Starting up an old motor

[Ab4875]

I've got this motor I plan to try firing up next week. It turns over freely.



All I am planing to do is pull the sump, remove and clean the oil pump and put it back together. I will run the cooling lines into a 44 gallon drum and gravity feed fuel into the carburettor.

Is there anything else I should do before I spark it up?

 

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

I've got this motor I plan to try firing up next week. It turns over freely.

View attachment 208909

All I am planing to do is pull the sump, remove and clean the oil pump and put it back together. I will run the cooling lines into a 44 gallon drum and gravity feed fuel into the carburettor.

Is there anything else I should do before I spark it up?

It would be nice if you pulled the plugs and just stick your finger in each hole and see if some compression in each cyl, a lot of times they will have a stuck valve or 2 also after you clean the pan out if you could rig up an oil pressure tank and force some fresh oil in the system where the oil pressure sender is. Walt

 

[Ab4875]

Thanks Walt, I'll definitely do a compression test.

That's a good idea to pump oil through the system. I think I've got hydraulic handpump somewhere I can do that with.

 

[rbutin]

I had an v8 in a 47 parts car that hadn't run since 61, I pulled the oil pan, (very little sludge in the bottom, cleaned the screen on the oil pump but didn't try to remove the pump as they can be tuff to remove. While I had the pan off, I sprayed white grease on the cam from the underside before putting the pan back. I took the intact manifold off and remove what little dried sludge was in the valley. I used a small shop vac on its last leg and removed a small amount of dried sludge out between the lifters. Also with manifold off, it is really easy to check for stuck valves. I removed the oil pressure sender and added oil as mentioned and used a mech gauge. Spun it w/o plugs to get oil moving and build up pressure. Added gas and spark and it took right off. If the pan or valve gallery was really gunked up, I wouldn't have started it as I would think it would be easy to dislodge chunks and plug up oil passages and do major damage.

 

[Mac VP]

This covers most of the details:

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_startup.htm

 

[B-O-B]

That's a good idea to pump oil through the system. I think I've got hydraulic hand pump somewhere I can do that with.
You can use a garden pump up type sprayer for this.

 

[FrankWest]

I've got this motor I plan to try firing up next week. It turns over freely.

View attachment 208909

All I am planing to do is pull the sump, remove and clean the oil pump and put it back together. I will run the cooling lines into a 44 gallon drum and gravity feed fuel into the carburettor.

Is there anything else I should do before I spark it up?

Take spark plugs off pour a cup of Marvel Mystery oil in each cylinder let sit for several days.. In fact after you drain the oil oil you want to add a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil to your oil.

 

[sortkaffekop]

Nice pictures! Could you make a film (with sound!) when starting up?
Cheers, Christian

 

[Fibber Mcgee]

I've got this motor I plan to try firing up next week. It turns over freely.

View attachment 208909

All I am planing to do is pull the sump, remove and clean the oil pump and put it back together. I will run the cooling lines into a 44 gallon drum and gravity feed fuel into the carburettor.

Is there anything else I should do before I spark it up?

That has to be the cleanest garage I've ever seen.

 

[Ab4875]

I've pulled the intake manifold and sump off. It all looks pretty good although there are a few stuck valves.



It makes an interesting sucking sound when I turn it over with a spanner. I guess the compression should be good if I can free up the stuck valves.

A few people mentioned Marvel Mystery Oil. Does anyone know where I can buy that or an equivalent in Sydney?

 

[V12Bill]

That is an interesting engine stand that you have bolted to the exhaust ports of your engine. I have never seen pictures of anything like that. Is that an Australian Ford fixture?

 

[Ab4875]

Christian, I do plan to film the startup. I ended pulling the heads as there were some issues with the valves. Now I'm tossing up whether to tear it down completely.

V12Bill, the stand was made by a friend in Sydney as a one off. He designed and built it himself. The engine balances nicely with the flywheel on. I bought it off him last year.

 

[alanwoodieman]

try acetone and automatic trans fluid mixed 50/50 in place of mmo, crude but works to loosen valves. also roll engine around until valve lifter on stuck valve is on bottom of base circle--oil it up and use a small, very small rahide mallet to gently tap the valve head-you do not want to bend it

 

[Ab4875]

I'm getting ready to put the engine back together. I got as far as lapping the valves but didn't remove the pistons, crank and camshaft.

I am wondering if there is a way of replacing the top half of the rope seal without removing the crank? I was going to try screwing a threaded hook in one end of the rope and pulling on that while I push on the other end to get it out. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Andrew

 

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

By looking at the pic I'd call that 41=42 engine, they don't have a rear seal just a slinger. OR, are you talking about the front seal? If so you've got the pan off so pull the front cover to remove and replace the front rope seal. Walt

 

[G32]

I'm getting ready to put the engine back together. I got as far as lapping the valves but didn't remove the pistons, crank and camshaft.

I am wondering if there is a way of replacing the top half of the rope seal without removing the crank? I was going to try screwing a threaded hook in one end of the rope and pulling on that while I push on the other end to get it out. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Andrew

Andrew:
What are the cast codes on the right front
deck? Block has early and late features--pan
rail cast core holes--"raised intake" surface--as per Canadian holdovers --or war block ?
239ci or 221ci ?
Interesting to us US guys! Thanks!

Gene Tulsa

 

[Ab4875]

Walt, yes, I mean the rear main. Was the slinger something that only came out on the 41-42 engines? In the catalog I looked at it showed the rope seal for 39-48 engines.

Gene, It has G213 on one end and 99 on the other. It is a war block with the round centre coolant port. The block has been relieved and it has also been sleeved to repair some cracks between the valve and cylinder bore. I think it is out of a Bren Gun Carrier or Bomb Train.

One other thing I noticed is one of the counterbalances on the crank has been milled on one side. I don't remember any of the other engines I have pulled apart having this.