Fuel Pump & Oil Pan removal from 41 Buick Super

[Ken Lobsinger -Rejuvenated]

My 41 does not want to reveal her bottom half to me.   With the Exception of possibly 4 holding the pan in placebolts,  The last 4 are complicated.  The cross member is very much in the way of making it impossible to get to at  least 4 bolts. 

I have read shere some have losended the front end bolts to drop the right front end to access pan bolts, and losening others to make removal much easier.  Still others say to loosen front engine mounts and rais the engine (which I don't want to do for multiple reasons). Now I can't find either string on the site.

 

My preference would be a more permanent solution.  There are a couple of places where that crossmember has 1 in. holes to allow access to the very front screws.  Those I am having trouble with are on the side, just around the corner from the front.   If I were to drill a 5/8" hole through the cross member directly underneath the bolt head (presuming all my measurements are correct) I would have permanent access to those bolts, and might even replace them with an allen head bolt.  As long as I keep the hole side to a minium to accept a 1/4" drive socket, would I be adding damage to the structural integrity of the crossmember?

 

I am also looking for intel on the best practices for removal of the Fuel/Vacuum pump.

[Sidemount33]

Ken: not sure if this has been asked and answered on another of your posts about your '41, but do you have a copy of Bill Anderson's book for 1941 Buicks (Restoration Facts)? Has a pile of info that would assist you. 
 

I want to say on Neil Morse's thread, there was a post or two about dropping the pan on his Super, and how he did it. 

[kgreen]

The '40 has holes in the front cross member to allow a ratchet extension through.  Check to see if Buick eliminated that necessary feature for 1941.

[Ken Lobsinger -Rejuvenated]

Thanks to Ken and I've ordered Bill Anderson's book, and actually there are only 2 bolts that don't have access holes which are directly behind the 4 very front  which do have holes.  Using a 1/4" drive short socket & 6" extension, I got the two tight-spot oil pan bolts out, however getting them back in will still likley require drilling a couple of 3/4" access holes directly below.  Not enough room to get threading started by hand & the universal on the socket isn't stiff enough.  

[Terry Bond]

Wrap some electrical rape around your swivel socket. It'll still flex but won't flop!  Old mechanics trick I learned from an old mechanic.

Terry

[Ken Lobsinger -Rejuvenated]

Thanks to the tips, coaching and contributions in the forum, I've got the oil pan out.  Yes, Buick did eliminate 2 of the 4 bolt access holes in 41, which I plan on re-introducing to mine.

 

With the pan off there was only about 3/8" of sludge in the bottom and NO metal bits at all.  Hot dang!  My concern is now the bottom 1/2 and the oil pump. Need some of the member expertise again on this.  Photos.  The oil pump float seems to operate feely, but I think I see some obstruction behind the screen. I looked at Bob's Automobilia, and they don't have the oil pump, or a rebuild kit.  Since getting the pan off is such an event, should I remove the float and see what I can do to clean it? 

I can see up into the engine on a couple of cylinders and don't see anything that alarms me (but then I am a novice).  There is some slight build up on the journals and crank as well as the block.  If I try to clean or scrape, I know I won't be able to get to most of it.  Is there a team recommendation here on what I should do about the oil pump and the lower half grunge?

 

When I removed the flywheel inspection there was a gasket between it and the housing above.  Bob's Automobilia says there is no gasket for that application. What say you experts?

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Goodness yes!   If the float screen is as plugged as it appears to be,  remove it and clean.  The bottom plate removes by gently prying the tabs around the outer edge.   The screen, if I remember, will then lift right out.   Please show a picture of the screen before you clean.      The MAIN wear part on the pump is the bottom plate,  where the  gears  rub.  Removing the bottom plate on the pump, which CAN be done without removing the pump,  allows the gears to be removed. In fact they may fall right out.  One is on a shaft that reaches into the distributor.  The other is free, so to speak.  If you look at them and can see no obvious wear, they are probably ok.   The plate, on the other hand,  will probably have imprints of both worn into the surface. Those imprints must go.    I use wet or dry sanding paper laying on a piece of flat glass,  moving the plate over the sand paper in a figure 8 pattern.

 The rest of the grunge [ I like that word ] , let your conscience be your guide.  It will probably remain where it is if left un disturbed.

  Pictures, pictures.

 

  Ben

[DonMicheletti]

Ben is right on.

 

That flywheel pan needs no gasket

[neil morse]

Hi Ken:

 

I missed this thread because you have posted it in an obscure place.  You should really either start a thread on the "Me and My Buick" forum, or post on the Pre-war Buick forum.  You will get a much better response.

 

As mentioned by @Sidemount33, I have some discussion on my "Me and My Buick" thread about dropping the oil pan and rebuilding the oil pump on my '41 Super.  You can find it here (click on the arrow in the upper right hand corner to get to the right starting point).

 

Also, I got your PM about the dash panels and I will be responding soon.

 

Neil