Hi everyone,
Well I'm finally returned from a successful 16 day club rally which took the Plymouth through some beautiful parts of Tasmania, Australia. All up it was a total of 1900 miles or 3057 kms.
The journey was very comfortable and we only had a few problems. A flat tire, some kind of fuel blockage which cleared it self after about 5 miles and an overcharging generator which upset the starter motor, not bad for an 80 year old vintage car!
We traveled with six other vintage cars of all different makes and models mine was the only Plymouth. I was using a lot of oil due to a rear bearing seal. The oil wasn't coming out from my exhaust but it was dripping out from the bell housing when I stopped. As long as I kept toping it up and checked my oil pressure I just kept moving forward. Any ideas on solving the rear bearing seal problem? Engine oil is cheap but I would like to fix it.
Thank you all for technical advice and helping in preparing the Plymouth your knowledge is priceless.
I would like to encourage all Plymouth owners to get out and experience what I have in the 16 days and 1900 miles it's worth it.
Enjoy :)
Rodney
Sydney, Australia
Rodney, that's smashing! What a grand time you must have had. I would have been very nervous, but you had strength in numbers and a great support system. I am very envious and hope that someday I can partake in such an event! Thanks for posting!
Hi Rodney,
A great accomplishment and some really nice pictures. What are the two cars directly behind yours in the 3rd. picture ?
Chet...
Hi Chet,
Behind mine is a 1927 Sunbeam (An English Car) and the green vintage is a 1929 Pontiac roadster (chief of the Sixes). The other two are a 1968 MGB and the last one is a 1928 Oldsmobile. The Pontiac has done its big end :(
After changing my oil it looks like I will need to replace the piston rings as the oil is filled with a lot of very fine silver particles. What size rings do I need and where can you recommend getting them from?
It was a wonderful trip but I think the Plymouth has paid the price. In saying that I would still do it again.
Rodney, Sydney Australia.
Rodney,
After a 2,000 mile trip with an engine that does not have an oil filter I wouldn't jump to any conclusions. I think a compression test across the cylinders would be a first step. After that I would drop the oil pan and clean it out. Take a good look around and see if you notice any damage.
Did you use an air filter? The original Plymouth filters worked good in theory only and will let in sandy dust particles from a dirt or dirty road. This dust can scratch your cylinder walls. Also the oil pump gears have a tendency to grind themselves down ?
Anyway a great adventure that will provide conversation for many years. For motor parts there is another post on this forum from 29UJohn. He recommends:
Check Egge. www.egge.com
They list a new set of pistons for $203. Better call first.
Hastings will provide a new set of rings for about $75
Great Trip, Chet...
Hi Chet
A compression test on the cylinders sounds like a good idea. I also intend to drop the oil pan and clean it out. As for the air filter I used the original. I think I will start small and see what happens.
Many thanks, Rodney
I have a report where two guys drove a 31 plymouth across country, Sanfranciscoe to New York im 5 days, this was in 31 or 32, I forget. if your engin was in good order before the tripe I wouldn't be to concerned. just check it out and change the oil. By the way great trip. I would like to do somthing like that.
Dont forget that the motor oil we use today is about twenty times better than the dinosaur pee they used 80 years ago.
Hi all,
I dropped the sump and took some photos for you to have a look at. I gave the sump a clean out and there doesn't appear to anything to report on. I'll make up a new gasket replace the sump and oil and perform a cylinder compression test. Here are a few photos of the engine without sump.
Thanks for all your input.
Rodney
Here is the head lines about the cross country trip in a 31 Plymouth. He had to do 1100 miles a day.