Tony WestOZ

T173 = 1949-50, 218.06 cu", 25"(long block) Canadian truck engine.

Depending on what the 173 measures up like it might pay to look into the KEW. I`ve just stripped down 2 KEW`s (one with 98,000 miles on it), if I had to I would re-ring either of them and get one going again. As it turnes out because of the 0.030" over size pistons in one engine I can re-use them again by boring out a standard bore block to suit.

It might pay to check the rod caps. On the engines I have just pulled down the 53 motor has nuts with a washer but the two latter motors have just a nut. The caps are machined differently to accomodate the washer.

This is very true. On one engines I just pulled down the chain was that stretched you could set it up dot to dot on the gears and still end up being 1 tooth out. In checking out the cam timing I found that a stretched chain could retard the cam up to 5 deg.

Nice. On a side note did you send me an email 3 or4 weeks ago. I had some PC problems and lost some stuff.

OK after a bit of a side track (this working for a living now certinly takes up your time) a couple of more things. greg g, to answer your question. Cylinder Head combustion chamber volume, head thickness and approx ratios are as follows Nos, 6.896 cu", 1.966", 6.2:1. TE7, 5.639 cu", 1.888", 6.9:1. KEW, 6.066 cu", 1.925" , 6.5:1. I have since found that the NOS engine is milled 0.010" lower than the early blocks. The letter A is stamped on the top of the block. Wheather this means it is standard or its had to be machined an extra 10 thou to get it flat, I don`t know. Roughly worked out that if I use the head off the TE7 engine, the thiner head gasket off the Nos engine I could end up with about 8:1. Interesting. I am lucky that I have stripped this NOS engine down as there were two major problems that would have led to am early dimise. 1 the oil slinger was on the wrong way. It meant the outer edge of the slinger was rubbing against the timming chain. For the little running this engine has done there are already were marks on the slinger. 2. Bad enough there would be little iron fillings from the slinger getting around in the oil, but the oil fiter was plumed up in a way that it would never have filterd anything. This engine (like Don C`s Desoto) has the machined area and modifications so it can be converted to a full flow system or left as a by-pass system. The trouble is, this filter (which should be set as a by-pass) was fitted the wrong way. Both the in and out lines for the filter are plumbed into the same oil galliery. The return line should have gone into the hole below and to the right of where it is in the pic. Below are the two different pressure relief valve set ups. The 3 pieces on the left are from the normal by-pass set up. The 4 on the right are for this engine to run a by-pass sytem. To get the full flow system to work I need to plug up the main gallery so I need to add an extra plug. Then I can run full flow and a by-pass filter. Now I have got go out and put a couple of engines back together, its starting to get congested.

This mine. It has all sorts of bolt on brackets so I can set up a 6 or v8.

Don`t have a view out of a book but I pulled this one apart the other day.

Nice car Ben.Good to see another aussie on the site. At 26" its a Kew 250.6" long block. Commonly refered to as the 25" longblock. You need to measure the engine in the car. The P26 engine code did not start in Australia until 55. Also it was a 23", 230 cu" US short block. The P24 and P25 code engines where 228 cu", 25" longblocks. The manifolds will not interchange between short and longblocks.

I`v worked on a couple of the smaller 12 cylinder version of those,7042 cu". Nice engine. Much better than the 16 cyl Cats I was also on at the time. I would love to spend some time on one of those 100,000 hp jobs.

When I bought the engine 20 years ago I was told by the guy it came out of Army surplus. Never put much stock in it even though it was green. I did have the thought that it might have come from the several container loads of Power Wagons stuff that came into Australia in the 80`s. Ex Israli army, or so the story goes. The rear seal is another one. The NOS motor has the 2 piece rubber seal (on the right hand side of pic) that was introduced in the US in 53. The other seal in the pic is the only type of seal I have seen here. It takes 6 bolts to hold it in place and it came out of a 1960 engine. One things for shore, the NOS has the lowest compression of the 3 engines I just stripped down. 6.1:1 compared to the 6.5:1 of the 1953 engine and 6.9:1 of the 1960 engine.

Hi thought I`d bring this across from the truck side in the quest for more information.. I am currently stipping down a NOS 250 long block I have had in the shed for 20 years. I believe this engine is an English made motor. Australia used them from 53 to 62 instead of the Canadian long block motors that had been used before 53. However a few things have come up that I have not come across on a flathead before, in Australia. One of them is three ring pistons. Does anyone knows when 3 ring pistons came into use on the flatheads? I have only ever seen 4 rings on a flat head before.

Does anyone knows when 3 ring pistons came into use on the flat heads. I have only ever seen 4 rings on a flat head before.

I thought the little bump on the front became standard on all engines about 51 with the change in water pumps. Its the water by-pass passage for the water pump.

Basically the engine is a straight swap. The T173 is a Canadian 218cu", 25" long block. The Kew is an English made 250cu", 25" long block. In standard form I think the FN should have a 3 speed with floor shift. The 108B had the 3 speed column shift standard but the 4 speed was an option. Personally I am not a fan of the 4 speeds in a 108. First gear is really low. You always end up using 2nd to take of in. What carbs do you have? Carters are the norm but Solex were available after 53 for some reason. Stromberg's were a common swap specially if you could get one with a variable main jet. Steering is different. King pins are different as well. Chassis is the same apart from a piece of channel on the front left hand side. It runs from the front cross member back about 2 feet at an angle to the chassis rail. There will not be one on the 108B. Any chance of some pics?

Australian trucks have a different carby linkage, they don`t bolt onto the bellhousing. You drive the pins back far enough so as to remove the bellhousing. When driving the pins back do not drive them to far. Flush with the hole in the bellhousing or you will not be able to move the bellhousing close enough to the flywheel to get it out. You can roll the engine over and remove the flywheel then the bellhousing will virtually fall off. Good to see another aussie on the site. I grew up in Wollongong and spent a lot of time down in Nowra.

I can understand where your coming from on this Don. Though I have had a jack in my engine stands fo awhile to raise and lower the engine I have just fitted the a new system to the other stand. Needs some fine tuning but it works ok.

How do you guys get the pics to form in a line down the bottom of the post and then clip on to expand if you want.

Andy, After all the prep work is done the block is going out to get 10 thou off the top, so before this is done it will get the chemical treatment. Regardless of the chemical and boiling treatment I still run the rifle cleaner down all the holes and oil galleries. I have had blocks came back before and still have junk in the lines. Spent a little time going around the block with the die grinder. Just a bit of a look at the moment to see what needs some clean up latter on. Also had a look in the ex and inlet ports. Couple of lumps ground off. Will be spending some more time on the ports latter. (need to get all the HP I can)

Couple of areas need attention. Rear main seal. somthing has got in there. Pulled all the plugs out of the oil galleries. Will need the rifle kit treatment. It does not matter how old or used these engines are there is always one. At least its not a head bolt.

Well engine is stripped down, and a few measurements taken, Mostly it looks pretty good. Everything is in spec. There is some water markes on the pistons and bores but with a light hone they will be ok. Thought the engine has no use time has caused some problems. There is a light coating of surface rust on most parts, it will take time to clean it up.

Mine seams to have been a single front (driver) seat model. You could also order two single front seats or a bench seat from Chrysler Australia. If you wanted another setup the dealer usually took care of it. With the steering set up, from 48 to 52 the steering here was a mirror image of what you had over there. 53 that changed and I think you will find that Dodge US discontinued the cross over system on the C models in 54 in favor of the fore aft system. Yes I replaced that section when I repaired the guards all those years ago. Now I am thinking of re-doing it to be original. I think you are right. The Pilothouse trucks here always had the exhaust coming out further to the front. Cluch pedal the main problem. Hard to see in the pics so far but there is also another bend in the inlet and exhaust manifolds at the rear to clear the pedal. It all gets pretty tight down there. Your right Bob is very good feeling to be back working on it again.

Well after nearly two years of not putting a hand to the Dodge, time has come to start on it again. As I pull it down I thought I would try and show some of the differences between the Australian built Pilothouse trucks and other builds. Our trucks had the 25" long block. From what I can see the engine mount bracket bolts on to the chassis in the same place as the US ones without having the extended feet I have seem added to some to make the 25" block fit. Some measuring will be required here. The radiator is where I can see some differences. The radiator side mounting plates are a lot shorter. This means the radiator sites further in the nose. A big difference is the steering. In 53 when these trucks where fully built in Australia and not Canadian imports, the steering received some big changes. The engine out. This is a NOS engine. 50 years old and from what I can see only test run. It will be stripped and all seals and gaskets replaced. When I took the nose section off I set it up on some trolleys.I will be making up some frame work to better support the guards and also support the hood so I can lift and refit the nose section as one piece. Hopefully, health and other issues are finally over with and this is not another false start with this project. Will post some more as I go.

Another version of an Australian Desoto. 55-7 Pilothouse Desoto. I do like that 1952 king cab Desoto. Different thats for sure.

Engine stands are not only for engines. This is the lattest addition to my already modified engine stand. Diff can be adjusted to any position I want. Also takes the front axle set up off the truck as well.