Picked up another Mopar. 1959 Dodge Sierra

[b5blue]

The main thing is not to disturb more gunk. Ideally pulling the pan to clear oil flow to the pickup is most important. However mineral oil or kerosene poured in the hole and out a drained pan could tell how bad it is. The heads and valley are likely loaded so do not disturb. 

[Dino]

I was planning on an intake swap anyway, so it will give me a bit more room to do some flushes. I'm gonna make a mess! 

[RallyeMike]

Ouch. That's an ugly find.

[Dino]

Yes it is. Not sure how to tackle it right now. At some point I'll clean up the whole car and I can pull the block, but I'd like to keep it in one piece for the time being. I read about flushing it with a mix of diesel or kerosene and oil, but I'm not completely comfortable with that.

[RallyeMike]

You have to wonder how the oil is even getting through the filter. To save it, at minimum, I could not resist a complete tear down to the short block and cleaning everything I could reach with solvent. It could probably use a re-gasketting and timing chain anyway.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Aw crap

The old timer redneck fix for a gunked up engine was:

Wait until it's a quart low on oil or drain a quart out.

Dump a quart of automatic transmission fluid in the engine.

Drive the car for several miles and get it good and warm.

Change oil and filter.

You may need to repeat this process a few times using 3 quarts oil and one quart ATF.

Your results may vary.

[Dino]

You have to wonder how the oil is even getting through the filter. To save it, at minimum, I could not resist a complete tear down to the short block and cleaning everything I could reach with solvent. It could probably use a re-gasketting and timing chain anyway.

It was my intent to strip it down completely and rebuild it to stock specs except for maybe a better cam. I was juet hoping not having to do that this year.

[Dino]

Aw crap

The old timer redneck fix for a gunked up engine was:

Wait until it's a quart low on oil or drain a quart out.

Dump a quart of automatic transmission fluid in the engine.

Drive the car for several miles and get it good and warm.

Change oil and filter.

You may need to repeat this process a few times using 3 quarts oil and one quart ATF.

Your results may vary.

Interesting. I hadn't heard about using atf. My biggest concern, with any type of flush, is dislodging gunk that then blocks oil passages and does more harm. I'll have to remove the oil pan and filter and see what it's like in there.

[Back N Black]

Cool car, I have a friend restoring one, it is painted and going back together.

[Dino]

Nice! You don't see these very often.

[resq302]

Welcome to the forward look era!  We have one also that was in my mom's side of the family since new. Her grandmother bought a 57 Dodge 2 door suburban wagon back in April (I think) of 1957. It has a 325 poly v8 with the cast iron torqueflite trans.  Here's a link that Lou from My Car Story did on it at Carlisle last month. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NT2hhQhWiAQ

[resq302]

I got a decent amount out, but I'm going to have to flush the engine a few times. Not sure with what yet.

Engine sludge like that is quite common. You should have seen ours that has only 37,000 original miles on it. I added Vintage Air to it and had to custom do the pulleys with shims and such to get it to line up. I also had to custom make the brackets for the compressor.

I also did a brake upgrade using the f,m, and j body cars front brakes and using a bendix dual diaphragm booster and master cylinder from my 69 gtx that I had a spare of. We also added power steering that a guy in Texas makes kits for them of stuff that is all readily available at parts stores so if my parents have a problem on a tour, they can be back on the road in no time.

I might also have spare pot metal tail light parts for your wagon too.

[Dino]

Sweet car resq! A/C and disc brakes are on the agenda. It took me a minute to get used to manual brakes, but they are decent.