Lincoln Zephyr V-12

3738

3738

Senior Member
I have a Lincoln Zephyr V-12 I'm getting ready to disassemble that is currently stuck. Was still full of oil, not rusty, but won't turn over. I believe it might be about a 1940 vintage.

I've disassembled V8 60's and an 85, but this is my first V-12. I had heard these have hydraulic valve lifters. Does that change how you go about disassembling the valves?

I have the pry bar with the "C" shapes on both ends for compressing the springs, but they don't seem to compress very much and are still very strong.

So is it still - Compress the spring, pull the keeper off the end of the valve, then can the valve be pulled out or is it the style with the mushroom end that requires driving out the valve guide?
 
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You may do less damage if you soak all the parts you can get at like the valve stems, guides, lifter bores, cylinder, pistons, rings with AeroKroil, for couple days before you take it apart. Kroil is an excellent penetrating oil. It may free up after a couple days soaking and be easier to disassemble. Fordbarners, may have some other favorite products or formulas. The V-12 used the same lifters as the V8's, solid mechanical.
 
'36 & '37 LZ V-12's had non-adjustable lifters like Ford however; in '38 the LZ V-12's got hydraulic self-adjusting lifters.
 
If you disassemble the lifters, don't mix the lifter pistons and bodies. you can use the straight stem valves with solid guides and seals to help with oil burning.
 
It comes apart like the V8 does. The valve bar you use on the V8 doesnt work very well on the V12 because its at a different angle than the V8s are. I have a KR Wilson valve bar and its almost useless on the V12. I do have a KR Wilson tool made for the V12 but its more for installing rather than removing unless the valve assembly isnt stuck.Im rebuilding two of these engines now.
 
Thanks for the advice so far. Decided to start disassembling the bottom end first.

Here's a couple of pics before I started. I've been told you can tell what year or range of years this V12 is by the size of the "freeze plugs" on the bottom rail where the oil pan mounts.

Anyone know what year(s) this V12 is ?

Removed the oil pump, main caps and pistons/rods #'s 5,6,7 after these pics. Coming apart without to much resistance and everything looks in good shape so far...

PS - I did soak it in a spray mist of 50/50 acetone/automatic trans fluid, (mainly because I had plenty of both on hand).
 

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Is the temperature sending unit in the driver’s side head? If so, it’s a '40 or newer, also, in '42 they went to a larger bore on the cylinders but returned to the original size in early '46 production. Hope that helps narrow it down a bit…
 
It doesnt have a large core /freeze pluge in the center so its not a later block. If the bore measures 2 3/4 its 38-39. If the bore is 2 7/8 its gonna be a 40-41. More pics will help. Lots of the V12s recieved service replacement heads which were the later heads that carries a 26H prefix.
 
When you remove the lifters not where they went, unless you plan on having them resurfaced. To clean and inspect them, after disassemblely, re assemble them in a pan full of lite oil to prevent any air from getting into the lifter. This was told to me buy a fellow who rebuilt a V12 many years ago and had trouble with the lifters quiting down.
 
In this picture you can see the humps on the side of the block which are the freeze plug area and identify as a 46 to 48 block.

Frenchy
 

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So do the diabolic lifters fit in the V8s? and does anybody do that?
It just sounds like a good way to avoid all that grinding and checking.
 
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