51 Meadowbrook engine rebuild

[Worden18]

Well I was wrong about the starter.  One of the bushings was just a bit too tight.  My friend advised to take everything back apart.  Doing it for the second time in so many days was a lot easier.   We tried to ream that bushing but it ended up spinning.  So we pounded it out and put a different one in and then reamed it.  That worked great.  I put it all back together and set it up on the tester and now I see how its really supposed to spin.   I didn't realize the starter is an Autolite.

 

 

[Worden18]

I also got help from my 7 year old son (he is really into this stuff with me) cleaning up the motor mount bracket and Fluid Drive/ clutch cover.  Both were really caked with gunk so we had to scrape them first and then scrub them down in the parts washer.  I suppose I will hit them with some paint before reassembly.  We also sandblasted the head bolts.  My son did a few of them and I did the rest.

[cruz]

Thanks for the pics..Im planning a rebuild in the future..its nice to see what I'm getting into..tool up ect..HOPE SHE GOES SMOOOOOOTH...

[Worden18]

2 hours ago, cruz said:

Thanks for the pics..Im planning a rebuild in the future..its nice to see what I'm getting into..tool up ect..HOPE SHE GOES SMOOOOOOTH...

Taking things apart is the more difficult part IMO.  Jumping into some things that I haven't seen apart before, etc. is always a challenge.  I'll have to say, it would've been a lot more difficult without the help of my friends, whom have the talent it really takes.  I have taken a lot of pics, written notes, and labeled and bagged bolts, clips, washers, etc.  Its just the way I do things.  I will be the first to admit I likely wouldn't be able to do any of it without help.  Thank goodness for friends 

[Worden18]

Stopped at the builder's today to drop off the intake and exhaust manifolds.  He will clean the carbon out and sandblast each one.  I will spray them with high-temp paint.  I took a peek at the bare block, which was really cool to see.  Its mostly clean now, but he said he'll do a bit more cleaning by hand.  After inspecting all the parts he will go .030 over with the pistons.  He'll polish the crankshaft and the camshaft.  All new main and rod bearings, and bushings.  All the valves look good, including the one we originally thought was cupped.  He said he will grind them and see if they remain in spec.  Should be fine.  He will put in new valve springs.  He'll also put in hardened valve seats.  

When inspecting the bottom side of the block I found a number of symbols and letters stamped into it, which I thought were interesting.  My friend pointed out that they're likely inspection stamps for a particular job finished or tolerance held as the block made its way along the assembly line.  I don't think any of my pics show the stamped letters and symbols close up; I apologize for that.  One stamp was a "P", another an "M" or "W" depending on which way you look at it.  The symbols were unique.  I'd like to find out more about what those meant.  Anyone have any ideas they'd like to share?  

Here's some pics of the block:

Edited April 1, 2017 by Worden18

[Worden18]

[Worden18]

[Worden18]

[Worden18]

crankshaft

[dpollo]

Your block already has hardened exhaust valve seats .    save your money unless one is cracked or beyond specs. 

[knuckleharley]

2 minutes ago, dpollo said:

Your block already has hardened exhaust valve seats .    save your money unless one is cracked or beyond specs. 

When did Mopar start doing that,and did they do it with all their engines?

[Worden18]

1 hour ago, dpollo said:

Your block already has hardened exhaust valve seats .    save your money unless one is cracked or beyond specs. 

I will see him again next week and ask him what's going on.  Maybe I missed something....definitely want to clear it up now 

[dpollo]

To the best of my knowledge all   Dodge Desoto Plymouth & Chrysler blocks since the mid 30s had stellite exhaust  seats to give longer valve life.   I have a T designated 251 block here now with inserts on the intakes as well.  Unless your block's seats are cracked or pitted beyond service, just have them reground.  This is a service operation that your machine shop is familiar with.

Ford V-8 blocks had two levels of hardness for their seats.  One hard, the other very much softer.  This may be what your machinist is thinking.

Long service on unleaded gas has caused no problems on any of the  engines  I have been involved with, including one which has now logged 80 000 miles since it was rebuilt.

[Worden18]

11 hours ago, dpollo said:

To the best of my knowledge all   Dodge Desoto Plymouth & Chrysler blocks since the mid 30s had stellite exhaust  seats to give longer valve life.   I have a T designated 251 block here now with inserts on the intakes as well.  Unless your block's seats are cracked or pitted beyond service, just have them reground.  This is a service operation that your machine shop is familiar with.

Ford V-8 blocks had two levels of hardness for their seats.  One hard, the other very much softer.  This may be what your machinist is thinking.

Long service on unleaded gas has caused no problems on any of the  engines  I have been involved with, including one which has now logged 80 000 miles since it was rebuilt.

Thank you for the info.  I will show him this post 

[Vin's 49 Plymouth]

Just got mine back last week. With a .040 bore, balanced and decked .020.

[Worden18]

33 minutes ago, Vin's 49 Plymouth said:

Just got mine back last week. With a .040 bore, balanced and decked .020.

Wow that's looking nice!  Looking at that just makes me even more pumped to get mine back.  Patience....

[classiccarjack]

I can't wait to start rebuilding one of mine!  I am waiting on my boring bar to come back. I sent it out to get the base machined to insure that it will bore true....

This Topic has been very inspiring.  

[Worden18]

Stopped by the builder's today.  I had requested he contact me when he was going to bore the block.  So I got to see the boring machine in action.  As a machinist myself (been out of it a long time) I've bored many parts in a lathe and on a mill, but never an engine block.  It was fun to watch.  The pistons are .030 over; I got to see one of those as well.  He had ordered a number of new parts and we sorted through the box which included the pistons, new valve springs, a full gasket set, and quite a few other parts.  And oh, dpollo, you were right, the exhaust valve seats are hardened.  Not that I ever doubted you, but the builder got proof once he started messing around with them.  He was able to grind them and they are good to go.  He also decked the block about .006 to clean up a small dipped spot.  Things are looking good.  He said I'll likely have my engine back by the end of next week (April 21st).  Can't wait!

[Worden18]

another shot...

[Worden18]

He'll of course hone it when he's done here.

[Worden18]

top view of .030 over piston

[Worden18]

new piston; kinda blurry, I apologize

[Worden18]

Here's a video of the boring machine in action.  

[dpollo]

Thanks for keeping us all posted.     You will be incredibly pleased at how well your car will run !

Watching that boring machine reminded me that some boring jobs were done right in the car !!  How they got all the residue out of the engine

afterwards still puzzles me.

[Worden18]

2 minutes ago, dpollo said:

Thanks for keeping us all posted.     You will be incredibly pleased at how well your car will run !

Watching that boring machine reminded me that some boring jobs were done right in the car !!  How they got all the residue out of the engine

afterwards still puzzles me.

Thanks dpollo for caring enough to give me advice, and for being interested in my project.  I love this stuff.  I absolutely can't wait to get it all back together.

Yesterday I spent some time cleaning the 65 years of buildup off the transmission.  Its not perfectly clean yet, but I got most of it.  Tomorrow I'm going to remove the parking brake off the tranny and send it in for the core on a new/rebuilt one.  Its pretty rusty and worn down.  I also spent some time today talking to an old-timer that runs an exhaust shop.  He actually had books and statistic cards that go WAY back.  The cards showed how long each piece of exhaust should be, what angle the bends are, etc.  It was really neat to see.  I didn't even know something like that existed.  Once I get it running again the first place I'm taking it is to that shop for new exhaust.  The guy seemed pretty excited to work on it; he doesn't get many older cars anymore.