I have 57 Olds with 371, the road draft tube at the back of the engine it has always put excessive oil out at the bottom where it ends at the frame. I decided to take the valley pan off and check and see what is what. the baffle is there and I took it off to see if was broke it was not . I cant figure why I get so much Oil and how I can fix it. Have any of you experience this problem if so what you did to fix. I know I could plug the hole and put in vale cover breathers but would like to keep tube if possible.


Thanks SID

 

If your engine has blowby, it will be hard to get rid of the issue.

 

SID, you can do a compression test to see how healthy the rings are in your Olds. As Eric said, a constant oily mess from the draft tube could indicate worn rings.

 

Quite common problem with 371 and 394's because of increase in compression and of course old age. Some people have converted to a PCV system and run the blow by back through the carburetor/air cleaner. This isn't a fix for anything but will keep the oil off the bottom of your car..... Tedd

 

Are you kidding that is rust preventer.

 

The engine is new and compression is good, I believe it is a poor design at where it is.


SID

 

SID if your compression is good and you're still unhappy with the oily mess then I suggest either installing a PCV system or you might try running a rubber hose from the road draft tube to a charcoal canister. Either way it seems you will have to modify the engine from stock.

 

I am not sure but the 63 and 64 394 probably had a PCV system. You should be able to adapt the PCV system to your 371. I imagine the valve covers are different so they would have the provision for the PCV valve which would include a baffle under the PCV valve so it doesn't suck oil. You will need to plug the block where the draft tube attaches. It should be pretty simple and not cost very much.

 

It is the nature of the beast. Its atomized oil spraying into the wind. My dad's 60 Plymouth does it, and so does my 01 Ram with a cummins which has a road draft tube. You can either put it into a breather catch can, or try to stuff some filter material in there, but you will need to check and change it with the oil changes.

 

Come to think of it, my 64 Olds 98 with a 394 had a PCV system on it. I think I ended up removing the PCV valve and I ran a chrome air breather.

 

I know California cars were equipped PCV valves in the early 60's but I'm not sure when the rest of the world started to add them. If you could find a set of California valve covers you could covert to that system or I have seen the draft tube modified to take a PCV valve and reroute the fumes back through the carb or air cleaner. This is pretty common hot rod fix back in the 70's.... Tedd

 

What you can do is block the end of your draft tube, install a grommet in the side that will accept a pcv and run your vacuum to the manifold or a carb port. Fresh air will enter through the oil fill tube.

 

My first car was a 1960 Plymouth Valiant. Slant 6 with a road tube that puffed oil vapor out and never caused any problems. I don't ever remember any spots on the driveway though. Is there any way to put some captured filter material around the tube on the inside of the engine so it condenses the vapor and oil allowing it to drip back into the engine so only air goes in and out the tube?