1952 sitting since the 70s, please help new guy.

[jordanbarnes]

Hey guys, Jordan here in Minnesota. I recently picked up a 52 B-3-B that has been sitting since the 70s, from what I can tell and the back story I got from the last owner's daughter. My first task is seeing if I can get this thing running. There is no key, no big deal small battle. The bigger problem and most likely the reason she gave me the truck is the fact someone pulled the plugs out of this thing, at some point. They never put anything back in. Such and easy thing to prevent! ha. Is it possible to get this thing running without a rebuild?

I put about 3oz. of Marvel Mystery Oil down each cylinder just to let it soak in for a couple days. I was going to crank the engine over by hand with no plugs in it and see if she will move.

What are your guys suggestions from there?

I am mechanically capable and have build several bikes, and modern cars, but this is my first go at a project like this.

Any help to a newcomer would be much appreciated. I would be happy to supply the beers if anyone is close to Rochester and would be willing to evaluate.

Thanks guys.

[Young Ed]

Jordan So far your plan sounds like a good one. I'm up in Minneapolis. Sorta close. I believe Dan is down in Rochester.

[Dave72dt]

I'd drain the oil next, then fill the cooling system with water to see if any comes out the bottom. Clean up the starter contacts, replace the points, condenser, new plugs, rebuild the carb, plumb in a clean gas source (not the fuel tank), fresh oil and give it a try.

There's at least one forum member in Rochester, several in the Twin Cities area, I'm about 2 1/2 hours away SE of you. Welcome.

[Jerry Roberts]

Put a big socket on the nut on the crankshaft and try to spin the engine that way before using the starter . Was it out in the weather so water got in the spark plug holes ?

[DanOlson]

Jordan,

First, Welcome. I just replied to your PM. You will learn that this forum has such a wealth of information available to you. Nice to have a fellow enthusiast closer than the cities.

Dan

[pflaming]

My engine had been sitting for 20 years, without a head, on it. If your engine was under the hood as mine was, you should be able to start it, I got mine running. I am no pro but check the oil, if it does not have any water in it, then the engine quite likely will be startable. I had to do a ring and piston job on mine but . .

[jakenoklahoma]

My 51 sat since the early 80s, albeit in a barn with the plugs in. I filled the cylinders with a combination of ATF & MMO and let it soak for two months before I tried to turn it. Lsst weekend, I put a wrench on the crank nut and turned it full cycle. Patience is a must have when dealing with engines that have sat for a while, don't want to get butch and break something.....

[NiftyFifty]

Good thoughts all around....but I deff. agree with hand cranking first and be gentle when doing so...amazing how rods bend with just a 1/2" driver and socket. You may have the engine turning over, but no gurantee your valves will be working quite right, so I would keep eveything as cheap and simple as possible before you drop a lot of $ unless no matter what you intend to keep that flat 6.

Get a bottle with fresh fuel and plum that right to the pump, use a very fine file on the points then blow them clean after, power the right side of the coil and then your set to go and start.....that is if you free the engine.

I know a lot of guys who use straight diesel fuel to get them loose...I always had luck with WD 40 and diesel mixed down the cyls....but that's on a lot of sled motors.

[41/53dodges]

welcome, jordan.

i would recommend all of the listed ideas, but you may want to pull the head anyways to check for:

A: rusted cylinders, there is a point where it will have to be rebuilt, or it may be workable

B:scored cylinders, this should be addressed by a just honing the cylinders. otherwise, the lubrication will not work right and something will fail prematurely

C:crap in the cylinders, my big truck had the plugs left out for the last 40 years outside, and something used the engine for an outhouse. i would have to guess crap does not make a good lubricant in an engine and should be removed. also good to check for hardware dropped inside, read this about that: http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=21311&highlight=piston

D:chances are, the valves will be sticky after sitting. this is easier addressed with the head off by turning the engine and tapping down the stuck ones lightly, and they will free up faster and it will be something you wont have to do later.

E:carbon in the cylinders, isnt a huge issue, but good to take care of

BTW: if you dont already have one, a handy 3/4" drive socket set is available at menards for about $45 that contains a ratchet, breaker bar, extensions, and all needed sockets except 1 11/16, which is available at carquest for $10. these may be cheap tools, but they are great to have on hand and they have a lifetime garuntee, just like craftsman, but a little cheaper.

Edited July 29, 2010 by 41/53dodges

[ggdad1951]

yah, I'd be VERY careful about turning it over. My project truck sat on my parents farm in a shed for 30 years all nice and dry,good looking oil and compression and still had 4 valves seize up. Trying to turn it over would have trashed my cam shaft.

Welcome, another Minnesotean!

Edited July 29, 2010 by ggdad1951

[jordanbarnes]

Thanks for all the quick replies guys, I can already tell this is going to be a great place for information. The truck was stored in doors for the last 35 years and it was a solid shed that it was in. The truck is very solid itself and has some great character. I just cant let it go by the wayside.

All the suggestions were in line with what I was thinking. I was planning to hand crank it over and see if she will move before anything. I read the diesel in the cylinders a couple of other places and may give that a shot in addition to the MMO.

Are there any good sources out there for a shop manual on these trucks? Maybe I have not searched far enough but if someone can source one that would be great.

Dan Olson is going to come over from here in town to take a look at it. I will get some pictures up for you guys soon so you can see what I hope was an amazing find!

Thanks again guys!

[greg g]

being as removing the head is a pretty simple job, I might be tempted to do that even if it does turnover by hand, for three reasons. 1 assure there is no debris critter or otherwise in the cylinders, ascertain the condition of the cylinders and tops of the pistons. and three to assure the valves of each cylinder are opeing and closing all the way.

A common fault that many of us have found it broken upper rings, and pieces of piston broken by the rigs. For some reason, either the grooves wear or the rings break, which then breaks of the piston forgig between the upper grove and the top of the piston.

Many old flatheads have this condition on one of more pistons, and though they shouldn't they still seem to run pretty well. But more than a few who have pulled these engines down have found that to be the case.

Also when doing your temp ign wiring, remeber that the electrical system is positive ground and the + terminal on the coil goes to the dizzy points terminal.

[carls 49]

hi jordan and welcome. good to have you here.

[41/53dodges]

here is a great place for literature!

http://www.dodgepilothouseclub.org/know/know.htm

[PatS....]

Welcome to the best forum on the internets

I would recommend pulling both the head and the manifold if it was sitting without plugs.

I pulled the head off my Chrysler and found big time rust and a snapped off valve, and when I pulled the pan I found a big soft cotton mouse nest on top of the oil pick-up.

It's not that much work in the big scheme of things and it will give you a real good idea of the shape of your engine.

Good luck!!!

keep us up to date on how it's going...and we like pictures, too

(also note the piston parts on the right side of the oil pan!)

[tysouthwick]

I wished I know about this forum before i tore my engine apart I found out my truck would have started quite easilly

[DanOlson]

Jordan's got a nice solid project truck on his hands. Brings back a lot of memories and I'll probably live vicariously through his project. Interestingly the linkage for the 3 speed is still attached but it has a 4 speed installed.

Dan

[jordanbarnes]

Hey Dan thanks again for coming to take a peek. I learned a lot just in our talk. I have been patiently soaking the old girl in Marvel hoping that she will be loose enough to spin over by hand. Its a good thing I have a couple other project to finish up or this could be painful waiting!

The carb was all locked up so my next project is to get that cleaned up and working. I also picked up a good score on some NOS factory shocks on ebay this week for $36.00...one piece at a time!

Cant wait to tear into this thing once riding season is done and gone!

I will try to keep this thread updated with progress status and pics...