Re: Engine flush

Posted by David Grubbs On 2016/1/23 22:19:17

I also have a 51 200 with a 288. After I bought it, drove it for a while, and then decided I better check the pan. I put the car up on jack stands and removed all the zillion pan bolts. The ones by the transmission take some investigation to find, especially if the typical oil gunk is on it. Cheap cooking oil from Walmart is a pretty good solvent for the gunk - you don't get loopy using it, and it keeps your hands soft. And cheap and easy to wipe off with paper towels. The tie rod has to be loosened and/or removed, and the crank will probably have to be rotated some unless you have led a very good life. I'm betting that you will probably find at least a quart of crud in the oil pan - just be sure to soak the oil strainer in kerosene or gasoline (outside the garage) before you hook it back up. Check the pan flanges with a good straight edge to see if they are smooth. If not, tap the flanges using an anvil and a small ball peen hammer. It doesn't take much to straighten the flanges back out.

When you put the new pan gasket on, I like to use fairly tacky sealant on the pan only. Let the gasket dry a few minutes, then put the pan back on, taking care to not to move the gasket out of position. (note - this will happen, so just keep an eye out for the slips. By not putting gasket compound on the block, you should be able to reuse the gasket the next time you drop the pan. Packard used to recommend that the pan be cleaned out annually, but this a bit extreme with modern oils.

Then start reinstalling the bolts, alternating from one side to another and front to back. I usually use a 1/4 inch socket set with a 12" extension. The 1/4" is so that I don't put too much torque on the bolts, and the extension to just make it easy to clear the obstacles. I also like to use a magnetic holder in the socket, as the bolts are small and easy to drop. Check the bolts after driving for a hour or so for leaks. They will probably need a little bit of snugging up (maybe a quarter turn) but don't get carried away and squash the gasket or bend the pan flanges.

It's not a bad job, and it will help save on the engine wear. Also, I wouldn't worry about not having an oil filter unless you are planning on making this car a daily driver or plan on a lot of long trips. Just change the oil every year when you put the car away for the winter.