Suburban, 53 Plymouth

[casper50]

2 things I was dreading when I dismantled my coupe.  The rear drums and the WDT.  I'm so happy that mine popped right out and was almost new.  

[Jeff Balazs]

Paul;

From your photo it looks like you have the tool along the side of the WDT instead of inside it. It needs to be inside to have any chance of working.

 

Jeff

[Dave72dt]

It appears to be inside the tube in the crowbar pic

[Jeff Balazs]

Dave;

If you look closely it appears to be outside the tube ....to the right of it. I am guessing it is wedged between the block and the tube. PB blaster should help....make an extension tube for the nozzle and get plenty of it deep into the tube and surrounding cavity.The only way it is going to do the job is if the the hook on the end of the tool is in one of the slots on the top side of the tube.

 

Jeff

[pflaming]

IT IS OUT!! First a very important tip, be certain the leading edges of the tube clear the opening on the block, 1/16" too deep and you cannot move that tube. I turned in those leading edges and then the jarring of the small slide hammer could break loose the rust.

A second tip is to CLEAN the very top of that tube before going for a hook, and finally, I marked the puller bar so I knew I was at the upper opening(s).

If you look closely, the rear three slots are plugged tight so no water would get to cylinders 5 & 6. Now I'm pondering, what else is plugged and can some solution in the water finish the cleaning. I removed the freeze plugs and steam cleaned in there.

 

As I reflect on this task, should I have to pull another tube, I would first stand the block up on end or nearly so and soak that tube for several days in Kerosene, or diesel fuel or 50/50 acetone / transmission fluid before attempting to pull it. I think then it would come out w/o all the extraneous work I did. 

Edited May 6, 2016 by TodFitch
Remove offensive phrasing.

[RobertKB]

I highly suggest replacing with a BRASS water distribution tube!

[pflaming]

So many items to connect, even for a hot wire. Now to complete fuel line, radiator hoses, fan belt, battery, water, fuel, oil, time, then follow the fuel and electrical flow, and push off. Will do this tomorrow.

[pflaming]

Update: today I had a friend put the alternator mount on a mill and modify it for the alternator. Exhaust header is on, wiring is completed, radiator is at a shop, fuel line is ready, so I'm close to timing and then go for startup.

Yes Dave, post below, that alternator came from my parked 89 T Bird. Will have it checked today and have them change the pulley. If it checks out, then the price was right, free.

Edited May 12, 2016 by pflaming

[Dave72dt]

Looks like a serpentine pulley on the alternator.  That needs to be swapped out for a v belt pulley. 

[DJ194950]

Paul,

 

which way does the exhaust flapper valve and weight   go as it heats up. Something there just does not look right to me but the whole thing still confuses me somewhat. Mainly the position of parts, spring/start position of the counterweight etc. Have seen a few variations of parts as my car had no motor when purchased and bought several parts? motors to build mine. 

 

DJ

Edited May 12, 2016 by DJ194950

[pflaming]

DJ, the spring is broken on that flapper. I retrieved my radiator today. There was a very small leak top of the core. The shop fixed that, flushed out the rad, pressured tested it, and tested it in a bath. I mention this mundane incident because there was NO CHARGE for the work done. No it many of these guys around anymore.

Compression test tomorrow, the fuel flow, energy to the distributor, rotor at wire 1, water and oil and maybe. . . .

[DJ194950]

No cats in the garage!!

 

You go!!

 

Best to ya!

DJ

[pflaming]

I have two old questionable coils. I need a good one for my rebuilt engine, so how to test them? So I stared my truck engine to conform it would start, then I switched in the two old coils. Both WORK! Saved me some money,

Edited July 10, 2018 by pflaming

[William Davey]

Paul - You might want to bring the second good coil on your first shakedown drive.  It's possible to have a cold coil that will start and engine and run for a while, but fail when it gets hot.  If you bring a spare you can almost guarantee that you won't need it.

[Branded]

Paul

I have a coil I just removed from my 49, doing a complete rewire and 12v conversion. Let me know if you want it and it's yours for free.

Dave

[pflaming]

Dave, I do not think the coil needs to be changed when changing to 12 volt if a reducer is placed in line. I am changing to 12 volt. That is how my truck is set up and it runs fine. However, I'll take a rain check on that extra coil. 

 

New news to me that an old coil can fail once it gets hot. TKS. I think I will piggy back the spare coil on top of the coil in use and then all I have to do is change the wires if such is required.  

 

Per Post below: Yes it is, in fact the wires are on that coil to remind me what goes back on, they go nowhere, TKS though for noticing. 

Edited May 14, 2016 by pflaming

[deathbound]

I hope that household wire nut is temporary.

[Plymouthy Adams]

the wire nut is still at large and working it appears....

[Branded]

Dave, I do not think the coil needs to be changed when changing to 12 volt if a reducer is placed in line. I am changing to 12 volt.

I'm using a Langdon electronic distributor and using the coil that comes with his kit. That the reason for not needing the original coil.

[pflaming]

Wire nut: look more closely at the picture, at the bottom is the coil I was testing, the top coil and wire nut were not connected to any thing. Tried a compression test, results erratic, caused by a weak battery, I hope. It is being charged now.

[pflaming]

NOW WHAT? Checked compression with the starter, all numbers are 100+ but one, it is as dead as Don's horse. Now what? All the valves were checked and trued so there should not be a problem there unless one broke. Cam must be OK since the valves are lifting and closing. 

 

Oil pressure with a weak battery is 25 psi and I removed the valve cover to check valve movement and all is well there. So. . . the possible bad news is in the cylinder or piston, or rings. I put my finger on the hole and it did NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH, NUEST!

 

To discover the problem I may have to flip this engine over and look pull a piston?????? 

 

Well I guess I will clean my shop! Add to this, this morning I called my body shop man and discovered he was in the hospital recovering from a stroke. One arm and most of one leg are limp, so now I'm a car body short and a dead piston and I'm not at the mall on a mechanical car!  

Edited May 16, 2016 by pflaming

[Jeff Balazs]

Paul;

I think it almost certainly has to be a valve issue. For a piston to have zero compression something catastrophic would have had to happen. Surely you would have noticed a hole or the piston not traveling up and down. Out of curiosity which cylinder was it?

 

Jeff

[pflaming]

cylinder # 3. 

 

I went back to page 16, 17 where pictures show the block with the head off. All looks good there. Pistons 3 & 4 are up, in another picture they are down.

 

It must be rings, but cylinder walls were smooth as a baby's butt. Broken ring would scar the wall, i think. The cylinders have been soaking for the last four days, so the rings should be loose. 

Edited May 17, 2016 by pflaming

[rhelm1953]

I'm with Jeff on this one, more likely a valve than rings if compression is really zero, even bad rings will give you something.  A quick way to verify valves vs rings is a wet compression check.  Squirt some oil in the dead cylinder and check your compression again, it improves then the problem is rings, if no change most likely valve.

Could you have one valve set too tight so it's not closing when it comes off the lobe?

 

Rich

[Dodgeb4ya]

That engine looked pretty tired down in the basement portion.

Maybe cause of 25lbs of  low oil pressure after long crank times for compression testing.

Should be 40 lbs .

 

Zero compression... valve issue or maybe the piston is gone!

Edited May 17, 2016 by Dodgeb4ya