What Is This, Why Is It Happening, And What Is The Fix?

[dekeeb]

After getting my '55 pickup Super Hurricane running again after decades of slumber, I came across this oil leak which at first appeared to be a rear main oil leak. It wasn't until I did a bit of welding and grinding on the firewall did I identify the source of the leak via the trail the oil made through the grinding residue. When the block was clean, the oil leak was almost undetectable because the oil is fresh and nearly invisible as it come out of the threaded hole in the block. The oil will drip down from the hole, run into the oil pan gasket, and then wrap around the rear of the oil pan ad drip in the area of the rear main.

My question is: why is there a threaded hole in this location, and why does it only leak when the engine is running? Most importantly how do I resolve this leak?

 

[duke94]

As I recall, that's the bolt hole for the oil pickup tube clamp. Here's a couple pictures I took during my rebuild. The bolt should have sealer on it during re-assembly. Depending on how long the clamp bolt is, you may be able to use a really short one with sealer installed from the outside.

 

[dekeeb]

Great information...I've got everything pulled off on the front end and I was planning on pulling the engine out to service the rear main which is also hemorrhaging oil so that looks like a fix better accomplished working on a stand than on my back. Thanks for you input.

 

[Lookout Ranch]

Great information...I've got everything pulled off on the front end and I was planning on pulling the engine out to service the rear main which is also hemorrhaging oil so that looks like a fix better accomplished working on a stand than on my back. Thanks for you input.

It might be worth a try to replace the rear main seal without pulling the engine. A lot of folks have done it. You could always pull the engine after trying, if it proves too difficult.

 

[Stakebed]

It might be worth a try to replace the rear main seal without pulling the engine. A lot of folks have done it. You could always pull the engine after trying, if it proves too difficult.

Agreed. With Kurt's guidance, I replaced Ol Stakey's rear main seal in the truck.

 

[dekeeb]

It might be worth a try to replace the rear main seal without pulling the engine. A lot of folks have done it. You could always pull the engine after trying, if it proves too difficult.

Did you use the Sneaky Pete method? If so, I did that a number of years back but I never ran the engine again until recently and when I fired it up it was a fail. Would you recommend anther try with the hope of a better result? Any Sneaky tips?

 

[duke94]

Did you use the Sneaky Pete method? If so, I did that a number of years back but I never ran the engine again until recently and when I fired it up it was a fail. Would you recommend anther try with the hope of a better result? Any Sneaky tips?

Does it have a rope seal or rubber?

 

[Lookout Ranch]

Did you use the Sneaky Pete method? If so, I did that a number of years back but I never ran the engine again until recently and when I fired it up it was a fail. Would you recommend anther try with the hope of a better result? Any Sneaky tips?

Mine is not a rope seal, so I haven’t had the pleasure of changing one of those. I’d be tempted to try and find a newer filler block and change to a rubber-type seal.

 

[dekeeb]

Does it have a rope seal or rubber?

Mine has the rope

 

[dekeeb]

Well…..I recently pulled my 226 and looked at my engine to compare with your photos and was surprised to find absolutely nothing in that threaded hole and no tube. At the risk of sounding like a dork, what function does that tube perform and were there oil pump mods common that would delete that part. I’ve found upon pulling my engine that a rebuild was performed at least once in its lifetime.

 

[Tralehead]

oil pickup tube

what function does that tube perform and were there oil pump mods common that would delete that?

Good question! I don't even have a 226 anymore but I wanna know.
What year or s/n's are these engines?
And IMHO, having the threaded boss become a hole through the block is kind wanky! Thanks Continental!

 

[duke94]

That's a good question. It's been a while since I had mine apart, but all I can think of is that it's a drain for the lifter cavity.

 

[Lookout Ranch]

Well…..I recently pulled my 226 and looked at my engine to compare with your photos and was surprised to find absolutely nothing in that threaded hole and no tube. At the risk of sounding like a dork, what function does that tube perform and were there oil pump mods common that would delete that part. I’ve found upon pulling my engine that a rebuild was performed at least once in its lifetime.

That tube is actually an oil return from the valve spring chamber. The chamber has shields in the front sections that direct more oil to the rear, where the tube in question routes oil directly to the deepest part of the pan. The tube isn’t strictly necessary for the function of the engine and is sometimes omitted.

 

[duke94]

Neither the tube or the shields show up in the parts book I have, so I wonder if it was a running change when they discovered some kind of oiling or leak problem.

 

[Tralehead]

That tube is actually an oil return from the valve spring chamber. The chamber has shields in the front sections that direct more oil to the rear, where the tube in question routes oil directly to the deepest part of the pan. The tube isn’t strictly necessary for the function of the engine and is sometimes omitted.

But of Course!

("but of course" Kurt would know )

 

[Lookout Ranch]

Neither the tube or the shields show up in the parts book I have, so I wonder if it was a running change when they discovered some kind of oiling or leak problem.

The Service Manual has an illustration (page 31) showing placement of the shields, but the exploded diagram of the L6-226 engine (page 28) doesn’t show the oil return tube.

 

[dekeeb]

The Service Manual has an illustration (page 31) showing placement of the shields, but the exploded diagram of the L6-226 engine (page 28) doesn’t show the oil return tube.

I have both the Service Manual and the Master Parts book and was having trouble finding anything that showed what it actually looked like. From the description given by others it seems to be the appendix or gall bladder of an L-226. The really off thing in my trucks case was the threaded hole in the block was left without anything in it. When folks elect to delete this snood would they do it from the exterior or interior of by fitting it with the proper sized bolt and sealant?

 

[Lookout Ranch]

When folks elect to delete this snood would they do it from the exterior or interior of by fitting it with the proper sized bolt and sealant?

Ideally, a short bolt from inside with sealed threads. It could probably be done from the outside as well. I’m sure there are some driving around with nothing but a dab of sealant in there.

 

[dekeeb]

Ideally, a short bolt from inside with sealed threads. It could probably be done from the outside as well. I’m sure there are some driving around with nothing but a dab of sealant in there.

Inside would be a cleaner look for sure....it was an odd design to say the least. Must have been the same engineer assigned to design the bell housing for the 226.