Weird Question

rosenkranswa

rosenkranswa

Senior Member
Weird question, I'm doing some work on a friends 28 Model A Phaeton to get it ready to sell. Pretty good shape, basic maintenance items and lots of TLC. His crank nut on the engine doesn't line up with the crank bearing so I can't engage the handcrank to set the points and timing (now I know why his dad didn't have a crank for it).

Any ideas on how to turn the crank other than bumping the starter?
 
You could buy a ratchet nut wrench to turn the engine OR you could try to determine why the crank does not line up. I have a tool box in the way of mine.

Bratton's sells the ratchet Nut Wrench for ~ $45.00. I made my own from a 1⅜" Box end wrench.

Ratchet Nut Wrench
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You can get a socket onto the crankshaft pulley, my socket is an S & K #40144, 1/2 drive and 1 7/8 tall, it goes over the crank ratchet easily, then if you can line up a socket extension through the crank handle hole, attach your ratchet drive handle in front of the radiator.....
 
To solve the immediate problem remove the front motor mount and put a block under the engine to raise or lower it with a floor jack. Next project is to find out why the crank isn't lined up and fix it.

Remember if you go to the "roll car some" trick that you need to rotate in the direction that the engine normally runs to take up slack. If you overshoot go around again, no changing direction.

Charlie Stephens
 
It may be the crank bearing. Mine had that problem when I bought it. The crank bearing is the hole that the crank goes through. It is mounted on the front cross member beneath the radiator and held in place by the two big U-Bolts that hold the front spring on. Although the "bearing" looks the same front and back, it is in fact "sided" and can be mounted backwards. There are two protrusions on the bottom of the bearing that go into two holes on the cross member. But the protrusions ARE NOT SYMMETRICAL. They are offset to one side. Consequently, if you do not pay attention when re-assembling this, you can easily mount it incorrectly. The difference isn't much, but it is enough to prevent the crank from lining up with the crank nut. That was how I bought my car! It took me awhile to figure it out but once I reversed it, the crank lined up perfectly with the crank nut.
 
If you remove the spark plugs you should be able to rotate the crankshaft by turning the fan. Use the timing pin in the front cover to find TDC.
 
X2 what Kurt said. Put the car in 3rd gear and release the ebrake. Put the timing pin in into the cam gear cover with your left hand and put pressure on it with your finger. Rock the front tire forward with your right hand and wait for the pin to drop into the cam gear dimple. You can always rock the car backwards and try again if you miss it. No need to remove the spark plugs when using this method.
 
Dick M said:
X2 what Kurt said. Put the car in 3rd gear and release the ebrake. Put the timing pin in into the cam gear cover with your left hand and put pressure on it with your finger. Rock the front tire forward with your right hand and wait for the pin to drop into the cam gear dimple. You can always rock the car backwards and try again if you miss it. No need to remove the spark plugs when using this method.
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It is my understanding that you shouldn't go back if you miss the dimple. Continue around in the direction the engine normally rotates to take up the slack.

Charlie Stephens
 
Charlie Stephens said:
It is my understanding that you shouldn't go back if you miss the dimple. Continue around in the direction the engine normally rotates to take up the slack.

Charlie Stephens
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I've gone back if I overshoot on the first try, but you must go back enough to go forward again enough to take up all the freeplay.
 
Ed said:
If you remove the spark plugs you should be able to rotate the crankshaft by turning the fan. Use the timing pin in the front cover to find TDC.
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Don't turn it by the fan, fans are prone to flying apart even when they aren't manhandled trying to turn the engine.
 
not to contradict , but I turn my motor by the fan or crank nut . (2 blade aluminum)
 
V4F said:
not to contradict , but I turn my motor by the fan or crank nut . (2 blade aluminum)
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The aluminum fan is much stouter than a brittle original or aftermarket steel that can bend and increase flex while running and then let go through the radiator, hood or head. He should just fix the problem with being able to use the hand crank.
 
Jack up right real wheel. Put in 3rd gear. Turn wheel forward direction. If timing dimple is hard to find, pull #1 spark plug, you can see the top of the piston when it is at TDC. Make sure it is TDC on compression stroke.
 
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