Oil in the Carburetor Intake Elbow??

[chuckbear]

Last Friday afternoon I was unable to start my M37. I eventually got to looking at the air cleaner and noticed two or three teaspoons of oil in the carburetor intake elbow. Checking a little further, I saw that the spark plugs were oil fouled. I cleaned out the air intake and the plugs and the engine started with some difficulty.

I noticed that two of the screws that attach the air cleaned retainer to the air cleaner shroud and then to the air intake elbow were a little loose and that the gasket was worn (probably original).

I don't understand how the air cleaner oil got out of the air cleaner in the first place. Has anyone run into this situation?

Also, should I look at dismantling the carburetor or will the flow of gas clean out any residual oil?

Regards

Mike Tiderman
'53 M37 w/w
WAC B&G MVT

[Joe Rokon]

Did you over fill your air filter with oil?

[Warren Watt]

Hi Mike,

I haven't had this happen to me but I am thinking along the lines of Joe Rokon. If that is not the case, I'd run the engine for a few minutes without the air filter long enough to run some gas through the carb. Recheck the oil level in the air cleaner and give it another shot. Let us know what happens please.

[chuckbear]

Gents:

Thanks for your thoughts. No, the oil cleaner isn't overfull, in fact it was only about half full.

Regards,

Mike

[Gsmith]

I haven't had that happen either, so I can't relate to that. The way that elbow is made it seems that the oil would have to be vaporized to be sucked into the carburetor. It baffles me to think that could happen enough to foul the plugs.

[Kurt Hirte]

I don't have an m37 anymore but if my memory is correct, the crankcase vent lines attach to that area. Is it possible the positive pressure valve that keeps the crankcase pressurized during fording, is malfunctioning and drawing in oil from the crankcase? I seem to remember a similar thread years ago with the same problem and in my memory the valve was the culprit. I could be way wrong, but it is something to look at. Sorry I'm no more help. Kurt

[chuckbear]

Kurt:

Thanks for your response. The oil I found was clean, didn't look like it came from the crankcase, but I'll try and check the fitting you mentioned.

Regards,

Mike