Projects Building My First Roadster in San Francisco

Eh, just pull start it!

 

"Perfection, cannot, and WILL NOT, be rushed"
Dam @J.Ukrop !
It's gotta be something so uniquely simple, yet complex as the culprit is hiding in plain site!
I seriously doubt that squirting the oil in the cylinders,
caused a type of hydraulic lock such as is found in the bottom cylinders, of radial engines, when they sat for a while!
I hope the remedy will be found so that you can get to enjoy 2.0 very soon!
Good luck from Dennis.

 

This info is from a post on the early V8 Club Forum regarding Powermaster alternators.
https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=18&Topic=16437&srow=11&erow=20


The pulley you need is most likely available from Fifth Avenue, phone 785- 632-3450. It is part number 14415FP. It provides both the mount for your fan and the proper 2.5" diameter pulley for your alternator to charge properly at idle. The stock Ford pulley has a diameter that is too large for the alternator to charge properly. Alternators have to spin faster than generators to function as intended.

 

What’s the clearance like with that clutch you put in there?

 

Dang, but you are still moving forward. All these hold ups are frustrating, but work together to make victory - cruising up the road - more sweet! If it were easy everyone would do it
Keep pushing forward

 

Like j ripper I wonder about the clutch plate. Could it be flipped and binding on the flywheel bolts or tweaking so it won't release. It seems like it should turn in neutral unless the pilot shaft is pushed back and taking up all the tranny end play. Are there different length noses on the Ford pilot shafts? Different spline lengths? I know there are different clutch hubs.

 

If engaging/disengaging the clutch made no difference
1. box is locked.
2. input shaft is bottomed out or stuck in bushing/crank.
3. clutch disc is too far back on shaft or too far forward on flywheel, and won't release. Check clutch plate gap before disassembling, too.

 

I agree with everything RODSTRACE has to say.

Some additional thoughts:
The trans case does not look to have fluids in it, I could be wrong here, on this trans, but even at idle, with the input shaft moving , the cluster gear roller bearing movement could lock up the trans, with disastrous results.

A simple test to prove out pilot shaft length interference would be to remove any rear trans mount bolts, then loosen trans to bellhousing bolts and move trans case back a little with a large screwdriver or prybar

Have rear wheels off the ground for safety sake

Now, disconnect coil wire and attempt to crank engine

Good luck kid , from Kentucky

 

Oh, throwout bearing snout could also be locking on the pressure plate, if the parts are mix and match.

Thanks, circlek454! I'd go with a socket on the crank, no need to force things unless you want BIG DEEP witness marks!

 

Ok. I rifled back through a bit of this thread. When you first tried rolling this over and it was stuck attached to transmission, was it set up with an 11” clutch? I’m not certain what case you have, but do some of the early ones say a 48 number case not except this big of a clutch? I’m not certain of this as I would never consider a clutch of this size in a car like this. I hope this is the problem as it would be a simple fix.

 

I bought a '38 sedan that had 1st & reverse. Trying to put it in 2nd or 3rd locked it up. After much head scratching I found that the 2nd/3rd synchro slider was turned around by the guy I got the car from. The shift forks put the synchro in the wrong spot. Make sure it is really going into neutral. And what RodsRace says.

Is the pilot bearing fully seated?

 

Bud it’s gonna be something super simple. Rebuilding one of those transmissions is easier than changer the oil in a lawn mower. I’d see if you can bolt some elbows to the bell housing for a jack stand to land under and leave the engine in place while you pull the trans.


You’re close man!

 

Hey Joey, bad luck on first startup. Why not remove the trans/diff and start the engine on it's own? Drive down to the lowest common denominator.

 

This was my thoughts as well. To big a clutch for the case. I saw someone get their engine running with this issue and blow the bellhousing out of the transmission case. Big boom.

 

I’m willing to bet this is the problem. A simple pick of the engine away from trans would answer so many questions.

 

Do you know what case your trans has? If it were me I'd step down to a 10 inch clutch.

If I remember right it's a #48

 

The engine block part of the bell housings are all the same. I thought the tranny side was too. Maybe not? I ran 11" clutches on several flatheads and a LOT of transmissions. I don't remember searching out bigger cases. Just luck maybe?

 

I'll also pile on and say that the pressure plate looks a little big to fit in where it's supposed to live. When you get the transmission separated look for any shiny witness marks where it tried to turn when the starter was energized and ran into a bind. Don't forget your gear lube for the transmission too, all of the internals will be spinning even in neutral, your gear teeth and needle bearings will thank you

 

I'm only regurgitating stuff I've read here, so very well could be wrong. But I have been recently researching clutches and flathead v8 combos for several projects I have coming together.

If Joey, has an early case they only fit the 9 and 10 inch clutch, from what I've read.

 

Another thing to note, is a lot of guys(Bruce Lancaster is one) that say a 10 inch clutch performs better because of less rotating mass and that the 11 performs poorly in comparison on a relatively stock engine.(bruce said it was for dump trucks to be exact.) And that a light car like a roadster doesn't need an 11 inch clutch anyways. Again. Just regurgitating info I've read..... From guys I trust...

 

All you need is a 9 inch clutch and PP with medium springs. Redrill the flywheel and you should be good to go? I'm sure you have some good early parts houses in your area but if not I send all my customers to Fort Wayne Clutch, ask for LOU.

 

Or just put all the guts you have in the later case and go on about your day….

 

I'll bet the pressure plate is making contact with the transmission housing, this happens with bigger
pressure plates and top load transmission. Loosen the transmission bolts and let it slide rearward,
then try and rotate the engine with the front pully bolt. If the transmission is in neutral you can
jack up the rear end and spin the wheels. Even if the in the input shaft is looked up on the engine
the rear portion of the gear box will still rotate. If it rotates that means the problem is in the bell
housing......

 

Not sure how much separation/relief you could achieve with a 32. The engine needs to be separated or the whole unit needs to come out from the front of chassis, but it could be just enough to at least get it to spin by hand and confirm the issue.

 

I almost forgot to mention the flywheel. The four bolts come in deferent lengths, if you use
ones that are too long, they will go in against the pan and lock up your engine. You can look
from the bottom of the engine and see this situation without removing anything. Look between
the pan and the crank flange.....