Technical Cadillac Flathead Chronicles - Tell Us How You Are Doing.

yes dale it is and the engine is still currently on gas I wanted to run it a season on gas to get everything all seated and run in before switching to alky

 

@Bored&Stroked What am I looking at in the blue circles?


@wrenchbender You healing up OK?

 

Making progress.

 

Thanks for this tip!
I have pertronix ignition in distributor and the FlameThrower HV coil you see in picture.
What should I do more or better with the ignition system?
Any experience with pertronix in distributor?? They fail often?
I will check all wire lines for ignition, batterie and alternator too...

 

Painted and mocked up.

I replaced the metal plates with safety wire.

 

I have a question. How much should I torque my Edmund's heads? I assume 70 ftlbs is too much.

 

I'd probably go to a max of 50 or so ft lbs.

 

Thanks. That's what I was going to go with if I didn't get a reply.

 

Hi NorthManCad.. I'm reading your posts re Cams and Dyno charts a bit late.. wondered if you had a best 'guesstimate' for HP at the flywheel from your numbers at the wheels.. I've no idea what mine gets with the Blower but it is only running a stock cam though static comp is at 8 and now measures in at 362 Cu In.. re Cams.. I do have a solid Lifter cam with matching siolid lifters that were made by the Flat caddy crew (its a backup in case pickup ever needs to go back to NA) I've added pic here so that you can see its specs

 

I have a question or two for the group. I just picked up a 346 motor, well, part of the motor. Block, crank rods, pistons and cam. No valves, heads, lifters or even lifter blocks. The reason I got this is I have a '37 Cadillac with the 346 and the block is cracked, back in '94 or so when I restored the car I had the block repaired, had two cracks running from the exhaust bowels up and down two cylinders. The car has been running fine ever since but I thought it would be nice to have a spare block just in case. This spare block is a '42 motor and there may be some stuff that is different. So my questions are, will my '37 crank fit in this '42 block? I think there are some differences in the real seal area, maybe the oil slinger on the crank. Also, this '42 block has a square hole at the rear of the motor just behind the lifter valley covers, I think this is just a breather/road draft vent passage. Can I just use my lifter valley covers from my '37 motor if needed? Maybe making a cover for this hole. Everything else looks the same other than the serial number location, the '37 number is behind the left head on the block and the '42 is stamped on an area sticking out just above the water pump. The serial number location of course is no problem, I just added that info for others benefit. '42 is the first year the serial number was located above the water pump.

 

I've never compared parts from one year versus the other - as all we use for Bonneville is the original block. Every other single part is custom made - "one offs" top to bottom. LOL

 

Hey NorthManCad:

For some reason I went back and reviewed some of your posts related to the 3/4" reach plugs and copper washers. I noticed the plug you showed is a 'R' plug - which means resistor plug. You do not want to run resistor plugs or resistor wires on these old ignitions - they really reduce the spark energy to the plugs. With lower spark energy, you'll find that it might be harder to start and might not have enough amps to run at higher RPMs. Also, you might overheat your coil.

I would highly recommend running non-resistor plugs - I previously gave you a part number that should work. Also, a heat range of '6' should work for a naturally aspirated motor.

Update me when you have a chance!
B&S

 

Your engine is looking great! Hopefully you'll get to fire it soon and update us on the progress.

 

Hello B&S, Hello 346th Guys!!
I am very glad that you are all back in our forum. Since my last post in November, I had been checking every 3-4 weeks to see if there was any movement. Yesterday I was very happy to see you all back.
B&S I will definitely follow your advice with the spark plug. I may have made a big mistake by going for the highest quality spark plugs. The issue with the high resistance is certainly an important point.
In the meantime, I have also checked my ignition system again. My ignition coil from Pertronix works with a resistance of 1.5 Ohm, which should be perfect for a V8 engine with Ignitor I in the ignition distributor.
I also spoke to someone from Pertronix Germany, who may have given me a crucial tip.
Until now I hadn't taken into account that the vacuum is lower with a racing camshaft. That's why my ignition advance will no longer work properly and the misfiring will occur because the spark plugs don't have an optimum spark and therefore turn black and wet.
Can you please tell me how I can optimally adjust the ignition on the Caddy Flathead? How much advance ignition?
Should I remove the vacuum hose and the vacuum can from the ignition distributor and set the ignition timing?
I appreciate any advice!

Many thanks NMC

 

Hello 346Cad, the engine test was on DYNAPACK without wheels on a Role.
That means you see the HP on engine in my post.
This is what the man from DYNA tell me...

 

Question: I've not used the original distributor, but what type of advance mechanisms does it have? Does it have both vacuum and mechanical advance? The vacuum advance would only come into play at idle or off-idle and or when you're under cruise and not under load. If your ignition problem is related to having heavy load on it (misfires), then this probably has nothing to do with vacuum advance. If you want to run a distributor, I'd see if you can retrofit something modern - like a SBC or Ford unit (depending on rotation!). This way you could much more easily tune the advance curve, parts would be readily available, etc..

 

I modified a sbc magneto I got from @Bored&Stroked and talk about waking a motor up the stock distributor worked but not well I promise a good ignition is very important especially if it has a blower like mine does

 

As @wrenchbender knows, once you go to a magneto, you'll never go back! I run mags (and some MSD units) on most everything I build.

 

Ok,
this means that you need to know how to modify a magneto ignition distributor for the 346 engine. I don't think I'm capable of doing that.
I have installed an original Delco-Remi distributor with vacuum advance and mechachanic advance.
Can anyone tell me how much pre-ignition I should set?

 

I have made several of them over the years for several guys one of them was on a 40 lasalle that ran the great race a few years ago it is still running very well I just modify the sbc distributor by shortening it up and installing the stock caddy dist drive tang on the sbc distributor it will retain the stock lower part of the distributor my mag has a custom lower drive

 

Want to do one for me?

 

Shoot me a pm and I’m sure I can do it

 

As I write, I follow the advice from B&S regarding spark plugs without resistor.
The first succsess is a good blue sparkle instead of a more yellow/white.
Weather is to bad to make a test drive, but hope next week will work...
I keep you informed!!

 

Getting her stabbed in!

 

Will you be making anymore of the 346 heads?

 

Our foundry that we’ve used for years closed last year after doing 100 years of business.
I now have to locate another foundry capable of doing low volume production for an affordable price.
Will post when I have more heads available. Thx 4 the inquiry.

 

way too cool!!!

 

One of my customers has had good results with Cattail Foundry (717) 768-7323

 

I haven't cranked it up yet, still working on the exhaust. I've been jumping around on this car so I don't get burned out. Working on the floor now.