About to put my first Flathead on the engine stand to rebuild. Can anyone give me any specific "specialty" tools that you couldn't live without while rebuilding a flathead? Or any tools that you've used to make life easier? My wife gave me a budget for parts AND tools, so I'm hoping there's a tool with 70 attachments that costs less than $10. Just kidding, but seriously she has me on a budget and I don't want to mess up more than I can afford. Pulled the engine out of a '51 Truck. I appreciate this forum.
penetrating oil, an oxy/acet torch, a spring valve bar or other valve tool that will work, lots of engine cleaner and a wire brush and a lot of time.
I honestly tore my first one down with a 1/2 in drive ratchet, I beleive 3 sockets, a screwdriver, and a valve guide removal tool. look at the vanpelt sales website,they have a good amount of teardown info for the valve train, everything else is easy to figure out.
johnny is right though, heat and a buttload of engine degreaser will make the job much less of a pain.
If rebuilding is your thing and you absolutely want to do it, just know flattie rebuilds ain't cheap. If perhaps you would like to take a shortcut of sorts, give a call to a buddy of mine who lives on the east side of Richmond, VA. He has rebuilt engines ready to go and very resonably priced. Then, you swap/rebuild/replace all of your accessories, etc, from your old engine to the new and you are in business without the large $$ layout for tools, parts, machining, etc, etc and enough chump change to get the other engine items done. Your down time is short, you'll probably stay within budget even with the trip to VA to pick it up and that will keep the wife happy. Just my $.02 - his name is Bill Clatterbaugh, 804/222-8972 - tell him Tom from Williamsburg told you to call.
Valve tool is a must have. You can make your own pretty easily. And when you order lifters be sure to get a set of the wrenches. (unless you decide to just drill the lifter bores) If the engine turns it's possible you'll have an easy go of it.
Valve bar (my favorite of many out there is the old KD) is pretty well essential, though you can actually survive without it on an engine with '49-up valve parts. There really isn't anything else special that is vital for flathead rebuild...the nut-turning stuff is entirely conventional, as are the rebuild machining procedures once the youngster at the machine shop discovers where they hid the valves. There is a LOT of stuff that will make your life easier or allow you to do something rather than trusting the guy at the machine shop... One basic tip is NEVER NEVER NEVER assume the stuff sent out is done right. Spend the time to learn everything about how cam bearings should go in, what ring gaps and wall clearances should be, etc., and CHECK IT ALL when it comes back from the machinest. I have all kinds of FH tools and can discuss this stuff forever, but most of the specialized FH only things are really luxuries and not necessities. Desert Island?? No money?? Sell that extra kidney you don't use much, and as a minimum get: Rom Holleran's FH book (fullest coverage of both fixxit and hoppit you can get in one lump), get a copy of Don Francisco's 3-part flathead rebuild in HRM 1956, and Don Franciso's "how to do a better valve job" also from old HRM. And (reprints readily available) either a '49-51 Ford or same Ford Truck shop manual. This stuff will cover all that you do and all that the machine shop does, so you can check up on them.
Is there an Early Ford V-8 chapter near you? Those folks are always looking for new blood and they probably have all the tools and expertise you need to help you in the build. If you've lived a good life, a valve pry bar may be the only special tool you need. Don't mean to brag, but I was given one of the specialized tools with the slide weight that is used to coerce reluctant guides out of their residence. If you find one and use it, make sure no one is in the firing zone when you launch the valve assembly outa' there.
whats all this about it being expensive? i find N.O.S. parts online all the time dirt cheap. hell i got boxes of the stuff thats good still that i cant give away because everyone around here is a pussy and has to run a SBC.
Dont hang that flattie up on a conventional engine stand, you may do damage. A flattie engine stand supports the block by the exhaust bolts.
An engine stand with 4 wheels, NOT 3. And if it has a built in cast iron bell housing an adapter to bolt to the exhaust ports -NOT the bellhousing.
those little adjustable lifter holders.just kidden they suck. drill holes in the valley to hold lifters. buy the speedway spring bar makes a lame job a little better.
Valve tools, 55 gallon drum of degreaser, a sandblaster to blast up in the waterjackets to get them clean), 2weeks vacation (to flush and backflush all of said sand outta waterjacket!) big assortment of small barrel brushes, 1 gallon of liquid wrench, and alot of room to lay out parts....ah yes, plenty of band-aids!
Yep, but you really should have a ridge reamer, and a ring compressor, in addition to all the named stuff! Take the engine down to the steam cleaning place before you start taking it apart, or the autowash place.
This is not an issue on a later 49-53 version (which he has) - they don't have the long cast bell housing (just like a late model engine - detachable bell). On the 32 - 48 engines, you are definitely correct.
Other than the typical set of tools you need with all engines, the most important "flathead" item is a good long (preferably forged) valve-guide bar. I have one that is about 3' - it has taken a fair amount of 'beatings' over the years. If the engine turns, then the only area that can really be a bitch is the removal of the valves/guides. If you can pull the guides down with a valve bar and remove the horseshoe clips - you'll have it easy. Sometimes I use a big brass hammer to smack the valve bar a bit (to get the guide to pull down) - just don't hit it too hard and break off the intake ports from the block! If you can't move the guides the "normal" way, and since you have a later engine, many times you can pry up the spring retainer and remove the valve locks. This makes it possible to pull the valves straight out of the top -- leaving the guides in the engine. Then you knock the guides down a bit first with a drift - so you can remove the horseshoe clips. I take a piece of 1/16 inch welding rod and make myself a 'clip puller' - with a hook on the end to stick in the horseshoe clip hole to pull them out. You may want to soak the guides with some PB and then pull them from the top. A slide hammer with a long 5/16 threaded rod works great to pull them out from the top. Another crude but effective way is to cut through the springs and valve stems (using whatever violent method you choose --- grinder, bolt cutters, oxy/acet torch, etc). This obviously destroys the valves - but makes it easy to pull them from the top once again. Most guys replace the valves anyway - so no big deal. Take your time, soak stuff, don't beat on it too hard . . . and Henry's Beast will come apart. Just make sure that once you have it apart you have the block hot-tanked, magged for cracks, etc -- before you invest more time/$$$ in it. You need to know what you're starting with . . . before you start de-rusting the block, spend money on sonic-testing -- machine work and all that jazz. If you have any more questions, just PM me. Dale
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