oil leaking around spark plugs flat 6

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hardlucktattoo

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OK I have come down to where I have some internal wear in my flat 6 oil is bubbling around the spark plugs the question I have is do i have to rebuild the hole motor or is there another way I can go...the car runs good sounds good no knocks no nothing just a little smoke thanks
 
The fact that it runs decent and has no noise is a good sign as far as the low end, bearings and such. I have no experience with the flat head engines, but it sure sounds like a rebuild is in your future. I'd have to think that enough oil to bleed past the plugs means that the rings have probably seen their better days.

I want to keep tabs on this thread as a learning tool for these engines. Good luck with however things turn out. :thumbrig:
 
so is this a slant or a flat six?? i assume you mean you have oil coming around the spark plug tubes??
 
so is this a slant or a flat six?? i assume you mean you have oil coming around the spark plug tubes??

Its a flat 6 its bubbling around the spark plug the plug closest to the firewall is the worst but only a couple of them are doing it
 
try some strate 30 or 40 wt. oil in it when that motor was built there was no 5/10 or 20/50 im sure it could use a rebuild but I would try that first hell you might get another 100,000 out of it!!!if you're in a warm area that's where my money will be just a suggestion............Artie
 
try some strate 30 or 40 wt. oil in it when that motor was built there was no 5/10 or 20/50 im sure it could use a rebuild but I would try that first hell you might get another 100,000 out of it!!!if you're in a warm area that's where my money will be just a suggestion............Artie

I also added some MMO to the oil someone said on another forum it might me the wrong plugs and there not seating right but I know its gonna need to be rebuilt
 
If it has the wrong plugs in it, they can leak.
 
There is no top end on a flat head. It's all in the block. You don't go on what "someone says". You look it up by application. What kinda vehicle are we workin on? Year model? Engine size?
 
Its a flat 6 its bubbling around the spark plug the plug closest to the firewall is the worst but only a couple of them are doing it

Flat 6 ....?????.....like a Corvair/Porsche/Subaru H6 engine ?????
or did you mean a Flat Head 6 ????
 

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There is no top end on a flat head. It's all in the block. You don't go on what "someone says". You look it up by application. What kinda vehicle are we workin on? Year model? Engine size?

1950 Chrysler windsor
 
You got the wrong plugs ,

I think your plugs have crush washers to seal them.

And are you sure that they are tight enough?
 
A compression and leak down test would provide very useful information related to your question related to if it's time for a rebuild.
 
You got the wrong plugs ,

I think your plugs have crush washers to seal them.

And are you sure that they are tight enough?

I have autolites in there now I changed them when I got the car someone said to use champion
 
You need the right plugs for it and then straight weight oil like Artie said.
 
We still don't have an engine size. 230?

Autolite #306

Champion #592
 
naw the multi weight is a better oil, cools the engine better. but you would want to be using like 10-40 or 20-50 for sure

Multi viscosity oil was created for one thing. Weather. So it can be one weight in cold weather and another in warm. That's all. It has no better cooling properties than any other oil. Modern oils are very advanced nowadays, including single weights. Single weight oils have been used a very long time with great success. The modern additive packages is in them as well, so they are every bit as good as a multi viscosity oil. These old motors will run with transmission fluid in the crankcase. They don't give a damn as long as they are lubricated.
 
So, with a flathead, ANY oil that builds up around the spark plugs is oil that has migrated out of the cylinder. This means two things. First, you have a significant oil coating of you cylinders and chamber, and, more importantly second, you have a compression leak around your plugs.

If the engine's oil consumption is otherwise acceptable, focus on the plug seal. First, I would thoroughly clean the plug threads and seats. Then, with properly torqued horizontal seat gasketed plugs, if oil migration is still a problem, try a little Permatex #2 on the plug threads.
 
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