It is a 1925. One guy in the fire department has driven it in a few parades so I am not totally blind. I know it overheats so probably could use a system flush. or an electric fan on the radiator...
Back to the motor... These lock washers are something I've not seen. Also, should the center main just lift off after the nuts are off? isn't budging at all. Kroil?
Thanks, I didn't want to beat on it at random. I would like to pull the crank first so I can take the pistons out the bottom rather than drive them over a ring ridge with the crank in. Not sure which is worse cotter pins or the bending lock washers.....
Neither are fun but I guess I prefer pulling cotter pins over installing them....and bending lock tabs over removing them...pistons out the bottom soon
Slowly working the valve train out of the block. Guides are a pain. I can get the keepers off, then I use a dremel to cut the spring in a couple of places, this lets me get the spring off. I then use a punch that fits past the top of the valve to drive the guides down.
Amazing those cylinder wall are as nice as they are. Granted I may have broke the top rings on these two going past the ridge at the top of the cylinder.... One of these is the piston with the marks in the top though.
FYI, changed my tactics with valve removal. The valve spring compressor seems to always be a little short and you have to spend a while fiddling with the keeper. Rather than using the valve spring compressor tool to get out the keeper out I am now going straight to a cut off wheel on a Dremel to cut both sides of the spring. This results in a couple of coils coming completely out. Then the keeper is free to come out. I ordered the tool to drive out the guides from Brattons, so while I am waiting for it to show I will cut out the remaining 8 springs and keepers.
Of course the tool for a Model A does not work on a V8..... so continued using a punch to knock the valve guides out. On to scrapping the gaskets. I swear they are super glued on. Lifters and cam came out easily. Checking on where to hot tank it.
Also, we got both the 31 model A pickup and the 1925 firetruck going last night. I also picked up this toy. Works but I think the batteries are going......
Definitely looks like a low milage cam to me.... of course a stock cam is not likely after all the work to build this......
OK lesson time for me. What is this bolt/plug? and does this shaft come out? Looks like it would slide out if the plug is out?
The "bolt" is actually a plug that caps a pressure relief valve, the "shaft" is actually the main oil gallery. It doesn't come out. Tom
After the hot tank you might want to check all the water passages in the block for any sand that might still be around after its original casting. My avatar has been everywhere and winduptoy knows my car. I dug out a lot of sand from the block - a gallon paint buckets worth at least. While its wide open, might be worth checking out. Just a thought - great project so far …..
Ok - I may be preaching to the choir here but ….The spring within controls/modifies engine oil pressure. The stock spring gives the engine 20-25 lbs of oil pressure at speed but at hot idle it will register nearly zero oil pressure. Every flathead owner knows this. But we as Hot Rodders love to push for more and for me that’s running at speed for long distances. There are two other springs out there - one 50 lbs, another 80lbs. Using a 50 lb spring and 20-50 oil I run 48-50 lbs of oil pressure at speed , and no less than 15 lbs at hot idle - and by hot I mean 2800 rpm @ 85 mph for nearly 2 hours in a nearly stock 59ab that's in my avatar. I have not used the 80 lb spring so I cannot comment on it. I am no flathead guru - I just listened to all of the old flathead gurus that I have run into and the info they gave I put to use and they proved to be correct. The more oil pressure the more oil gets into every nook and cranny of your engine. I do not even run an oil filter and my engine has been cross country 3 times with many many shorter trips inbetween hut I do change my oil more frequently than most. None of this is new - many guys running flatties have done the same right here on this forum. For me, getting all the sand out of a block, run a higher oil pressure spring, knowing your flathead needs heat to perform at its best so make sure you run in the 2200-2800 rpm range 2200 being around 65, 2500 75, 2800 85 suits me for my purposes - long distance at speed. I am building another engine for my roadster but I almost hate to pull it because its been so good to me. I hope your engine performs the same for you however you build it. But within all of the flatheads I have had in my hot rods, the one in my roadster that I built myself has been the best. May it be the same for you ……[/QUOTE]
The bolt will come out,under it is a spring and plunger for oil bypass. Open it up before hot tanking.
Not much work on the "car", but I have been planning. I want to do a solid but economical build. I will reuse the Crank and block as well as some rebuild some parts like the fuel pump, oil pump, starter etc. I think I will run 2 holley's so I will pick up another. It won't be all cheap, I wand a Schneider P-3/8 cam, Edelbrock slingshot (will have to be reproduction), and some basic heads. I need to decide on the ignition/Distributor. Want something that at least looks old school. Maybe have someone rebuild the stock distributor.
....and to close out the Dodge firetruck.... it fired right up and made it to the "Celebration of Life" just fine.
Still can't get on the field to grab the model a frame. It's finally had a couple days with out rain, so maybe soon. I am also hoping to get the block to Go Devil to get dipped next week. In the mean time, this just came to me unexpectedly. I has to stay stock though.
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