Found my camshaft! - Pulling motor on 1948 Dodge.

[Sniper]

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

brake cleaner and hit it with a torch to burn off any residue

 

Careful there, depending on the torch heat level, chlorinated brake cleaner can break down into phosgene when heated hot enough.  Phosgene was used as a chemical weapon and is a choking agent.  Of course the chlorinated stuff is the good one too, lol.

[Bryan]

45 minutes ago, Sniper said:

 

Careful there, depending on the torch heat level, chlorinated brake cleaner can break down into phosgene when heated hot enough.  Phosgene was used as a chemical weapon and is a choking agent.  Of course the chlorinated stuff is the good one too, lol.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Bryan]

One hour, no leaks so far. If I can get 2-3 hours it might hold. Used 2 layers on all the lower patches.   

 

Also got my core plugs from Summit. Good I had other stuff to order. Hate buying core plugs for $20 and paying $11 for shipping.  On the 1953 Dodge head core plug near the sensor, the Melling 1-3/16 MEP-21B is a loose fit, no space around it, just not tight until you whap it.  On the 48 head it is tighter.   The 1-13/64 cup plug is a tight fit on the 53 head.  Not the right plug, but reckon if you had a 1-13/64 dish it would be better. 

 

I think the Melling MPC-225 (0.775" diameter) is going to fit in the rear oil galley as a backup to the threaded plug. I test fitted it, was going in 1/8", all I have to do is drive it in.

[Bryan]

Well that didn't work.  Side patch blew out.   That's all I'm trying on that method.   If I put the core plugs in that would hold, but that's where I was wanting to blow out any crud.

 

[Bryan]

Took the patches off, took a while to clean the goo off. Brake cleaner works. Pressure washed inside the water jackets to get the evaporust out.  Reoiled everything. Finished with the block for now.

[Bryan]

Separating rods from the pistons. I definitely bent the #3 rod when I used a wood block in the engine trying to keep the motor from turning while I took the crank nut off.  It also turned the bushing in the top.  Replaced it with a #5 from the newer block.  

 

Also replaced #2 rod. Looks like a drunk tried to drill the squirt hole out. They finally hit it.  

 

Letting 2 rusty rods soak in Evaporust.  Looks like light surface rust.

 

 

 

 

[Bryan]

Nothing much new.   Put all the old pistons in old storage shed.   Been cleaning the VPW NOS pistons. A lot of work but got my 2.00" compression height for $107 (included shipping) instead of EGGE $350.   Feels like $243 worth of work but hey, I'm retired.   Scotchbrite pads do well, I found laying them on the glass plate and rotating the pistons on them is best. Tried holding them in my hand but wasn't even.  Finding on the NOS pistons 4 out of 6 are slightly dished on top. Not measurable but you see it when rotating the pistons on 2000 grit sandpaper on the glass plate.  With all the cleaning I'm removing .2-.3 grams from the pistons. Love my scale.  It is 0.1 gram accurate. Each piston shows consistent weight loss.

 

Cut grass on riding mower yesterday before it got hot.  Think I overdid it last week.  Been feeling crappy ever since then.  

[FarmerJon]

For the rods, if you are going to replace the bolts and have balanced and resized anyway, I usually will pull the rod bolts, debur, grind smooth the forge lines and have rechecked for cracks. These are stress risers, but also can hide cracks and flaws.

I believe ARP has rod bolts that fit our rods (maybe intended for Ford FE engines)

 

There are several online guides for 'race prepping' stock connecting rods,but I marked up a picture of what you are after

 

ETA: unrelated to rods, but relevant to balancing, usually the crank can be balanced, then have the flywheel and pressure plate installed, marked for location and balanced again. On some things I have found the pressure plate to be out much more than anything else!

Edited May 22, 2022 by FarmerJon

[Bryan]

Went to send the camshaft off to Delta for a regrind - Nope. $52 for 7 day USPS one way.   Reckon the way back is the same. 

Going to look for local grinder or buy a "new" one.

[Sam Buchanan]

On 5/9/2022 at 7:02 PM, Sniper said:

 

Careful there, depending on the torch heat level, chlorinated brake cleaner can break down into phosgene when heated hot enough.  Phosgene was used as a chemical weapon and is a choking agent.  Of course the chlorinated stuff is the good one too, lol.

 

Just saw this post and it reminded me of an article that was circulating in the experimental aircraft community a few years ago. Combination of a torch and brake cleaner can be catastrophic!

 

https://www.brewracingframes.com/safety-alert-brake-cleaner--phosgene-gas.html

[Bryan]

1 hour ago, Sam Buchanan said:

 

Just saw this post and it reminded me of an article that was circulating in the experimental aircraft community a few years ago. Combination of a torch and brake cleaner can be catastrophic!

 

https://www.brewracingframes.com/safety-alert-brake-cleaner--phosgene-gas.html

Thanks for the warning.  Won't do that again.   Been feeling crappy for about a week but that was waaaay after cleaning block. Was the day after I cut grass for 3 hrs.

[FarmerJon]

Try ups or FedEx. USPS is only cheapest if it is flat rate or small. 

 

ETA-also try a USPS Large "Gameboard" box, I think they are 23"+

Edited May 25, 2022 by FarmerJon

[kencombs]

9 hours ago, Bryan said:

Went to send the camshaft off to Delta for a regrind - Nope. $52 for 7 day USPS one way.   Reckon the way back is the same.

Going to look for local grinder or buy a "new" one.

Recheck your weight and dimensions ,  Use the smallest possible box,  I just use a 3x3x26" box at 5 lbs (guessed at length) and it was less that 1/2 that from east to west coast.

[Bryan]

10 hours ago, FarmerJon said:

Try ups or FedEx. USPS is only cheapest if it is flat rate or small. 

 

ETA-also try a USPS Large "Gameboard" box, I think they are 23"+

You're right ..reckon she didn't want to suggest anything else. I'll go back up there today and pick up a box.  Thanks.

[kencombs]

One packaging comment:   Be sure to reinforce the box with tape, especially where the ends of the cam are.   Many hard objects have escaped their boxes during mailing.   Tools and other heavy and hard smaller things can punch right through the light cardboard.    I like to use the tape with filaments (fiberglass, nylon or ) embedded in it as it is almost impossible to break.

[Bryan]

39 minutes ago, kencombs said:

One packaging comment:   Be sure to reinforce the box with tape, especially where the ends of the cam are.   Many hard objects have escaped their boxes during mailing.   Tools and other heavy and hard smaller things can punch right through the light cardboard.    I like to use the tape with filaments (fiberglass, nylon or ) embedded in it as it is almost impossible to break.

Just did, I  didn't trust the self seal sticky. Wrapped around the whole box end with packaging tape.

[Bryan]

15 hours ago, FarmerJon said:

Try ups or FedEx. USPS is only cheapest if it is flat rate or small. 

 

ETA-also try a USPS Large "Gameboard" box, I think they are 23"+

Well dang, it took some doings but I sent it off in the "game box"..  I ask the first lady..nope, largest flat rate box are these..about 14" long.  I told her, I saw it on the USPS site that there is a $21.50 large box that is 23 1/2" long. Well, we don't have those here.   Another USPS lady passing by us,  oh, that's the "game box", it's flat rate.  First lady, I didn't know it was flat rate..  

 

Anyway, thanks a bunch for the info. The cam fits diagonally with a slight 1/4" bulge in the "game box".  SC to WA for $21.50 regardless of weight.  I  wrapped it all around with packaging tape and had styrofoam hard squares cut from an old TV shipping box.

[kencombs]

5 minutes ago, Bryan said:

Just did, I  didn't trust the self seal sticky. Wrapped around the whole box end with packaging tape.

Good!   I used to sell a lot on eBay and never had a package rupture.  But have read many, many accounts by others where ratchets, extensions, heavy small parts etc left the box through a hole and the box arrived empty.  Gets really sticky to resolve as USPS will show the package as being delivered and want to wash there hands of it.  Buyer will be refunded, eventually if they are persistent.  Still a mess.

[Bryan]

Taking the cleaned up NOS pistons and deburring them. Slow work.  Pics show before.

[FarmerJon]

Never hurts to deburr stuff!

 

If there are any parts you want to check for cracks but don't want to carry to the machine shop for mag particle, or is aluminum, you can Dye Pen test at home affordably.

 

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/testing-cracks-home-diy-dye-penetrants/

[Bryan]

Finally finished with the pistons.   Even deburred on the insides. Highly recommended. Found some pieces that just fell off when you rubbed them with sandpaper or the rounded end of a file.   Was going to weigh rods but would have had to find the baggy with the nuts. 

[Bryan]

After cutting grass this morning alongside the pond with a push mower, got wore out and used the afternoon looking at spark plug wires.  Kind of got ticked, the nice quality ones (Taylor - MSD) have giant white letters on the wires. I don't wear T shirts with big ads plastered across them either.  Was about to buy from my usual place on Ebay, didn't like the combination of parts adding up.   Found another place I've used, Brillman, with copper core, black shiny PVC covered wires and no lettering.  $ 11.50 flat rate mailing.   Might not be high tech silicone covered but think they'll do.

[Sniper]

I've used MEK to take the lettering off of plug wires in the past.

 

Not sure you can even get MEK anymore.

 

[Bryan]

58 minutes ago, Sniper said:

I've used MEK to take the lettering off of plug wires in the past.

 

Not sure you can even get MEK anymore.

 

The guy on Ebay was telling me the letters could be cleaned off their wires, but I've had enough cleaning with the pistons.   These will get me through a few years.   MEK..methyl ethyl ketone? Without me looking it up.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Brake cleaner/carb cleaner or lacquer thinner is what I always use...on heater hoses too.

Easy and quick.