How much torque to turn over a rebuilt engine?

[Big_John]

Anyone here ever measure the torque needed to turn over a freshly rebuilt flathead?

The 265 I did for my Chrysler seemed a bit stiffer then other engines I've built, but I put that off to 4 rings on each piston. My curiosity is getting to me though and it's got me wondering what that torque should be.

[knighthawk]

I'm no professional builder, but also have built a couple motors, I would think....., as you keep turning the motor as you build it, like after each bearing, after each piston, etc, and there's no big or noticable change in ressistance, should be good to go ???????

[Big_John]

  knighthawk said:

I'm no professional builder, but also have built a couple motors, I would think....., as you keep turning the motor as you build it, like after each bearing, after each piston, etc, and there's no big or noticable change in ressistance, should be good to go ???????

Yep, that's the way I do it. Resistance does build as pistons go in, but the crank should spin free etc. My engine went together well and it's far from the first engine I've built (first flathead though) but I'm really curious if anyone has measured this. It would be interesting to check mine and compare.

[Don Coatney]

  knighthawk said:

I'm no professional builder, but also have built a couple motors, I would think....., as you keep turning the motor as you build it, like after each bearing, after each piston, etc, and there's no big or noticable change in ressistance, should be good to go ???????

Well said! Except you should have said engines, not motors. Motors are driven by electricity and engines are driven by internal combustion. Big difference!

[Plymouthy Adams]

IF your cylinders are correctly honed to match the pistons and the rod and mains and cam bearing clearances are within tolerance..you should be good to go..it is not like a VW engine where you strive for low torque rotation..

[1941Rick]

Rotation should not require lots of torq until you instal the rear seal. If you are using the rope type seal it will get tight. The crank should rotate freely by it self and get progressively harder as you instal pistons, and the rear seal.

[Rusty O'Toole]

  Don Coatney said:

Well said! Except you should have said engines, not motors. Motors are driven by electricity and engines are driven by internal combustion. Big difference!

I didn't know motorboats and motorcycles ran on electricity.

[Big_John]

Thanks for the answers guys.

I'm pretty confident everything is right.

From what I see it's just something that people usually don't check when building flathead engines.

[Big_John]

  shel_bizzy_48 said:

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=835&highlight=tight+engine

Thank You!

I searched his posts and found some good info!

[mayflower48]

I was in the engine business for 25 years. You should be able to turn over a short block at 40 ft.lbs. or less. If a rope seal is used and installed correctly it is not much more drag than a rubber seal. You must soak the rope in oil and work the oil into the seal by hand to soften it. Install the seal in the groove and work it down into the groove with wood hammer handle or something round. Only after that cut off the excess with a new sharp razor blade.

[knighthawk]

well, I just said 'motor' , cuz it 'flows' better .... Didn't the rain under the hood, made the motor cool down, ( or something like that ) in the ' Hot Rod Lincoln' ?? I don't think it was ....'made my engine cool down ' ????????

[RobertKB]

The song was "Maybelline" by Jerry Lee Lewis. The lyrics were:

"The rain water poured up under my motor hood

I knew that were doin' my motor good"

Not sure why it says motor hood but I double checked and that is what it is. Complete lyrics below

As I was motivatin' over the hill

I saw Maybelline in a Coupe deVille

Cadillac rollin' on an open road

But nothin' out-run my V8 Ford

Cadillac doin' about ninety-five

Bumper to bumper rollin' side to side

Maybelline, why can't you be true

Oh Maybelline, why can't you be true

You've started back doin' the things you used to do

Well the Cadillac pulled up ahead of the Ford

The Ford got hot and wouldn't do no more

It done got cloudy and started to rain

I tooted my horn for the passing lane

The rain water poured up under my motor hood

I knew that were doin' my motor good

Maybelline, why can't you be true

Oh Maybelline, why can't you be true

You done started back doin' the things you used to do

Well now, the heat went down and the motor cooled down

And that's when I heard that highway sound

Cadillac lookin' like a ton of lead

A hundred and ten a half-a-mile ahead

Cadillac lookin' like it's sittin' still

I caught Maybelline at the top of the hill

Maybelline, why can't you be true

Oh Maybelline, why can't you be true

You done started back doin' the things you used to do

Edited July 5, 2012 by RobertKB

[knighthawk]

yup ! my first thought was Maybelline by Chuck berry. anyway, see you can what I mean

[claybill]

engine and motor....most people even corps use it interchangeably...like small motor/big motor motorhead...etc there is a difference but not too many are sticklers about it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

now tell me..what does a guitar banger know about cars?..gets him to his next gig at most..just because it is accepted slang does not make it correct..pass me the pa-tay-to chips.

[Rusty O'Toole]

"Great engines move slowly and are not soon put out of frame"

So said Francis Bacon 100 years before steam engines and 200 years before electric motors, or gasoline engines were invented.

Motor from Middle English Motour, from Latin Movere, to move.

So Motor is even older. There is no reason to think motors are always electric or engines always gas or steam powered. Those are purely arbitrary distinctions somebody made up, not backed by historical usage or logic.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Rusty O'Toole

[Smokeybear]

  Rusty O said:

"Great engines move slowly and are not soon put out of frame"

So said Francis Bacon 100 years before steam engines and 200 years before electric motors' date=' or gasoline engines were invented.

Motor from Middle English Motour, from Latin Movere, to move.

So Motor is even older. There is no reason to think motors are always electric or engines always gas or steam powered. Those are purely arbitrary distinctions somebody made up, not backed by historical usage or logic.[/quote']

"Most of the quotes on the internet are of questionable origin" -Abraham Lincoln.

Sorry, this has nothing to do with anything from this thread, I've just waited so long to use that line I couldn't resist.

[Plymouthy Adams]

engine:

Such a machine distinguished from an electric, spring-driven, or hydraulic motor by its use of a fuel.

Sir Lucas stated also that a "gentleman does not motor at night"..this was only a way to explain why his electrical systems were not trustworthy...

Edited July 5, 2012 by Tim Adams

[Don Coatney]

  Smokeybear said:

"Most of the quotes on the internet are of questionable origin" -Abraham Lincoln.

Sorry, this has nothing to do with anything from this thread, I've just waited so long to use that line I couldn't resist.

Best response to date. Gotta trust honest Abe above all rock stars and others not knowing. Nuff said. I gotta go play with my steam motor.

Motors- electric

Engines- everything non electric

I have never heard of a rocket motor, a jet motor, a turbine motor, steam motor, etc.

My story and I am sticking to it.

[Rusty O'Toole]

What happens if I put motor oil in my engine?

[Plymouthy Adams]

don't put it in and report back...!

[Eneto-55]

  Don Coatney said:

Well said! Except you should have said engines, not motors. Motors are driven by electricity and engines are driven by internal combustion. Big difference!

I had this distinction drilled into me as well, but lately I've given up trying to correct this error. Language changes, and leave us old guys behind.

Neto

[Eneto-55]

Regarding the original question about tight engines: My dad worked at a Chrysler Plymouth Desoto Dodge dealership back in the mid 50's to mid 60's or so, and when we rebuilt mine he mentioned how back then they would drag the car around the block a few times after a rebuilt to break in the engine enough so that the starter could turn it over.

Neto

[Young Ed]

The one I always heard was drill and drill motor. The drill was the spiral cut piece that did the cutting and the drill motor was what made it turn. Now the motor is a drill and the other stuff are drill bits.