~~ OIL ~~

Ever wonder about those petcocks underneath the Car?

There are two petcocks that are connected to the lower crank case sump. They are to check the amount of oil in the engine. I’ve been told that if you open the bottom petcock and no oil comes out the engine needs oil. If oil does come out of the bottom petcock, then check the upper petcock. The petcocks are supposed to be the upper and lower limits of the oil level. But, just how much oil is in the engine if oil comes out of one or both petcocks? Well, if you drain the oil out of the engine and allow it to drain for a few minutes to make sure most of the oil is out, replace the drain plug and open the petcocks. Add oil one quart at a time and wait a few minutes between quarts to see if oil runs from the lower petcock. The bottom petcock will run when there are two quarts in the engine and the upper petcock will run when there is four quarts in the engine. This measurement is quite crude, an engine with only 2 quarts in it is asking for trouble. Make sure you check your oil every time you drive. Every so often leave the upper petcock open and add oil until it runs. You should change your every 750 miles. You should also add a half quart of ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) to aide shifting. If you need a better method or easier method of checking the engine oil, you can install a dip stick or a sight glass. Both of these items are sold by vendors and makes keeping the proper oil level in our antique vehicles easier. Either way keep your eye on the oil level.