External oil line

[TR674]

Gents
I have a worsening oil leak from the external oil line. I think the brass connectors are called 'olive connections'? I had this replaced a few 1000 miles ago as it was leaking badly then. Is it a poor installation or do these connections fail regularly?
Regards
Craig

 

[swift6]

Is this an external oil line to the head or the oil line to the gauge. Neither should fail regularly.

 

[TR674]

Shawn
it's the line to the head. Can I just tighten the brass fitting (without damage) to stop the leak? Both ends are dripping oil.
Regards
Craig

 

[ALLAN]

If the connection is not loose, you need new washers (there should be copper washers on each side of the connection),but one thing you could try first is reverse the washers--that might give you a better seal.

 

[SpitBang]

Jeez,
are there really people still using these external rocker feed kits? I guess that is what you are talking about Craig.

They are a relic of Kaz Kastner's work, when seeking 250bhp from a straight six Triumph engine, he fitted independent, external oilers to all the main bearings, the cam and rocker shafts. The first and second require much skilled research and shop work to make it function, oiling each to the right extent.

The problem with a 6 cyl engine is that the oil feed for the front main journal runs almost the length of the block through a very small bore drilling in the block, that originates at the oil pressure switch tapping. To get oil pressure at the front main journal requires a certain amount of "back" pressure from all the other places, including the rocker shaft. By fitting a bypass pipe to the head, one destroys the necessary back pressure, and the front main journal is robbed of oil and will sieze up in double quick time. If any benifit is to be gained with an oil bypass pipe on a 6 cyl engine, then it should be fitted between the oil pressure switch tapping, and a new tapping drilled at the rightangle that the oil has to turn as it gets to the front main journal - i.e. improving the oil feed to the front journal.

Just my two pennys worth.

Steve

 

[Brosky]

Mine is coming off tomorrow. I've been sucking down oil like crazy ever since I installed it and no other reason but that.

Of course I have to find the bolt that goes back on the head first, but it will be off by the weekend, for sure.

 

[swift6]

Shawn
it's the line to the head. Can I just tighten the brass fitting (without damage) to stop the leak? Both ends are dripping oil.
Regards
Craig

The fitting can break pretty easily so your better off with new crush washers. Unless they weren't tightened enough to begin with.

 

[swift6]

Jeez,
are there really people still using these external rocker feed kits?

By fitting a bypass pipe to the head, one destroys the necessary back pressure, and the front main journal is robbed of oil and will sieze up in double quick time.

Just my two pennys worth.

Steve

I'm still using one. My roller rockers appreciate the extra oil.

I put nearly 50,000 miles on my old engine (it had 98,000 when I started) with an external line and the bearings never seized. I inspected all the bearings when I removed the engine to install my performance engine and there was no appreciable difference in wear between any of the main bearings. I pull the feed to the head off of the same line that feeds the pressure gauge.

Just my experience.

 

[Brosky]

Mine went bye- bye today. Let the oil usage tracking begin!!

Any ideas on where to get SS to put into baffle? Think that Home Depot or Lowes might have something like that?

 

[Bugeye58]

Chore Girl scrubbing pads, available at your local supermarket.
Yes, I'm serious! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Jeff

 

[Brosky]

I don't know if I'll find Chore Girl, but I'll find something similar, I'm sure. Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Actually, they are Chore Boy, they are stainless steel and WalMart has them in packs of three. That's what I use to clean my gumbo pots. Stick-em in the dishwasher and they are good to go.

 

[Guest]

Like Shawn, my external oil feed line stays. 75lbs of oil pressure, extra quart in the oil cooler, checked everything in recent tear-down, looks good.

Crush washers should be handled like any plumbing fixture, such as compression washers. Too little tightening and they leak; too much tightening, and they leak. I have reused the same one 3 times and it don't leak.

 

[Brosky]

Bill, I too have great oil pressure, both with and without it. What I don't need is going from a quart every 900-1000 miles to one every 300 miles over night.

If I have to, I'll install the new Good Parts valve springs and seals, but I want to know for sure if this caused the problem, before I go that route.

 

[Guest]

Geez, Paul, you do have some serious oil-loss problems. I just don't use oil at all. Now that I have pretty much stopped all my engine oil leaks, I never have to top off. I do change every 2000 miles, not that that makes any difference. I just don't see where your external line causes a loss of oil. You might look into the oil condensing cannister from Richard Good, now that you have trips. I mounted mine on the opposite side of the engine from where Richard suggests (in front of the firewall by the heater hoses). I mounted mine beneath the brake master on the little flat spot on the wheel well. Whenever I pull the oil drip hose that goes to the pan, I invariably find a nice drip of oil in the hose, on its way back to the pan.

What do you think might be causing you to loose so much oil? Any smoke in your exhaust? Leaks in the front of the block? That is an enigma.

 

[Brosky]

Well, I wish I had the exact answer to that. The best that I can say is that it all started with the installation of the external line and the aluminum alloy valve cover with no baffle. That's when I noticed that I really started to see smoke in the tailpipe and went to the 300 miles per quart.

I just checked my files and noticed that I was topping off at 1,200 -1,400 miles with about a half of a quart prior to that. I forgot that I get a chart, mainly because I didn't drive the car more than 1,000 miles per year and wanted to change the oil seasonally due to the cold winter starting and running on choke so much.

I happened to notice that when I got my valve cover back from the platers that there was no SS mesh/gauze in the small area of the cover under the baffle and I assume that's where it belongs.

Where do you suggest that I put the Chore Boy pad material?

 

[Guest]

Paul, no longer familiar with the stock cover and where the oil gauze would go. Anything to trap the oily fumes would help. Since I have all three carbs sucking off my cast aluminum valve cover, and the routing for the hoses is quite long, and the angled baffles in the cannister, all leading to pulling that oily air out of my upper engine and creating the vacuum on the head. Unless you have a serious ring problem, which I doubt, I think you need to address the oil consumption with a methodical plan, which is what you do best.

How old is your engine, or better said, when was it last rebuilt?

 

[Brosky]

Bill,

I have 54,800 original miles on the engine. It has had it's share of leaks, most of which are fixed, but no internal issues or leaks that are serious. Compression and leak down tests last fall gave great readings across the board. Never gave a trace of smoke out the tailpipe up until the previously mentioned changes.

As you say, I have to work this one methodically and backwards to eliminate every self inflicted wound that I created along the way, then I'll go after the valve seals, if necessary.

I'm not wild about pulling the pan and adding a bung for the oil return line or for that matter, even adding the unit, but again, that's a possibility. Of course then I could change the thrust bearing, all main and rod bearings and put in a new oil pump, all while I'm in there.

Can you post a picture of your oil return system?

Thanks,

 

[tomshobby]

Mine only has 46,000 miles and it leaked and used oil. I did find evidence of a broken ring and will not have it totally apart and the block cleaned for a couple days yet to fully inspect it.

I did purchase Goodparts guides and seals. I am also going to install Richard's separator and PCV kit.

I did purchase JM Wagner's silicone valve cover gasket. https://www.jmwagnersales.com/T6SiliconeGasket.htm
A little expensive but worth it if it works like he claims.

 

[Guest]

Can you post a picture of your oil return system?

Thanks,

Here 'tis.

I felt that the relocation to where I put it allowed me to drop directly down into the pan instead of having to traverse across the rear of the engine, across and then down. And the added length of tubing, in my minds eye, let me accumulate more oil on the walls of the tubing and in turn "filter out" more oil. In my minds eye.