Trouble

[Young Ed]

Joe this happens. The engine that was rebuilt by a shop for my Dads fully restored 51 ply convertible did this too. It was the weekend before the Iowa Plymouth club national. We went on a 120mile test drive. By the time we came back there was very little oil pressure. So Dad canceled our hotel reservation and we spent the time pulling the engine out. Talk about nerve wracking pulling the engine out of a freshly painted car! Due to another car purchase Dad had another rebuilt engine ready to go so we swapped that one in. Later on the shop determined the block wasn't clean enough and all the bearings were whiped out. That engine is now re-rebuilt and resides in my 46 pickup. Interestingly enough his engine also sat for many years between rebuild and startup.

[Joe Flanagan]

Ed, I remember that story and I was thinking about it when I discovered the damage. Have you and your Dad rebuilt one of these yourselves? I'm very curious about the number of do-it-yourself rebuilds that later have trouble. It seems to me the incidence is high. I may be wrong about that, but that's the impression I get. I guess that has to do with lack of knowledge (if you're a first-timer) and a workplace that might not be the best-suited for the job.

[55 Fargo]

Years ago in Mechanics shop class, we rebuilt a few engines as a class thing.

I recall using lubra plate on the bearing surfaces, would this help with intial start-up. Dirt getting loose in the passages would obviuosly reek havoc regardless.

I wonder if this is as much an issues with full flow filtered engines, or if that is irrelevant in these caes.

I think I would rather used a good used engine, then go through all the stress of the problems Joe is going through now.

Joe I hope this is resolved for you ASAP........Fred

[Joe Flanagan]

Fred, I used assembly lube. Lubra plate probably does the same thing. I won't know anything until next week sometime. I still have to pull the engine, remove the crank and camshaft, get it to the machinist, and wait to hear what he has to say.

I was thinking of just continuing with the rest of the car. The only drawback as I see it would be trying to drop an engine in with the front clip on (and freshly painted). But I know others have done it and I'd like to keep things moving. Depending on how bad the damage is, I might be looking at an engine-less car for the next year or more. I don't want to be completely project-less.

[Young Ed]

Joe we have done a few ourselves too. I and a buddy did one for Dads 54 ply thats still running strong when I was 19. Dad is currently rebuilding a silver diamond 220 for his 55 IH project. He and I also did the engine for his 40 plymouth pickup. I'm starting to get worried about that one. Its been sitting in the chassis for probably 10 years now without being started. FYI Dad uses lubriplate for all his engine builds.

[Don Coatney]

I bought my engine completely disassembled. I was told the crankshaft had already been ground but after measureing I was not comfortable so I sent the crankshaft out for another cut. My block was boiled and initially looked clean. I also used a gun cleaning brush and swabs to make sure all oil passages were clear. When assemblying I used assembly lube as well as STP. Once I had my engine assembled and running I found that the oil gally wells below the valves were still full of crud. They were so full that the oil would not gravity feed to the oil pan as it should. I used rags to sop this stuff up and had no more problems. Home rebuilt engines are subject to the same failure rates as shop rebuilt engines. Have no fear, you can do it correctly.

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks, Don. I think that not having any sandblasting in the vicinity and a startup as soon as it's assembled might improve my chances.

[55 Fargo]

Engines that are full of sludeg and dirt, compared to say, engines that were fairly clean before rebuild, .

Will the old engine that is cleaner to begin with ,have a better chance of survival.....Fred

[Don Coatney]

Will the old engine that is cleaner to begin with ,have a better chance of survival.....Fred

No. Only the engine that is clean before assembly will have a better chance of survival.

[Eneto-55]

Regarding home rebuilds, the first engine I saw rebuilt was the flathead in my Dad's 53 Dodge 3/4 ton. He did it himself in the yard (no garage), without even pulling the block. I was about 5 or 6 at the time (1960 or 1961), and he drove that pickup for many years. I don't remember now why it was finally parked.

[Don Coatney]

The first P-15 rebuild I helped on was in about 1958 when I was 11-12 years old. My mentor bought a P-15 and the engine soon failed. Might have been from running wide open in second gear. Pulled the car into a dirt floor lean-too and pulled the pan. The rod bearings looked as skinny as onion skin. We did not mike the crankshaft. Simply (read foolishly) stuck in new rod bearings that had to be full of dirt from the floor. This barnyard rebuild lasted about as long as Joes:(

[Rodney Bullock]

Ok Joe, I understand. While I have built a total of 14 cars only 2 have had the motors rebuilt by me. This is why I keep good mechanics to the left and to the right of me. I really like Roy not because he is the most pleasent person in the world but because he rebuilt my mentors motors and my mentor was a world class drag racer. Roy has been building motors since the mid 50's there is not much he does not know about any motor. I have been helping Little John with his 1928 Studebaker and he fired his motor last Saturday. Guess who was in attendance all went well and he will be debuting his car at the cruz spot next week end.

It's funny Roy kinda likes you I am sure he would want to help just cause he met you and knew you where trying to do this on your own. I hope things work out for you. I know how you like to do things your way. I will be starting a new project at the end of the month and that will eat up the rest of the summer for me. I will check in the forum from time to time to see what's happening with your car.

I hope you and Jim get things together and on the road next year so we can meet up at Sully. So long:)

[Joe Flanagan]

Rodney, what will likely be happening with my car is the rest of the painting and the assembly of the body. I might try my hand at woodgraining. You're not going to disappear completely over the summer, are you?