1931 valve cover gasket question

kawagumby

kawagumby

Senior Member
I'm assembling my engine and the valve cover gasket supplied with the gasket kit doesn't fit. My engine is the original via the stamped VIN/registration, and was manufactured in late 1930 according to the VIN number. There is no vent tube with the valve cover and the gasket for a 1932-34 looks the same. Did some late model A's switch over to the newer design?
Thanks,
Tom
 
Paper gaskets shrink over time in packaging. If your gasket is too small, soak it in water overnight and it will expand to fit.
 
Mike Peters said:
Paper gaskets shrink over time in packaging. If your gasket is too small, soak it in water overnight and it will expand to fit.
Click to expand...


The gasket that came off was a completely different shape and some holes were not aligned at all. One longitudinal edge has a much wider area that seals two raised edges, not one. Looking a gasket pictures from vendors, the gasket that I removed looks just like the 1932-34 item.
Hey, a picture is worth a thousand words...
vavlecover2.jpg
 
You have a B engine.Its your lucky day...pressurized main bearings,If it has a B cam it develops power to 2900 rpm.Look above the timing gear side cover on the block...is there a little diamond?
 

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Let me help you out, I will be glad to take that old engine you have with the wrong valve cover and exchange it for an engine with the correct valve cover:):):).

You have a diamond block "B" engine that probably has a conterweighted crank. Unless you are looking for absolute originality, hang onto it.

Chris W
 
What a swing that must have been. Frustration from the wrong gasket to the excitement of having a B engine! I would be excited anyway.
 
Jack Shaft said:
You have a B engine.Its your lucky day...pressurized main bearings,If it has a B cam it develops power to 2900 rpm.Look above the timing gear side cover on the block...is there a little diamond?
Click to expand...


Yep. What is strange is the VIN (engine#) shows as a late 1930 model A - which makes sense as my roadster is a '31. It looks like Ford installed some of the newer engine design in some of the later "A" cars?


It also has a fuel pump access plate and the extra cam lobe to drive it. However, the head seems to be model A as it has the 4 bolt water pump. The pan gaskets I have don't fit, so I'm looking at probably getting some gaskets for an A and some for a B...LOL.


camlobe.jpg
 
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kawagumby said:
Yep. What is strange is the VIN (engine#) shows as a late 1930 model A - which makes sense as my roadster is a '31. I wonder if Ford installed some of the newer engine design in some of the later "A" cars?
Click to expand...

The Model B engines were cast with a number pad like the Model A but no numbers were stamped in that location. Your engine was likely a replacement for the original and the pad was stamped by the owner with the Model-A number that it replaced. This is not uncommon.
 
ursus said:
The Model B engines were cast with a number pad like the Model A but no numbers were stamped in that location. Your engine was likely a replacement for the original and the pad was stamped by the owner with the Model-A number that it replaced. This is not uncommon.
Click to expand...


Ok, I found the casting code on the engine C239...which translates to March 23 1939.

So, I've got a late-model B replacement block with some model A engine parts.



Not that it makes much difference to me other than figuring what kind of gaskets to get.
 
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