Early Olds

Lowered oil pressure, reduced oil level, resulted in less smoke.

Thanks for your replies

Thanks, turn clockwise to increase pressure, counter clockwise to decrease? Do you know where I can get information on this engine, service manual etc.?

sfair, thanks for the info. Is the engine you are referencing a Northway 6cyl (model 110)? If so, is the bolt below the oil pressure gauge line the adjustment for the oil pressure on that engine?

Thank you for your suggestions, I have reduced the oil level to read just under full on the dip stick,(I took out over a qt of oil). Maybe the Northway takes 5qts, not 6 like the Olds engine. I'm currently waiting for the transmission lube to get here in order to continue with the other suggestions. I will also utilize a new oil pressure gauge to verify the original on the car.

What is the suggested oil capacity for a 1919 Northway model 110 6 cyl engine and what is the normal oil pressure? I recently got the engine running and it smokes (oil) a lot. I put in 6 quarts of oil, oil pressure is 30psi+ and all 6 cylinders have 78+ psi compression. Ideas on excessive smoking? Carbon stuck rings? The 1919 Oldsmobile produced 6 cyl engine manual shows 6 quarts of oil required, but I'm not convinced it's correct for the Northway engine (my Northway engine dipstick indicates a qt over full with 6 qts added).

Home again. Back to work....I did get the axle out! As you see in the pictures burrs were pinching the axle as the axle tube ID was peened in by the axle key striking the tube. This happened because I was using the incorrect tool, a Hub Puller, to extract the axle. I will clean up the damage to the tube and go to the other rear wheel, now understanding what I'm up against. I appreciate all the input I received from you guys, this is a great forum and a tool I need to use more often due to my lack of knowledge of these old cars. Thanks again

Question is still unanswered, but I did get the cover off the housing and will clean it when I return, meanwhile it can allow the very thick oil to, somewhat, vacate the housing. Also have a picture of key and damage to axle tube

I will be leaving on a short trip, back 1st of May so I might not get to the other axle or differential until then. this site is extraordinarily helpful. There is very little documentation in the form of service manuals out there for this car and engine (Northway (6) Model 110). I hope I haven't done too much damage.

Thanks to all for your help! This axle mimics Oregon Desert's Buick set up, thanks Oregon Desert for the insight. Stude light came by today and helped/showed me how to deal with the tear down, thanks Stude light. It is a "full-floating" rear axle. dissembling like Oregon's Buick, however the axle shaft itself does not slip out of the axle tube, it is held in the differential by a C clip or pins (we think). My next step will be to pull the diff cover and see what is holding the axle in place. I can now do maintenance on the brakes, clean and repack the bearings and hub. The hub puller is going back to the gentleman I borrowed it from, post-haste, definitely not required on this type of axle.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try these ideas, hopefully one will work. If it is the brakes it must be the inside emergency brake, I have adjusted the service brake to be very lose and have disconnected the inside emergency brake linkage. I will try again with puller using your ideas (I have been very aggressive with the puller, smacking the bolt head very hard). The last resort would be to start taking the hub apart, thanks for the diagrams/pictures. Should I spray the penetrate into the hub grease screw hole? Where should I apply the heat, bottom of the hub? I like the idea of driving it around with the nuts loosened a bit, that would be the most fun, but not doable quite yet. Thanks again folks!

I have attempted to remove the rear wheels on my 1919 Olds and have had no luck in doing so. They consist of steel hubs and artillery spoke wood wheels with de-mountable rims. I'm trying to remove the complete wheel/hub to inspect the axle/wheel bearings and service the brakes. The service brakes contract on the wheel's attached brake drums, while the parking/emergency brakes are expanding and internal to the same rear wheel drums. The car supposedly has tapered rear axles and ball bearing wheel bearings, but I'm not sure. I have used a wheel puller which screws on the hub cap threads using a push bolt threaded through the puller and set into the end of the axle. I've tried tapping on the puller bolt after pressure has been applied to the axle. The left wheel has not moved while the right wheel has moved approximately 1/2" then stopped. I'm a novice at this type of work and sure would appreciate any insight as to what I could do to take these wheels off.

HELP! After taking the water pump off the engine block I found a thin piece of metal which was pressed into the water jacket opening. The opening is 4" diameter. The thin piece of metal is very corroded and therefore hard to identify its original shape. I would like to know: What would its function be? What did it originally look like? Does it need to be there? I have attached three pics: 1st, the piece in place when I took the pump off. 2nd, the opening without the piece in place. 3rd, the piece itself. 4th, the impeller/pump casing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.