GasWorksGarage Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Hello, we just got a 1925 Chevy pickup and apparently the seller wasn't very forth coming. Besides head gasket or cracked block where else could it come from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFitz Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Buildup from condensation of not getting the oil hot enough is one cause. Used to be a big problem in early cars before the days of thermostats, or if someone took out a thermostat. In the early 20's there were even accessories like "Skinner rectifiers" that used engine exhaust heating of the oil to drive off water. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trini Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Other than what you mention, the only way is condensation buildup by not running the engine hot enough to burn out the build up moisture in the oil or accindently pouring water in the engine instead of the radiator. To determine water in oil use a piece of sheet metal, pour a few drop of oil on the metal , use a torch and heat the tin underneath the oil. The water will pop,pop,pop under heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden_hunter Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 (edited) Are you sure it’s water not fuel? Early cars had issues with crank case dilution from fuel getting into the oil, was solved from about 1925 on premium cars onwards Edited December 28, 2019 by hidden_hunter (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trini Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 A 1925 Chevrolet will have an updraft carburetor so the flooding will allow the gas to fall on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFitz Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 (edited) Even with an updraft carb, if it's flooding but not so excessively that the gas is also pouring out the choke horn, it will suck too much gas into the engine. A too rich mixture will get vaporized as it's sucked up, but some will not atomize which it has to do to burn. It gets into the cylinders as droplets, not vapor. Some of those droplets can coat the cylinder walls and get past the rings, especially if the rings are worn. If that goes on long enough, and the engine oil doesn't get hot enough to vaporize the gasoline getting past the rings and have it escape the crankcase, it will dilute engine oil, as Hidden-Hunter said. The difference is water will leave off- white or tan deposits of oil/water mix wherever oil spray can cool and condense, such as near the oil filler cap, or bottom of crankcase vent tube. Gas in the oil will not make noticeable color change deposits, but your nose will let you know there's gas dilution of the oil if you smell a sample from the crankcase. Paul Edited December 28, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trini Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 So the simple solution, is if there is any, make sure the shield between the rad and fan is there. Install an inline thermostat in the top rad hose. That will help to run the engine "hot" . Change the oil frequently. and drive longer distances more frequently. IS THERE A CHANCE THE CRANKNCASE VENTILATION TUBE IS DRAWING MOISTURE FROM OUTSIDE INTO THE CRANK CASE ? That engine has no oil pump, just splash feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Actually it must have an oil pump otherwise how do the troughs fill with oil???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 (edited) Chevy fours do indeed have an oil pump. I don't have one, but I have read many threads on the VCCA forums about oil pumps for those cars. The pumps are sometimes upgraded from a vane type to a gear type at rebuild. The rods are not force fed. The mains may have varied by year. Edited December 29, 2019 by Bloo (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trini Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 I owned a 1928 Chevrolet (National) and had lots of spare parts for earlier models too. Earlier than 1928 had no valve covers, just a wad of felt on the valve train. Had to use an oil can to pour oil every time before starting for the day. There was a dipper bolted to the bearing cap to splash oil on to the wall of the cylinder. The 1928 has a valve cover . Uses 2 valve train bolts to keep it in place. The edges are sharp and no provision for gaskets. The head bolts have , I am not sure now, half inch or seven sixteen bolts but the threads were all by itself . Standard bolt thread will not work. I think that was made before standardiseation of machine thread was introduced. The engine had a water pump but I cannot remember any thermostat. To keep the engine oil from freezing in winter, an old gentleman told me he used a kerosene lamp lighted under the oil pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Tierney Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Re' water in oil---you didn't say if you drained oil, drove it, watching oil carefully and then got water in oil again, and, if so, how much water how quickly,all of which''d allow more precise comments...as it is, it could be simply fixed (driving more to stop condensation), or frightening (cracks somewhere)... If you can see the water in the radiator going down while the water in the pan rises, you have real problems... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trini Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 Bud Tierney, you are absolutely correct. Not enough information. If the engine is used regularly and the oil and water level monitored, lets us say every x miles , and the oil level rises and the water level drops then there is an equation to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GasWorksGarage Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 We just got it in, The oil level if you will is about 3 inches about the full line on the dip stick and is "milky" its not gas or condensation Radiator is low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFitz Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 "mikly" definitely means water has tried to mix with the oil while the engine is running. With oil level that high I doubt it's from condensation. Time to start doing pressure checks of the cooling system. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trini Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 There may be a blown gasket or cracked head. Save every fastner because the threads on those engines are not standard, especially head bots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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