HG42 IXK3 timing cover question

[countryguy828]

Alright guys. I am working on my 1941 HG with IXK3 engine. It has a small pipe/tube coming out of the top of the timing cover. I don't recall seeing this in any pictures of any other HGs I have found online. Did someone drill and tap this hole to add an oil return line? maybe extra oil to the timing gears? Do I need to worry about it or just plug it? You can see it in the picture I have attached.

Thanks,
Dave

[1956oc3]

definitely not stock, I've never seen that done before. It may have been done to quieten the gears if they are noisy running. I wouldn't worry about it. Just my opinion.

[countryguy828]

Thanks for the info. I didn't think it did anything. I don't remember any tubes being hooked to it, but it was 2011 when I tore the motor down. Perhaps they thought it was noisy gears at one point. When I tore it down I learned that the 1/8 inch of clearance in the #1 rod and #1 main was causing the odd rattle sound it had. Then life got in the way of funtime so it was put on hold until I could get the babbit redone which just got finished up this week. It was a slow process of waiting for other to be able to help and me learning about it.

At anyrate I picked up an 1/8npt brass plug to put in its place. This poor machine had an extremely rough life.

Picture account of progress is here https://www.facebook.com/countryguy828/media_set?set=a.2053842345008.2127849.1213027421&type=3

Thanks,
Dave

[Subgates]

CountryGuy

Have you had it all of its existence?

I have a fairly close picture of my engine (from the Right side) and mine doesn't have that fitting. Remember this. When owners had to replace an OC-3/4 engine the donor engine could have originally been installed in many many kinds of machines, yours may have come from a boat, temp power unit, generator, pump, forklift, a tractor, or a water pump. That pipe may have been required in that machine and not on your Oliver.

Does your engine have its serial number badge? If not it's likely it was swapped out at some point.

Michael

[countryguy828]

This particular machine is pre-Oliver. The casting date codes would indicate it is a 1941. It does have the aluminum tag on the block, but like usual the serial tag is missing. I would lean towards this being the original block but no proof other than it has '41 in the casting codes.

Dave