Help with 1933 eight oil leak

[32Pontiac6]

Is somebody out there knowledgable on '33 Pontiac 8's? I am the '32 Pontiac Technical Advisor for POCI and I guess I was closest to the year of his car!

The gentleman said that his rebuilt engine is leaking oil out the rear of the engine. He mentioned that his oil pressure is high... about 60 psi. I wondered if the engine might be similar to the '32 and has an external pressure regulator. Is there is somebody who can talk to him about this problem? Please give me your contact information and I will pass it on the him.

Thanks

Rob Guzzetta

[Guest Pete Woodruff]

Anyone with a question regarding '26 through '54 Pontiacs is always welcome to contact me. Through the Early Times chapter I maintain many contacts to help anwering questions. pete@pontiacnationals.com

[Guest]

According to my parts and shop books 33 and 34 are the same engine L head straight eight. 35 and up have a larger displacement but it seems the rear main seal is the same as the previous six cylinger ones. There are two little wooden wedges that go between the rear main bearing cap and the block. If these are missing the engine will leak seriously. If the thrust serfaces of the main bearings are worn and let the shaft move back and forth the rear main will leak. If the rear main bearing is worn it will leak some. There is no seal or slinger. The oil that comes out through the bearing is supposed to run down (by gravity) and back into the crankcase. If this passage is plugged the engine will leak as the oil can't run back in so it will run down the back of the oil pan. When I ebuilt my engine 24 years ago I filled the space that the wedges should be in with blue silicone as I had never seen the wedges in real life. I was able to buy a box of 12 of them on ebay last year. They look as if they would be easy to thittle out of a piece of wood if one had the dimensions.

[32Pontiac6]

Reid,

Thanks for your input. Hopefully the person that needs the help will appreciate it. I am always impressed with your oveall knowledge of early Pontiacs. I guess that comes with driving and working on them as much as you have. Thanks!

Rob

[Guest]

Rob; Thanks for your comments.

If you ever have questions that you think I might be able to help with please do not hesitate to email me.

One thing that I found interesting over the years is how many poorly thought out mechanical ideas seem to work not so bad. However I am a doubting thomas and usually want to know and prove why or how.

I really feel compassion for the young guys and gals today that buy a pre-electronic era car and try to operate and repair it on their own. Most of them have never seen anyone open a hood and actually do something. In the early 50's I remember walking up and down my back lane and almost every yard had a garage in it and on a Saturday almost every car had the hood up and the owner was tightening or loosening or adjusting something. In my back lane we had everything form 2 Ford model "T"s, a Ford model "A", 2 Packards, one each: Moon, Star, Pontiac, Hudson, Nash, Buick, Diamond T. and Reo, two each Chevrolet, Dodge and Essex and these were just the pre WWII cars. We had a new bathtub (53 Nash), 53 Buick, 54 Cadillac (even it had the hood up sometimes), 52 Pontiac, 52 Willys and a Desoto. Great afternoon fun for anyone with a mchanical bent.