The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil fountain

I'm back a little sooner than I wanted with another question.
I started my truck ('54 Chevy 3/4 ton)to warm it for an oil change. Choke cable has not yet arrived so I sat and played with the gas until she idled on her own. When I got out I noticed a sizable puddle on the rented storage unit floor and oil coming from an area near the presure sensing and filter lines. I shut down the engine before clearly identifying which was bad. When I looked again behind 50+ years of oily dirt I saw what looks to be a valve screwed into the block just aft of the sensor line.

What is this and could it have been my leak. The shop manual doesn't clearly speak of anything fitting this description and the fresh oil pattern on the block doesn't indicate which is at fault.

Thanks,
Josh

The valve in that location would most likely be a block coolant drain. Usually, those are only found on Forward Control vans, trucks generally have a plug in that location.

I say valve only because it looks like a radiator drain valve. Sort of the thumb screw design. Like a small piece of channel attached to a stud.

Yup, that's exactly the partI was thinkinbg of. It's basically the same type of valve. It's not connected in the oil passages. I won't say that a truck or car engine can't/won't have one, just that the assembly and shop manuals only call for them on the van models.
On to the leak, check the filter ling and gauge line fittings, one may be loose. Also, check the hoses and the gauge line itself for cracks.

Thanks Bill,

I'll scrape some more crud and change out the two. I don't think any work has been done on this truck since the last recorded oil change 1000 miles ago in 1975. All the tires and grommets are brittle and rotten. I know I can buy the gauge line for little money and the filter line can't cost much to make up if not available off the shelf. I wonder if I bumped it when changing out my exhaust seal? It ran fine without leaks when I backed it off the transport truck.

Is there any harm in running the exhaust/intake butterfly valve shut other than slow warming? Mine is stuck open now which I'm sure I can change to stuck closed more easily than making it operational.

Longbox said it. A petcock for the block drain was common on older models. A hex pipe plug came on newer units.

On the heat riser valve, stuck open isn't a problem, but if you can move it to closed, you can get it free enough to work properly. Squirt penetrating oil on it and work it until it moves freely. If it is stuck, apply penetrating oil and tap it end-to-end, back and forth, until it moves. Then work it by hand until it is free. "Tapping" means firm blows, but not pounding like you want to break everything.

Harvester

Thanks I'll take a look. It's nice to be back in the garage again. Four years in NYC and a current company car haven't given reason or more importantly space to play.

Willing to bet I'll be back,
Josh