what you need.

On our '47, we just used some teflon paste on the threads of the original block fitting, and basic hardware store plumbing solder and a propane torch with the cheap screw-on torch head. Heated up the fitting and fed it some solder like a plumbing repair. Wiped the excess removed the rags underneath by the lifters (we covered that area just in case). Then we spent 20 minutes to make sure to tuck the copper line inside that dimple for it in the side cover. Buttoned it up and all is well.

You'll be fine with what you have I believe. You probably don't need the teflon paste or tape, but its cheap insurance I guess.

Did you feed a new oil line throughout?

Thanks Daryl, I tend to over plan these things because I don't have any experience. I am replacing the entire oil line and wonder if this shouldn't be part of the routine of a rebuild. The old line still showed the residue of 70 some years of use. I question that even after hot tanking the block this was clean enough. A new tube will insure maximum oil pump efficiency. I am planning on testing the oil pressure, etc., by using my electric drill and the shaft of an extra distributor. I will see that the pump squirts oil through the rocker assembly and register about 15 pounds of pressure on the oil gauge. I will run the pump at least 5 minutes to check for leaks. Thanks, again, Mike

P.S. I think I will try to borrow or buy a mini torch, and build some type of shield to cover the pushrods. I don't need them getting hot or solder debris on them.

Mike, I don't think you need to buy anything special to solder the fitting. It doesn't take that much heat to melt solder. I'd just use a propane torch, warm it up and flow a bit of solder into the joint and be done. Good Luck, Don

I am curious to know what the old line looked like in the area of the water jacket. I guess it would have been a steel line and it wasn't all corroded?

I have done many of these lines and they are easy. Solder the fitting on the line first before it's installed in motor. fish through and install the fitting on the other end with furrel. This is all explained in the manual with pictures and measurments.

Which manual? Its not in the 42-47 passenger car manual at all. Is it in an earlier one, or truck manual?

It' in my 38 manual. I can send a picture if you give me your e-mail.

'38 manual starts on page 148.

No pictures in the '42 manual but it's described here and finishes on the next page. Same basic process as the '38.

Good call Tiny. I must have missed it. I never was good at reading comprehension

I just get lucky once in a while.

Thanks, all for the comments. A friend came over and helped me to decide to just use a compression fitting where it was originally soldered. He even finished the bends on the pushrod side. We double checked the fit of the rod cover and it is fine. I put new compression fittings on the other side and now am ready to test the line after I paint the engine and tighten up the oil pan. Thanks again, Mike

Mike, looks real nice.

Did you have to modify the compression fittings by drilling them out to allow the tube to pass through?

TIS A THING OF BEAUTY : )

I did not have to modify the compression fittings. They were available at my local CarQuest store. The same compression fitting is used to go into the block on each side. Thanks, Mike

Mike,

Nice job. Is too!

Question: Why does the fitting in the first photo of the completed job look like it's had a pair of Vice-grips on it? Mercy!

Good luck with the engine. Keep us posted on the paint job and the start-up.

Nice clear pictures, by the way. Good job there, as well.

Friends are great, aren't they? I wonder what kind of mess you would have made without yours. Keep him close and happy. You need to buy him dinner. And not at "Mickey Dees." Maybe Outback or Hooters. Let him pick.

Best,
Charlie

I´ve bought the two oil pressure lines (609912 + 1399637) for my engine from chevs.
Now my problem is, doesn´t fit correct. The set 609912 (Rocker Arm)might be the right one through the engine block. The fittings fit in the block, but the pipe does not go through the fitting?! Have to drill it out for the pipe and clamp it then with the compression bushing?



The other line 1399637B is the one from the engine to the instrument panel, right? The diameter is smaller than the other one.

The rocker arm oil line is 3/16"
The oil gauge line is 1/8"