28 Essex oil leak

Tommy_C

First.. Thanks to Jon for guiding me here. Sure hope to find some help on this one. I am caretaking a car collection which has a 36 Hudson and a 28 Essex. These cars are both new to the collection and I really could use some advise here..

    I am working on the 28 Essex coupe with a super 6 in it. It has a bad oil leak at both front and rear of crank but mostly the front. I don`t know much about these cars as my history is with mostly ford cars of this vintage. Appears to be coming from the front seal as well as the front cover. In the rear it looks to be coming from the drain back tube at rear of oil pan. Sure would appreciate any help you can offer. Is there an available seal? Any known problems I may encounter. I don`t want to tear it down with no parts on hand so advise is much appreciated.

 Thanks in advance,

   Tom.

Geoff

There is no seal at the back, just a slinger and a deflector flange assembly, with a pipe back to the sump.  It could be a blocked pipe, or cracked solder, or bad gasket around the deflector.  The front has a felt seal in the timing case, but it could be coming for  the main bearing cap if the packing has been left out of the holes between the crankcase and bearing cap. This applies to the rear main as well.  If the packing has been left out of the grooves oil can leak out between the faces.  Good luck,

Geoff 

Tommy_C

Thank you very much. I expected there is no rear seal. The front leak is much worse that the rear. I suspect a crack at the return pipe in the rear.. Looks like I will take it apart and see what the cause is for the front leak. Can you direct me to a source for the gaskets and felt seals? Does this engine have insert bearings or poured babbit?

ESSX28-1

 The 28 Essex came with poured or spun Whitemetal (Babbit) bearings - both big ends & main bearings although some folk have changed to shell bearings (often to their disappointment as to how long they lasted.)

As a fellow '28 Essex Coupe owner I'd be interested in a photo or two.

Dave Y
New Zealand

Jon B

Here's one source for new gaskets: http://www.hudsonmotorcarco.com/

The way it works with Hudson / Essex parts: there are dozens of guys out there who specialize in stuff (clutches, repro plastic, engine parts, etc.), and while some of them have multiple types of stuff (gaskets and engine parts, like Dale Cooper, above) there is no single "parts warehouse" for all parts, as you would find with Model A's, 57 Chevvies etc.  So you can ask questions here at the forum, or (if you are a member of the Club) you have the magazine and the website with ads and links to Hudson suppliers of parts and services.

Geoff

Olsons gaskets may have new felt seals.  www.olsonsgaskets.com  Otherwise you need some felt and a circle cutter.

Tommy_C

Ok.. Thank you very much. I will take some pictures and Get back to you as I am sure I will have more questions.

Tommy_C

Here is a couple pics of the old girl.

Jon B

Nice! 

I wasn't sure whether this is yours, or you're working on it for someone else who owns it.  If it's someone else's, you might want to make him / her aware of the H-E-T Club, where the owner would find technical info., parts, and a network of other owners as well as various get-togethers and activities.  (This forum is one of two that are maintained by Club members.)  The home page is at http://www.hetclub.org/

(There, now I've done my shameless promotion for the Club!)

Tommy_C

Thank you.. I will pass that on. I am the caretaker of the collection.

blaine

Geoff, I also have a leak around the rear seal. It has gone from an occasional drop to a stream. How do I check the deflector gasket and the packing for the rear main bearing cap?

Geoff

You will have to drop the sump and remove the rear  main bearing cap to do this. I doubt that it will be the gasket, more likely the  drain hole blocked, causing the oil to back up and flow  out the deflector.    there is  string packing up the sides of the main bearing to stop oil seep past the sides, you will have to  tamp new string up the holes after removing the cap.   

blaine

Thanks Geoff.  Will the crank drop when the rear main bearing cap comes off?  Should I support it?  I definitely plan to check the drain hole for a blockage first.

I keep considering not asking so many dumb questions.  But then I realize that I am helping to make a copy of your brain on the internet.  So I feel it is my duty to ask stupid questions :-)

Geoff

If the crank drops you would be in real trouble with excess clearance somewhere!.  Just remove the bearing, it won't fall out.