How leaky are new FE blocks?

[patrickt]

I have spent the last five years finding and fixing oil leaks on my FE. It has never really leaked much -- a few drips really. No matter where the origin of the leak was, it always trailed to the back of the block and dripped down from there on to the block plate and down -- I think all FE oil leaks try and look like a rear seal leak. I leaked from the intake manifold, the valve covers, the "spot" where the IM, head, and vavle cover all converges, and that little plate that goes over the hole on the back of the IM where the breather would go, if I had one. I leaked from other places too, I just can't remember them now. What makes it so difficult is that the leaks were "misting leaks," but they add up and eventually cause a drip. But after five years my car can now be run hard and put away and not drip a drop for weeks or even months (my last drip was about two months ago). It can be done... it just takes time.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

But after five years my car can now be run hard and put away and not drip a drop for weeks or even months (my last drip was about two months ago). It can be done... it just takes time.

What "can be done"? It still drips, just takes a month or two. Bottom line.....it leaks fluid whether mist or drops.

Anyway, I didn't think 428's could be run hard. No?

Chas, you know what I need. And it ain't Shelby aluminum heads, but it's very lightweight, round, mounted with rubber on it and will turn color with age.

No, not Patrick swinging from a tire swing.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

... and will turn color with age.

No, not Patrick swinging from a tire swing.

Uhhh, I did spend a good bit of time working on my tan this past summer.

[fordracing65]

Dimis, that small block corvette motor is'nt sounding so bad now.

[rodneym]

Corvette motors are awesome.
My mom loves hers.


Dimis,
If the sun doesn't bother you much, or the heat, or the noise, or the lack of Cadillac comfort, I think a couple drops of oil a week (so I've heard) should be ok.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by fordracing65

Dimis, that small block corvette motor is'nt sounding so bad now.

Why not one of those 572R's with 720 HP from Chevrolet? Small block? Pshaw.

Chas, I have no idea what you're talking about. None.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Chas, you know what I need. And it ain't Shelby aluminum heads, but it's very lightweight, round, mounted with rubber on it and will turn color with age.

Like to help you but ever since Ron told us to "STFU" about them, we can't talk about them...

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Like to help you but ever since Ron told us to "STFU" about them, we can't talk about them...

hmmmmm.......'bout that time of year?

Don't worry. I'll spare everybody. But someday I'll have a post with pictures and the title will be "Check out what's in my garage, b*tches!!!!"

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by rodneym

hmmmmm.......'bout that time of year?

Don't worry. I'll spare everybody. But someday I'll have a post with pictures and the title will be "Check out what's in my garage, b*tches!!!!"

A tanned Patrick with a tire around his waist saying "Where's the beach?"

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

A tanned Patrick with a tire around his waist saying "Where's the beach?"

That shot of the iguana molting that I posted a few weeks back (and labeled it as "ERAChas") I had snapped behind one of my favorite places to eat on the beach this summer. If I had spent more time there I would have indeed developed a "spare tire" around the waist. And to Chas' credit, it made our favorite oyster bar look like a greasy dive....

[4pipes]

I finally stopped ALL my oil leaks. Sealed the engine and drew a couple of inches of vacuum with my external oil pump. Problem solved.

[Silversmith]

I used tips from ERA Chas & Rick to reset my oil pan & valve covers. They no longer leak But I'm still gettin oil loss via oil breather's! These (old) side oilers produce a lot of pressure it seems & in a 200 mile cruse/romp I've noticed a 1/8 to 1/4 quart loss thru the breather's. Next on the list is extending the breather caps close to the height of the turkey pan to see if that helps. The original breather on the rear of the intake has an offset & does not leak! It is almost as high as the turkey pan

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Silversmith

I used tips from ERA Chas & Rick to reset my oil pan & valve covers. They no longer leak But I'm still gettin oil loss via oil breather's!

Yes Silver they make some crank case pressure. But since you're so kind in your praise here's the rest of the secret to eliminate the breather splash problem.
This was hashed-out between Elmariachi and me after me hounding Barry to death.
The components to buy are: Summit's billet PCV valve, Moroso's BAFFLED (a slot in the bottom) deep PCV grommet, some 3/8 ID fuel hose and a couple of clamps. How ever you accomplish it, you want only one open breather on the motor-in my case it's the oil fill tube on the intake.
Here are the back of my intake, the grommet and PCV valve. The hole in the intake is too small so I slowly enlarged it with a die grinder to just over-size the grommet. The breather cap's hole should be made a snug fit to the slot in the grommet side (where it would pop into a valve cover).

Looking at the bottom of the grommet, you can just see the slot in the grommet-that's all you need or you'll drown the PCV.

Use a little white grease or anti-seize and the PCV will work into the grommet snugly-you don't want it too loose.

Install the grommet into the cover plate with studs used in the intake. Make a paper gasket for the plate to intake join. You want it removable as an assembly.

Find the big EGR port on your throttle plate and connect the hose from PCV to EGR.

Leaks will subside to nothing.

[Silversmith]

Interesting Chas M8, but I have no pvc set up. My carb has mechanical secondaries, as does my distributor's advance. I have no need of a pvc valve. This old sideoiler runs top notch w/out one. It just blows oil. I presently have valve covers on with breather holes. As well as a set of covers (not used) that do not. The blow by seems to be comming from the oil filler cap/tube on the intake & dropping onto the inside rail of the valve cover & then driping down to create a fine mist that collects on the underside of the car. As for the breather cap on the passenger side (same as oil filler tube) it is connected to a hose that takes the excess oil down to a puke (part of accumulator system) tank located in the front of the roadster. The driver side breather is a standard Ford motorsport vented cap & that is where the oil drips onto the inside rail of the valve cover & does the same as the passenger side. My plan was to hook up the driver side to the passenger side via another hose & tie into the puke tank, using the same non vented style cap that is on the passenger side. Then extend the height of the oil (vented) filler cap to almost the same height as the turkey pan & see if that worked. The back intake breather tube that you modified does not leak oil on my engine. You say that there is only need for one vent required for the block? If that is so, then I might just install a non breather oil cap & do the hook up of both valve covers & see if that works? Any thoughts? By the way I just used standard cork gaskets from NAPA for the oil pan & valve cover gaskets & used your pan rail flattening advice & Rick's gasket installing advice & gave the sealers @ least 24 hrs to dry. The combo worked wicked good Man; when I refresh this old girls hart. I'm installing a set of quads like the photo's you showed

[Dons427]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I have spent the last five years finding and fixing oil leaks on my FE. It has never really leaked much -- a few drips really. No matter where the origin of the leak was, it always trailed to the back of the block and dripped down from there on to the block plate and down -- I think all FE oil leaks try and look like a rear seal leak. I leaked from the intake manifold, the valve covers, the "spot" where the IM, head, and vavle cover all converges, and that little plate that goes over the hole on the back of the IM where the breather would go, if I had one. I leaked from other places too, I just can't remember them now. What makes it so difficult is that the leaks were "misting leaks," but they add up and eventually cause a drip. But after five years my car can now be run hard and put away and not drip a drop for weeks or even months (my last drip was about two months ago). It can be done... it just takes time.

I have owned 2 428 FE's in the past 5 years and I live in the northeast.
I always get a coolant leak in the area of the water pump.
It has to do with the cold temps.
Royal Pain in the A__
The leaks do not need to be fixed.
Usually just spring temps fis it.

[donnieR32]

Originally Posted by Dons427

I have owned 2 428 FE's in the past 5 years and I live in the northeast.
I always get a coolant leak in the area of the water pump.
It has to do with the cold temps.
Royal Pain in the A__
The leaks do not need to be fixed.
Usually just spring temps fis it.

This makes me feel better. I got my 428FE last week and went on a 40 mile cruise. It was a bit cooler hear (mid 50's) and when I got home there was some dripping from under the radiator. After about 1 hour it was pretty much done. Does this sound similar to what you experience up in CT? P.S. I'm originally from Willington, CT.