The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Warning, Warning! Danger, Danger!

Took the 52 3600 in for a new muffler and tailpipe a few weeks ago. As I was backing off the rack, people started yelling to shut it off. The rubber oil inlet hose from the pan to the filter had gave out. Talk about luck! I went next door and had one made...about 5 bux. the guy at the parts store said I might ought to replace the return hose too. Figured to get around to it soon. Today, I stopped to see some buds and they wanted to see the original 216. I popped the hood and you guessed it....oil dripping off everything. Guess what else...oil filter return hose. Imagine that! I went to the same shop and had another one made....for anuther 5 bux. Check those hoses man! Cheap insurance.
Dash Riprocker

One more thing. The cause of these leaks was the hoses had dry-rotted right where they join the brass fittings. The return line was rotted on both ends. The truck last ran about 4 years ago and had sat in a field all that time. She's on the road and running good so far....luckily. Will post pics asap.
Dash

I'm glad you got it fixed before you pumped it dry.

Sounds like you had "the Big 'Bolter in the sky" looking out for you, Dash. That was really fortunate how both times you were in a place where you were able to catch it. Have a great day.

Would be a good time to check most other rubber parts as well, i.e. fuel lines, radiator hoses, etc... That's kind of what happened to my truck after sitting in a garage for 8 years before I brought it here and started using it. ALL that stuff had to be changed.

doesnt replacing all those rubber parts before you drive off go without saying???

i guess it's just as good to be lucky.

Rusty, Didn't Napoleon say that he'd rather have an officer who was lucky than one who was good?


John

I replaced my hoses to the filter but I'm thinking about taking the whole canister filter system off. On a 216 there's only about 10 percent of the oil that gets filtered anyways. So it seems like it's only there for looks. I only drive it 2 or 3 thousand miles a year, so a once a year oil change ought to be good.

Strange stuff Steppenwood. I never heard that. Why is it you reckon that so little of the oil gets filtered?

Must be a bad year for old rubber. The same thing happened to my '62 not too long ago.

I had a similar situation a couple years ago. I just happened to be in town when my oil pressure sending unit failed. I shut it down, added a quart and limped it a couple miles to Johnson County Auto where they got me back on the road for a pittance.

I often think of how old all the parts on these trucks can be... and still look good.
My scariest nightmare are the rubber brake lines. The rubber line out of the gas tank could be disasterous too.

my 36 corn binder has 3 feet of rubber hose from the electric fuel pump to the carb, and another 2 feet from the pump to the fuel cell....

That is one of the better aspects of this truck. :rolleyes:

Many engines have been damaged by these hoses, but I woudn,t take one off. It,s true only part of the oil goes through the filter but all the oil eventually gets filtered. You can see the difference on the dipstick. It,s, great when you are showing off your truck & you pull out the dipstick & the oil looks like it just came out of a can.

First thing I replaced on my 47 jeep was its 3 different oil hoses.

Dash,are you the one I talked to about a front gravel pan at Ingles.

Copper tubing is always a good lasting alternative and insurance of sorts.
Your local hardware store got all the parts/fittings you need for a few bucks.
You can even go to the autoparts store, rent a tubing bender and flaring tool (free after returning) get flare fittings and be even safer than just compression fittings.

You guys are not gonne believe this. After replacing both hoses, I found the leak. A hole was rusted in the bottom of the filter housing. Go figger! Gonna get another housing tomorrow and try again. Oh well...it'll all be kinda sorta new when I get done. I've had guys tell me that only about 10% of the oil gets filtered anyway. Reckon it's even worth the trouble? Or reckon a man should plug the block and go back to 30 weight non-detergent?
Dash

If I were you, I'd just fix that old canister, providing that the hole isn't to big.

I wouldn't go back to non-detergent oil but I agree that the low-pressure canister is almost worthless. I just drop a roll of toilet paper in mine and forgetaboutit....

Ter-
You are right about those rubber brake lines and fuel hose at the front. When I first got my truck the U-bolts on the rear end were almost completely rusted through so I had to replace those and while I was doing that bumped the brake hose and it just broke clear through (40 year old rubber!). Recently I started smelling gas in the garage and couldn't figure out from where. Well one day after driving the truck I went inside but forgot something in the garage, came out and there was a nice puddle under the engine compartment. Cracked rubber fuel line!

Needless to say check your rubber!