Technical Cured My Flathead’s Occasional Overheating (The Hard Way)!. Updated 1-30

Being that you still have it on a stand, I'm pretty lazy but maybe YOU might want to drop the oil pan and check the bearings or maybe see if piston is slapping or wristpin or something

 

Thanks, Brian. Good point. Should have done that when I replaced the pan gasket, but it wasn’t making the noise on the test run before then.

 

We used to do that to my dad when he was driving, we saved that for long road trips. Just tap something together to get his attention, then stop. My mom asked us not to do it any more.

 

BTTT.
Anyone have any theory that I can check?
Or detail or question that hasn’t already been brought up in this pitiful ordeal?
It’s gone from running great when it was crusty to a ready to install, POS, problem child.

1. To the oil smoke issue. If the old heads have worn enough guides that the newly installed seals are ineffective, switching to the Power Pacs would help, providing they are “fresh” as claimed.
2. But what about the low, dull knock that goes away past high idle rpm’s. Any way to discern the cause between piston slap, pin or bearing clearance? It’s not an accessory as far as I can tell. Sounds internal, about centered.

HELP, PLEASE. THANKS!

 

Piston slap from my experience comes with a cold start and goes away once warmed up. My dad had a panel truck with a 307 that did that, ran great though. I had plenty of engines that had bad-enough guides, mainly smoked on the morning start up.

My guess on the knock may be a thrust bearing issue. I haven't read the entire post lately, can it be isolated by pulling a plug wire? Thrust bearing noise usually can't be isolated using this method.

 

Thanks for the tip!
I’ll try pulling the plug wires. The noise stays after warm up.

 

Got the smoke stopped with some SeaFoam upper cylinder juice run through the carb.

BUT the aggravating dull knock is still there!
Pulled the plug wires one at a time. Nothing changed!

I’m ready to screw the nostalgic 283 and put in the fresh rebuilt 350 and hope for the best with the 41 pickup open drive trans.
Upgrading the trans or rebuilding the 283 is not in the cards at the moment.

Getting no where fast with this 283. I should be driving by now!

 

If it's torque that is the issue, good news is that you can limit the amount of torque you send to the transmission by not stepping so hard on the go-faster pedal. If it's only one or two gears that can't handle it, just go easy on those.

 

Executive Decision made.
Putting in the fresh 350 that I WON at a run.
The ever present dull, low knock in the 283 made it a gamble, even though it runs good now, save for that
Save it for a nostalgia rebuild some day.

After checking the numbers, the engine started life as a truck 350, low compression and horsepower, so maybe I won’t break the 41 trans.

Rebuilt by a long time engine machine shop (Central Machine) in nearby Kingsport.
All new internals, cam is an RV grind (whatever that is).
Has a new EPS Edelbrock intake and some even uglier valve covers.
I have to buy a new flywheel (one piece crank seal), rebuild the 600 Holley I have, and switch over some other stuff from the 283.

Hopefully no surprises with this one.
Fingers crossed.
Probably should have done it from the get-go, in hind sight.

 

Positive update
Flywheel on the way from the Rock, after local AZ order didn’t show up. Imagine that!
Thanks to @D-Russ tutorial I can now modify my C4B for a PCV so I can run my no hole early valve covers.
Like this.

Working on Heli-Coiling C4B stripped holes. Three on the carb base and both water outlet holes!
Good grief!
Looks like everything else will swap over now, so things are looking up!
Anybody need a new Edelbrock EPS and chrome covers for SBC?

 

Not so fast there. You knew better than to get your hopes up!
FedEx screws up again.
New flywheel left the Rock on 5/26. Went from Hagerstown, MD to Kernersville, NC.
Then went to Chunky, MS.! WTF!
But then took a detour to Ft. Worth, TX!
Can ya’ll not read a label!???
Then reversed course, back to Jackson, Tn
Finally it is now in Nashville.
Only one more stop (Kingsport) before it’s delivered. Hopefully!
But wait, it’s a weekend.
Good thing that it’s a steel flywheel. The box is probably in shreds.

 

They'll probably fold it in half to make it fit in your mail box.

 

SURPRISE!
Finally got the LuK flywheel from RA, but it’s only drilled for the big B&B pressure plate.
So my high dollar #1310 10-1/2” Borg and Beck from Ft. Wayne Clutch won’t fit.
Redrill it you say. Unfortunately there’s no meat in that area, so back to the Rock it goes.
Looks like I get to spend an extra $100 and get a dual pattern billet one from Summit or Speedy’s

Yet another toe stubber in this long journey to replace the blown up flathead in the 40.

 

After a two month hiatus to build a deck, extend a driveway and paint a porch, I finally got lucky with a storm and I got back on the 350 today.
Had to order another special early Ford to Chevy pilot bushing since I couldn’t get the first one out of the 283, no matter what I tried!
New billet flywheel had come in so out with the old OE bushing in the 350 crank, in with new one, new flywheel bolted on with new bolts, and the #1310 B&B pressure plate screwed down.
Progress…….Seems like I’ve been here before.
Next back on the engine stand so I can get the broken dipstick tube out. Without pulling the pan.
And replace the missing oil filter adapter! WTH!
Opportunities @Hamtown Al

 

Well, a little progress, sort of.
Even though I had a two month driveway, deck and porch project.


Got in all the little missing bits, and moved over the 283 accessories to the 350.
Found a dipstick tube that fit the block, cut it up, sectioned it and made one that I liked.
Just needs a different handle!

I had pulled the pan messing with the dip stick, but was able to reuse the fresh one piece Felpro pan gasket.

Got the 283 iron intake hot tanked and got it mounted so that I can use the rebuilt and proven 2 bbl to break in the fresh engine. I was unsure of the new/used Edelbrock carb, and didn’t want an issue on fire up.


Went by the shop in Kingsport that built the engine and got a run down on the parts and work. Nothing special: .010/.010 on the crank, .030 over flat top pistons, Melling pump and chain, and a mild (?) Comp Cam and lifters. Valve job and seals as well. Even a new oil pan. Fingers crossed.

So now it’s down to stab in the distributor, hook up the fuel line, coil and gauges, and put it on the hillbilly test stand.
Nothing like re-doing things. What a slow learner!
Stay tooned!

 

Keep at it man!

 

Does your run stand have exhaust on it? Could be a crack in an exhaust manifold that swells shut with some heat and the knock goes away?

 

@wheeltramp brian Thanks for the encouraging words. It’s easy to get down, doing stuff over.
@Tim I wish! Knock stayed the same regardless of run time, temp, or anything else.
I’m done with the 283, unless I rebuild it later on.
March on!

 

It’s a beautiful thing. Sniff, sniff .
New inside and out. Primed it and it holds 55 psi
Ready for the hillbilly test stand (tm, pat pend)

“Uh , do them there chiverlays come with an hand crank, like an A Model?”
Oops, Don’t forget the starter. Duh!
(hand crank not included.)

Used the good pieces from the 283, affectionately known as the devil’s spawn, at least for the time being, to get it running and back in the 40. Then swap out the 2bbl for a C4B and some finned aluminums for the Chinesium racing tin valve covers. And the crusty exhaust. Eewww!
Stay tooned to this channel. Film at eleven.

 

Well, after yet another long term home repair project of front porch roof and eave repair, I got back on the Fatso Forty, with a big step.
After a couple days of prep and some problem solving, the boat anchor blown flathead is out and on the ground!! HALLELUJAH
It’s been along time coming, what with the “spawn of satan” 283 developing a knock and having to start over on an engine.
Still a looong way to go.
Steering swap to a Borgeson 525 is next. Plenty of room now that the lump is out of the way. Found out that headers were welded under the clamps to primary exhaust pipe.
GRRRR!
I’ll get back to you. Stay tooned!

Open wiiide!

Almost there!

Touchdown!

 

Got the aggravating header welds cut without a butcher job!

Got Fatso on the lift, ready to drop the stock box and put in the new Borgeson 525.

Got the new 350 over to my car club bud, who builds engines for a living, to break it in on his test stand.
Making forward progress, with fingers crossed

 

Whatta ya know? A little progress of sorts. But not without some pain.
Got the old 40 box out pretty easily. The PO had bolted in the box and adapter, so removal went smoothly. No aggravating rivets to drill out.
The column tube turned into a real PITA. The PO had bolted the column bracket to the dash with two*****ON HEAD Allen bolts from the inside, behind the dash. There was also a snake’s nest of turn signal, instrument and ignition switch wires that totally blocked any access with an Allen wrench.
After JUST four hours of laying upside down in pain and anguish, I finally pulled some of the mess out and got a long swivel ended Allen fished down and got them out. Good thing they weren’t rusted.
WTF was he thinking, since they don’t show? They were put in before the gauges and wiring, apparently.

Anyhow, today I got the tube shortened and the replacement shaft with new bushings from Dale at Weedeter (@Weedburner 40) put together. Great piece, tapered and threaded on top end and DD on the other. Comes complete with everything!

Tomorrow: hang it back in with hex bolts and nuts and mock up the new 525 Borgeson before new paint.

Out with the old


It’s worse than this where the column bolted up


The two little bast***s


FINALLY OUT! Ready for the new shaft


Weedeter steering shaft end


Ready to go back in to mock up box

 

The new 350 is officially run in by my car club buddy with the 2 bbl from the old 283 (aka Satan’s spawn).
I need to get the steering upgrade finished asap.

https://www.facebook.com/100000385438616/posts/7117903154899128/

 

Got the shortened new column in and the 525 box mocked up. An aggravating SOB!

Anyhow, there’s plenty of misalignment between the two, on two planes.

“More opportunities” as Hamtown Al would say.
At least there’s some wiggle run at the dash mount.
Maybe slot the two adapter holes closest to the firewall and swing the adapter toward the outside.
Or a combination of everything. We’ll see.

Yeah, I know.
All that plastic split loom HAS TO GO!
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY!

 

They do make a double u joint that would probably work for that

 

Thanks Brian.
Hopefully I can meet in the middle and use the new Borgeson u-joint I just recently bought.
Fingers crossed.

 

Got the box adapter holes elongated and moved it further into the frame channel, plus some adjustment at the dash, and it lined-up better with the column shaft.
What a PITA hefting this heavy hunk several times during the mock-up, when you can’t get to the bolts with all the junk in the way. In-out-in-out-in-out. You know the drill.
Finally moved all the BS wiring looms to the top of the frame rail.
Having the three box mounting bolts blind bolted from the inside of the adapter is a stupid idea, also. Needs drilled through holes in the box and nuts welded inside the adapter. Maybe before it goes back together?
Anyhow, got the two ends lined up and the U-joint is the wrong spline count! SOB! My fault.
Another delay returning to Summit and getting the right one,
Box is 3/4-36. NOT 3/4-30!! 16:1 ratio is different.
And I knew that, don’t know what happened. Oh well.

 

Will you be a Vendor or a Spectator at the Nashville Swap meet?

 

Hey, David. Probably spectator.
Don’t have a spot, but sure need to SELL some stuff!
Turned into a hassle doing it by myself.

 

Got a little time off from the newest home project so got the Cragar adapter cleaned up some, chased all the threads, removed some seized bolts, installed new studs and got the Chevy truck starter mocked up. Ready to slide in the bare block for the motor mounts install.