Larry Brumfield - Book???

R

Ron/IA

Well-known member
;)Larry - I read your recent reply about measuring piston clearance (please excuse me if I am not using the right terms) using a soft solder method. While I don't completely understand the method and how to do it, I do understand what information is being obtained. Your wealth of information about the Model A engine, and particularly the head is very (for lack of a better word) informational.:rolleyes:

Now to my reason for writing this thread. Please don't think I am trying to rope you into anything (I am pretty sure I couldn't anyway), but I think it would be great if I could read a book written by Larry Brumfield. I am sure the knowledge you have about just the Model A head alone would fill a book, and then a second book on the rest of the stuff you know.

Myself, I would find it very hard to write a book. I not only don't know how, but I tend to be wordy (Can you tell by my threads?). Do you think a book would be a possibility some day?

I have another question (because I sometimes can't see the forest for the trees); where in the combustion chamber does that soft solder need to be placed in order to get the piston clearance measurement?

Thanks for you time,
 
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Thanks for the kind words. For those who care to read it, I prefer to dispense my knowledge free of charge. Besides I enjoy debating the detractors trying to poke holes in my statements unless of course it's considered to be drama of which I have not yet completely gotten a grasp on what drama is but I'm working on it.

To use the solder you have to insert it through the spark plug hole and extend it to where it will rest directly beneath the flat part of the head above the piston. Hold it steady and have someone rotate the crank until the piston comes up and mashes the solder against the flat part of the head. Continue to rotate the crank until the piston moves down. Carefully remove the length of solder from the spark plug hole and measure the mashed area with a mic. That's all there is to it.


Larry B.
 
Larry Brumfield said:
Thanks for the kind words. For those who care to read it, I prefer to dispense my knowledge free of charge. Besides I enjoy debating the detractors trying to poke holes in my statements unless of course it's considered to be drama of which I have not yet completely gotten a grasp on what drama is but I'm working on it.

Larry B.
Click to expand...

HA. Larry... If you need any help, send me a pm. I'll help you understand a little better.
 
Larry, you could just include the book with every Brumfield head you shipped. Then it would get read by those who listen to you anyway. It could become a collector's item. Just don't put your photo on the back cover, OK? You can use my photo if you want..... Lurk
 
I don't think including a book would do much good.I have reset a couple of heads,and talked to quite a few people that said they were having trouble with leaking.First thing I ask is,did you follow the directions? Some said yes,most said no,and I find out with more questioning most never read them.Most of those guys were the kind who says,how hard can it be to crank down a Model A head?Some gloss over the directions because they don't want to buy studs,or they want to grease their old head gasket because it was only a year or two old,Not one person I have talked to that was having troubles had followed the directions to the letter.One guy who emailed me was having trouble with the studs holding torque.He had not replaced the studs.I told him to replace them.But,I don't want to.You will have to if you want it to hold.But,I don't want to,tell me another way to fix it.It was like talking to a broken record.
 
Keith True said:
I don't think including a book would do much good.I have reset a couple of heads,and talked to quite a few people that said they were having trouble with leaking.First thing I ask is,did you follow the directions? Some said yes,most said no,and I find out with more questioning most never read them.Most of those guys were the kind who says,how hard can it be to crank down a Model A head?Some gloss over the directions because they don't want to buy studs,or they want to grease their old head gasket because it was only a year or two old,Not one person I have talked to that was having troubles had followed the directions to the letter.One guy who emailed me was having trouble with the studs holding torque.He had not replaced the studs.I told him to replace them.But,I don't want to.You will have to if you want it to hold.But,I don't want to,tell me another way to fix it.It was like talking to a broken record.
Click to expand...


Yep, it's just an old Model A. Who needs to follow the instructions.

Twenty years ago I considered having the heads installed by authorized people or shops only. If there had been enough shops it would have been a good thing to do.


Larry B.
 
Larry's method of cking clearance similar to using plastigauge on bearings. I haven't ha a need to do it but sounds simple, inexpensive and basically foolproof. Love to read Larry's posts, always good info. Thanks Larry.
Paul in CT
 
Good idea! A book on the 'A' engine and head design. Kind of on the line of Frank Odde's book on flatheads.

skip.
 
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