How very odd. Do those pans have a baffle? I’d be inclined to drill a hole. I was actually tempted to drill a second one. I don’t see much purpose for it to collect there. There aren’t any components being lubricated there so why let it collect and drain slowly?
I would regularly drill a few extra holes in that false sump.
Just a guess, but I believe the idea might have been to prevent any hard debris that might happen to fall into that well from migrating back to the oil pick up. We must remember that the early cars had hard plastic or nylon dampers instead of rubber…two of which had pieces missing when I tore down my engine.
The 140 steel pan does have a quite effective, full-length baffle which forces virtually all of the oil thru a basket strainer which protects the pick up. There are only small slots in the corners where the pan and baffle meet for any oil to pass thru…except for the dip stick hole, that is.
There is also a raised ridge or dam on the pan floor surrounding the pick up…more debris protection. And surging oil from cornering and braking would somewhat mix with the oil trapped in the forward well, I would surmise.
I think the suction pipe joint was ‘underwater’ at that point with the early pumps and subsequent. This would mean that even slight leakage at the insertion point would suck in oil instead of air and maintain integrity of supply? I do like the debris-capture hypothesis too, but there is often junk beyond that point?
I’ve never tried a test fill of nine qts into an open E-type sump. Is that level above or below the baffle? I’d guess that at least on declines the pump inlet is pretty close to under water
I think level is probably just under the baffle. The weir would be filled from above from the cam boxes and down through the timing case. An undrilled reservoir would be permanently full and replenished from above. The drilled ones generally have only a small hole. I’m pretty sure more head oil drains at the front instead of the back than drains through the small hole when running.
It is just below the baffle.
Hmmm. Here are photos of a 4.2L pump on a 1964 vintage 3.4L block then fitted with a 3.8L E-Type sump. I didn’t have any issues. I wonder why you had a problem?
I can only guess that either the front pier in your sump that the baffle sits on might have been a bit shorter than my own, or it’s due to differences in the pump casting. I know that the AE pump I installed was a bit taller than the Country pump that was in it previously.
Mike,
Did you experience any difficulty mating that early, smooth sump with a later rope rear oil seal?
No sir. It’s been quite awhile.
Hi Eric,
When you installed the new drive gear, did you have any difficulty pushing the gear onto the drive shaft? The Service Manual says to “press” it on. I’m ok with that, but since I can’t see that the woodruff key is perfectly lined up with the slot in the gear, I’m afraid to start pressing. Did you have to press your gear onto the shaft? The OD of the shaft appears to be about .001" greater than the ID of the gear.
It’s Erica!
My new one was snug but not exceptionally snug. Someone, perhaps @Wiggles talked about a homemade pusher that spans the top of the dist drive shaft and the bottom of the gear. You could chamfer the leading corners of the woodruff key to help guide it in, and also lay a little straightedge along the side of the key to line up the gear slot as well as possible. Between those two things, it will likely slip in.
Sorry about the “a”. Chamfering the woodruff key is a good idea. Thanks
Screw clamp and wood worked for me!
Deep freeze the shaft and heat the bronze. Hand assemble…
…quickly…
…whilst wearing leather welding gloves…
Is this a task you spotted on “Its a Knockout” Peter?
I wouldn’t risk the Joker on it…