Motor rebuild

1928Pickuppain

1928Pickuppain

Senior Member
So i am thinking about a motor rebuild next winter. I want my truck to be reliable and strong. I have herd that the babbit bearings have about a 40,000 mile life span this doset seem to be that good i drove 27,000 miles on my jeep this year and if thats so I realy dont want to be doing a rebuild every 2 years. I have talked to alot of people who have all suggested different things from insert bearings to balenced crank shafts to presurizing the oil. I dont know exactley what the plusses or minuses are of these different options. If you were rebuilding this motor for you own car planing on driveing it daily and at highway speeds 50-55 mph and you want it to last atleast 80 to 100 thousand miles. If this was your engine and your needs what would you do and what modifications would you do to get there; what are the benifits of these mods? Also with all the modificafications that can be done to it what is the best posible life span ill get out of it.
 
The first thought would be is how deep are your pockets. The are a lot of options out there, and most of them are good. Balanced crank, lightened flywheel, overdrive transmission all come to mind and maybe lower your expectations a little to 45-50mph to gain that much longevetity.
 
If money was no object, and I wanted a dependable 50-55mph daily driver, I would sure look into a Donovan engine. IMO, for what you want out of a Model A engine 75,000-100,000 miles, you had better spend the dollars, and forget the more conventional Model A overhaul methods.
 
Terry Burtz is coming out with a new 5-main block that looks identical to the stock A. It will have pressure oiling and insert bearings. He plans on having the first one running at the MARC Meet in San Diego this June. If I were building your existing engine, I would go with babbitt and dip oiling with a full flow filter and pressure to the center main. Full pressure adds to the rear main leak problem. I just did an all babbitt lower end for my 4-port Riley, I am running a B block in my Bonneville car with the same block, C crank and babbitt mains that I have run since the mid 70's. Last year it went 156 MPH and the mains still look great. (it is full pressure)
 
Jim Brierley said:
Terry Burtz is coming out with a new 5-main block that looks identical to the stock A. It will have pressure oiling and insert bearings. He plans on having the first one running at the MARC Meet in San Diego this June. If I were building your existing engine, I would go with babbitt and dip oiling with a full flow filter and pressure to the center main. Full pressure adds to the rear main leak problem. I just did an all babbitt lower end for my 4-port Riley, I am running a B block in my Bonneville car with the same block, C crank and babbitt mains that I have run since the mid 70's. Last year it went 156 MPH and the mains still look great. (it is full pressure)
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Jim, is there a real good way to stop a rear main leak that actuality works, on a pressure system, we don't have any leaks with a standard motor. That seems to be the only draw back to one of the toughest motors ever built. thanks Herm.
 
Let start with the Ford Fargo Service Letters on January 12, 1928 last paragraph:

In making actual demonstrations, you should not be required to offer any apologies for the car. We advertise 60 to 65 miles per hour and your will do that if it is properly handled. You have very efficient brakes, you have a wonderful pick-up, and when you give demonstrations these factors should all be brought to the attention of the prospects riding with you.


Talked to more than one guy who were above 80K on babbitt and running 55+ all the time. There is a lot to knowing how to drive the A. If you lug the engine too much you cause more wear. In any event, you want the engine done right.


I think you might do well having a talk on the phone with Herm.
 
Jerry in Shasta said:
It's nice to have a fast "Model A", BUT do you have fast brakes and steering to control that fast "model A"?
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MINE DO!!


With regard to doing 55mph, one would think 'common sense' should prevail. On the other hand Jerry, I heard awhile back that anymore, 'common sense' really isn't that "common" these days. Maybe your point is well taken!! ;)

.
 
IMO: This list should do it!

To: 1928Pickuppain

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24911

I posted a list of engine modifications that IMO should allow a Model A engine to provide the service you are requesting. Look for post #8 after following the link above.

Note that Jerry in Shasta suggested better steering and brakes. I agree...completely and would also add better lighting both front and rear and seat belts to Jerry's list.

There is quite a bit of commentary in this entire thread (more than my post)...it would be worth your time to check it out.

Good Day!
Dave in MN
www.durableperformance.net
 
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Jim Brierley said:
If I were building your existing engine, I would go with babbitt and dip oiling with a full flow filter and pressure to the center main. Full pressure adds to the rear main leak problem. I just did an all babbitt lower end for my 4-port Riley, I am running a B block in my Bonneville car with the same block, C crank and babbitt mains that I have run since the mid 70's. Last year it went 156 MPH and the mains still look great. (it is full pressure)
Click to expand...


Jim,
Is your car driven regularly on the street? Do you tour with it? If an A has a OHV conversion with higher compression and is driven on freeways how long would you expect a drip oiled, babbitted lower end to hold up? Does the rear main leak problen still appear with a modern rear main seal?

I would rather be on the safe side with inserts, pressure and counterbalanced crank.
 
You just have to drive your car the way it WANTS to be driven. It doesn't matter if the motor was built to go 65 mph all day, if they body and chassis cant hold up to it, forget it. You have to get to know your car. Each one drives differently. If your car drives nicely at 65 mph, then go for it.
 
The rear main is always a problem as there are several places for leaks to come from. I like the Burtz seal best. The bolts must be sealed, the cap/block parting surface, etc. I did my first pressurized Model A recently and had a massive leak from the outside of the aluminum slinger, the cap doesn't quite cover enough back there on the A. Model B's are easier but you must still be careful.
 
Chris, I drive my tudor regularly, including lots of freeway. It has a B block, Eubanks 'C' crank, full pressure, full inserts and a Ryan overdrive. For many years I had only 1 Model A, a late pickup. It had a B block, C crank, stock oiling except for a full-flow filter, B trans and Columbia rear end. At the time I only put about 2,000 miles per year on it but that included a yearly run from LA to Los Vegas to visit Ed Winfield. It was full babbitt done at an LA trade school, .040" under mains and .050" under rods. The only problem I had with the babbitt was caused by too much spark advance and it would ping at times. Re-did the rods, retarded the spark a little and could then pull the hill out of Vegas in OD at a faster speed than before. I drove that engine from 1960 into the early 90's. The babbitt is still good and am now making it a little hotter for my speedster. The speedster is also dipper babbitt B block C crank and I run it pretty hard, with good results.
 
p.s. the tudor and pickup both now have 4-port Riley's in them, the pickup a 1936 iron one and the tudor a 90's Butler aluminum one.
 
MMMMmmm, remember the hot tudor from Sweden or somewhere over there that could run circles around most traffic? It had the aluminum spoke wheels.

GW
 
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