Rusty Cylinder

[pflaming]

Any suggestions: The rest of the engine seems OK. The mechanic put a bolt in instead of a spark plug and water . . . The red is tranny fluid. I released the bearing and the engine is free. With a modified 2x4 and a hammer the rusty cylinder is now moving also. No sludge in the engine, note valves, pan was clean. Is it salvageable?

[RobertKB]

I would say yes it is salvageable. You will need two new valves and valve seats. You will need to pull number six piston and hone out the cylinder and hope it is not too badly pitted. Likely new rings on number 6 as well. If you are going to that trouble you might as well lap the other valves and re-ring all the cylinders. You could plastigage the bearings to check out their condition as well. Could be you have a great engine with a little TLC.

[pflaming]

". . .lap the other valves and re-ring all the cylinders. You could platigage the bearings to check out there condition as well."

Encouraging. Define: lap and platigage. I put a strong penetrating oil on the rust and it seems to be more 'crusty' than stuck so it might clean up.

Thankyou for the encouragement.

Paul

[RobertKB]

Lapping valves is the old way of putting a good seal between valve and seat instead of grinding them. To lap you need to take the keepers off and valve springs out. Put a valve grinding paste on the seats and valves and rotate them for a while. I actually have an old valve lapping stick with a suction cup on the end which you put between your two hands and rotate by basically rubbing your hands together. Plasti©gaging the bearings means removing the caps and putting some plasticgage between the cap and crankshaft and retightening the cap. The plastigage squishes and can then be measured to see what your clearances are. The closer to factory specs the wider it will be. Should be able to buy the plastigage at any automotive store with instructions. If the cylinder proves to be quite badly pitted and the rest of the engine turns out looking pretty good you could pull the crank and have the one cylinder sleeved. All this is based on the rest of the engine being good and not in need of a rebuild. If the entire engine is tired, a rebuild would be in order. Others on the forum could maybe chime in and give their thoughts also

[John Reddie]

Good advise RobertKB. My friend once had a '47 Plymouth that had one cylinder damaged from a wrist pin that slid out too far and gouged up the cylinder wall. He had the cylinder bored and the sleeved to original size. The engine performed very well afterwards.

John R

[Merle Coggins]

When I got my truck the head had been removed and all 6 holes looked like that, or worse. I had to remove the crank first so that I could drive the pistons down with a block and large maul, then clean the cylinder walls as much as possible with a wire wheel on a die grinder. Then I could finally drive them out with a large rubber mallet. I had a similar problem with the valves, which were all rusted tight in the guides. I was finally able to work the cam back and forth enough to get all of the valved in the open position, then I could remove the cam and lifters. I then went to work on removing all of the valves, which was a task in it's self.

After a ".030 over bore, new valves, valve guides and valve seats, my engine went back together and runs like a champ.

I guess what I'm saying is that it's salvageable.

[Normspeed]

The mechanic put a bolt in instead of a spark plug and water . . .

I'm missing what you mean....?

[Normspeed]

Hee hee, guess I was having a senior moment. I kept thinking, why would you want to install a spark plug and water?

[pflaming]

Next step: Remove the rusty valves. I would guess they are released from the open side of the block. Need special tools?????

I am a retired English teacher / salesman and I now substitute teach high school kids to keep me busy, so working over an old truck and now an ENGINE is NOT Shakespeare!!!! But it is a form of research and I've done a bit of that!

[RobertKB]

It has been so long since I removed valves from a flattie that I don't remember the steps. I am pretty sure there is a two part keeper and you do get at it from the open side. Hopefully, someone on the forum can give you precise instructions on how to do this.

[Don Coatney]

A valve spring compressor is required for valve removal. Do a forum search (search all open forums) as this has been discussed recently.

[Merle Coggins]

As Don says, you'll need a valve spring compressor. There are different styles as mentioned in a previous post, also as Don mentioned.

Once you compress the spring the keepers need to be removed. If using a spring tool like in Don's pic, you may need to press down on the valve, or tap it back down after compressing the spring. This will bring the bottom of the valve stem, with the keepers, down out of the spring retainer. The keepers are 2 small semi-circular pieces that fit into a groove in the valve stem. When together on the valve they form a cone that fits into the retainer and locks everything together. A small magenet is usefull when removing them.

Once the keepers are removed the valve should come up and out. Then you can release the spring tool and remove the spring. If you get a "C" type spring tool, it will hold the valve down while compressing the spring. Then remove the keepers and release the tool. Now everything can be removed.

You'll probably fumble with the first couple, but then you'll get the hang of it and it'll be a piece of cake.

Merle

[pflaming]

Looks like I have my work cut out for me this weekend: remove the cylinder and the valves. Don't think I will go after all six. They look too clean but will have a mechanic friend look before I reassemble.

Thankyou for the pictues and advice.

[Don Coatney]

Looks like I have my work cut out for me this weekend: remove the cylinder and the valves. Don't think I will go after all six. They look too clean but will have a mechanic friend look before I reassemble.

Thankyou for the pictues and advice.

As you are an english teacher I must ask how do you plan to remove the cylinders? Or if you mean valves do plan on going after all six intake valves, or all 6 exhaust valves?

[pflaming]

As you are an english teacher I must ask how do you plan to remove the cylinders? Or if you mean valves do plan on going after all six intake valves, or all 6 exhaust valves?

Don, I do not have the full technical knowledge of engines, English teacher or not! I do know that the cylinders are part of the block in which pistons are pushed upward and pulled downward by piston rods which in actuallity are not rods at all, but rather are a formed metal piece attatched to a crankshaft.

When I referred to the valves as 'six' I referred to them as a set, each consisting of two valves, one intake one exhaust. If teachers set upon their students for each of their learning errors the graduating classes would be much smaller than they are. I know of more than one teacher who has 165 students every day, five days a week. In contrast I noticed that the Boston Celtics picture on the Wheaties' box showed 18 players and 24 coaches and each of those players is supposed to be a PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Somethings rotten in the state of . . ."