Rusty Cylinder Update

[pflaming]

(1) this is only the mount for the carb, so will consider it worthless; (2) head cleaned up quite good; (3) crank looks good. NOW, I drove the piston up but it would not go out, so that means the lip inside the cylinder wall probably needs more honing. The piston drives back easily so it is not 'stuck'.

Question, since the cylinder walls cleaned up very smooth, would it be too risky to just reassemble and go for it, or am I just getting a bit impatient and should get that piston out and do a good hone job.

[Plymouthy Adams]

odds are the wear ring at the top of the cyclinder is holding you back..DO NOT use force ...will break the fragile piston ring lands...use a good cylinder ridge cutter and work out the LIP and remove the piston..

[RobertKB]

As noted, use a ridge reamer to lessen the lip and remove piston. I would pull the piston for sure to check on rings at the very least and replace if necessary. Also, put some tape or rubber tubing over the bolts holding on the cap so when you remove the piston you do no damage to the crankshaft. Same when you re-install. Remember, patience is a virtue and your best friend right now.

[pflaming]

Thank you. I drove quite hard against the piston but I was using a 1" wooden dowl and it was shattering, so I may not have hurt anything. Did NOT know about a ridge cutter. Thank you. Need to find a friend to borrow some tools. A spring depressor costs $60.00 and that is 40% of the cost of the truck!

I figured the work now is careful work so will take your advice. It is really a bit of fun. Would like to trade a manifold for a carburetor. Also may have an extra starter, horn; do have BLOCK with pistons, crank shaft, and clutch housing, (see picture) and four speed tranny. So if anyone has need, let me know.

[JerseyHarold]

Book recommendation: TRUCK by John Jerome

Written about 30 years ago and describes trials and tribulations of rebuilding a truck like yours. Funny and philosophical, and mechanically accurate so you might learn something at the same time. I've got the hardcover and the softcover. Try half.com or Amazon, or even the (shudder!) library.

Harold

[RobertKB]

This is another good site to look for used books as well as new. I have found all kinds of oddball books and very old ones on this site. http://www.abebooks.com/

I just checked and there are 41 copies available from $1.00 and up.

[Frank Elder]

Rebuild the carb, and have the starter gone through, then put them in your truck. Emergency spares. Would add generator and waterpump also spare belt&hoses.

[TodFitch]

Book recommendation: TRUCK by John Jerome

Written about 30 years ago and describes trials and tribulations of rebuilding a truck like yours. Funny and philosophical, and mechanically accurate so you might learn something at the same time. I've got the hardcover and the softcover. Try half.com or Amazon, or even the (shudder!) library.

Harold

That is a good book. Bought it when it came out and have enjoyed reading it several times. Looking at the cover flap it cost me $6.95 for the hard cover when new, looks like I could sell it for more than that now on Amazon. Hey! It turned out to be an investment.

[pflaming]

Going to order the book. In the meantime, this forum answers questions from pictures which books do not do. I may have abandoned this engine without this forum for it answers the precise question at hand and that is invaluable to a novice, so I do not apologize for my questions.

Here is an example: My fresh air door is stuck. If I try to move it the hinges may break. Any suggestions: Question: Can it be removed, then worked slowly?

PF

[RobertKB]

Go under the dash and loosen the bracket that operates it. Things are probably just dry and maybe a bit of surface rust. Tap things gently, oil pivots and other moving parts and apply small amount of pressure. Lightly tap the cowl vent from the outside with a rubber hammer as the metal of the vent may be stuck to the rubber seal below. Like all these things, DO NOT FORCE. It is stuck for a reason and you have to find that reason and fix it. Good luck!

[pflaming]

I made a cylinder honer with a 3/8' dowl and emery cloth, put it in the drill motor and let it work. Piston came out quite easily.

You can see the piston. Looks to me that there are four rings. Haven't cleaned it yet, wanted you to see its condition. Top two rings are stuck. Could that have happened as I first tried to drive this out without better honing? Would you conclude that the rings on all cylinders may be in the same condition? From this experience taking out pistons and doing new rings may not be that difficult to do. Probably will do that.

[Don Coatney]

A ridge reamer and a cylinder hone are two different animals. A good cylinder

hone can be bought for not much money. It looks like the brake cylinder

hone pictured below only it is larger. You will most likley need a piston ring

expander and a piston ring compressor too. Also pictured is a valve lapping

tool and a valve seat cutter.

[RobertKB]

Don, are there any tools you don't have?

Pflaming, I believe it would be worth your while pulling all pistons, honing, and putting in new rings. You have everything apart now so you might as well do it all. Check your bearing clearances while you are at it with plasticgage. Maybe do one rod bearing and one main bearing. Glad things are going fairly smoothly.

[Don Coatney]

[Young Ed]

one other thing the others didnt mention was the piece you called the carb mount. Thats actually the bottom section of the carb. Should be cleaned up with the rest of the carb parts.

[pflaming]

To all: Thankyou and to Don for the pictures, they really help. I really didn't want to go into the engine but now I will then I'll know what I have and if I actually do drive it to Indiana or maybe even Maine I will have a bettter chance of getting there, so . . . next step: remove pistons. This is like researching on a Master's Thesis in Literature, the more you learn the more you realize you do not know.

After looking at Don's pictures I've concluded that I am going to disassemble the engine then pay a mechanic friend to reassemble it. By the time I find / purchase tools for a little more money I can get it together by someone with expertise. That expertise is worth it in confidence alone. Will keep you posted.

[Don Coatney]

If you are going to pay someone to do the work it might be best if they do the disassembly. Then they are less likley to make mistakes when they do the re-assembly.

[Normspeed]

Don makes a good point. I'd let the mechanic do it from start to finish.

[brian hood]

Most major auto parts chain stores have a "Loan-A-Tool" program. I do know that at AutoZone (in the Mobile Alabama Area) you can get most tools for engine use. You actually buy the tool and return it in a few day for a refund. Check and see what is in your area.

Brian

[pflaming]

I had already stopped dis-assembling, figuring the same thing. If he takes it apart, then I figure, I "didn't lose it"! Contacted a good mechanic this afternoon. He is going to come by and look at it before I load it up. If I do it myself, I would gamble and put the one cylinder back in, button it all back up and see what I have. Maybe it would be good enough for openers.

A friend here told me that some of the autoparts hand this 'loaner' program, so will check that out also.

Regarding the carburetor. I do not have one, only the mount, picture sent a few posts back.