Found my camshaft! - Pulling motor on 1948 Dodge.

[Plymouthy Adams]

MEK was some nasty stuff, we used to use it to clean equipment in the Army but for health concerns was abandoned in 1974 by our organization....imagine the military quitting its use....had to be baddddddd stuff.   I sure did a good job cleaning caked on grease and oils however and dried inks.  

[Dodgeb4ya]

Methylene Chloride isn't too good either...pulled out of paint strippers a few years ago.

I worked at a painting company that went through 55 gallon drums every couple weeks.

[Sam Buchanan]

2 hours 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.

 

It’s still available, Google shows several sources. Even though this solvent has wicked fumes the health hazards aren’t much different from many other solvents. Used properly it’s ok……abuse can damage the nervous system.

[Bryan]

An off note but two things.

 

How do y'all feel about running the wires bunched together in 2 metal tubes? All for keeping original but seems like a rubber or plastic separator would be better.  

 

I measured the weight of 3 original pistons, and they were 518.4, 515.8 and 518.1 grams.  These 6 NOS ELKO pistons are weighing from 475.8 to 481.0 grams. A lot lighter.  They are the 2.0 compression height pistons.

 

[Sniper]

10 hours ago, Bryan said:

MEK..methyl ethyl ketone?

 

Yes, a bit of research shows me that the major hardware places don't carry it anymore.  They have some sort of substitute.  No idea if it works.

 

You can get MEK online, but not cheap at all.

[Sniper]

10 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

MEK was some nasty stuff, we used to use it to clean equipment in the Army but for health concerns was abandoned in 1974 by our organization....imagine the military quitting its use....had to be baddddddd stuff.   I sure did a good job cleaning caked on grease and oils however and dried inks.  

 

Well the Navy was still using it in the 80's, that's where I got exposed to it.  Was junior man at an antenna overhaul shop, which means I got all the crap jobs, like spray painting, we used MEK to flush and clean the guns.  After two years there I was stupid, took a while to recover.  Which is kind of why I am a pain about being safe anymore.

[Bryan]

22 minutes ago, Sniper said:

 

Well the Navy was still using it in the 80's, that's where I got exposed to it.  ... Which is kind of why I am a pain about being safe anymore.

My Ex's Aunt's husband in Germany worked refinishing furniture most of his life.  He started getting symptoms like MS, eventually died from it. They finally figured it was the solvents and not a disease.

[Bryan]

Hope USPS didn't lose my camshaft. No update since 30 May after it left Charlotte NC going to WA.

[Bryan]

Been having a few health problems but did manage to look at the block and take a few measurements.  Had the block upside down. The oil holes from the main bearings downwards measured Front .310, 2nd .27 , 3rd .26, and rear .315".   Was hard to get to the holes from the cam bearings but they all looked the same size, and the tip I stuck in them (to  pullout and measure) was .265".    

 

Funny, the front holes from the main oil galley to the main bearings were larger,  but got smaller deeper in, in a sharp step.  It got dark on me and had to stop.  Imagine the smaller section is the same as the cam holes from the rear,  BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE LARGER SECTION STOPPED SOMETIMES BEFORE THE MAIN BEARINGS.  Need to confirm.   Hope some new worker did not drill short of the mains.   You would think the larger section would go all the way to the mains, and past that to the cam bearings it would be smaller.  Will confirm tomorrow, ran out of light.

[Bryan]

The down side. No news on camshaft yet. Never made it to Delta.  Mailed off 26 May. I contacted USPS and registered a search. 

 

Good news:  I'm sure my 48 Dodge crankshaft fits in the D-46 1953 block.  I cleaned the crank up and deburred it, and put the main bearings for the 48 in, and set the crank in the block. Going to tighten it down another day. It fit in the bearings well and turned easily, so I don't think I bent it.  Reason for this was to make sure it fits. And I'm going to recheck the deck height using one cleaned up piston & rod (without rings). Probably odd # for 1,3 and 5.  Need to also figure out how much thrust surfaces on the crank can be worn.

[Bryan]

Thank you Lord, they have my camshaft!!   Delta just called me. I thought it was USPS Washington state at first.   They've already ground my cam and resurfaced 8 lifters. $ 164.28   They kept it per specs, making sure exhaust lift/durations are the same, intake lift/durations are the same.  Refinished the bearing journals/cleaned up. I had told them on the request sheet didn't want to increase the duration or lift to one of these 4500 rpm types.   Requested  a spec sheet..see what I get.   I AM HAPPY.   1 1/2 weeks messing with USPS..was about to put in a claim.

[Sniper]

Hmm, I might have to pull the cam and lifters out of my core 230 and send them out for rework.

 

Did they share with you the grinds they had available?  I do want more poop out of mine, lol.

Edited June 7, 2022 by Sniper

[Bryan]

32 minutes ago, Sniper said:

Hmm, I might have to pull the cam and lifters out of my core 230 and send them out for rework.

 

Did they share with you the grinds they had available?  I do want more poop out of mine, lol.

They have various but I didn't ask about them.  Some of them (Delta) are posted on that PowerWagon Advertiser site I mentioned. He was talking about a "marine cam" grind but mentioned even that might be more than I wanted.  This was after the fact since I didn't even know they had mine til they were finished.  Price includes FEDEX back to me, but didn't include the $21.50 flat rate box I used to send it.

[Bryan]

Got my cam & tappets delivered yesterday.  

[Bryan]

Oh what an exciting day. Sitting, laying, walking around with a sciatic nerve bothering me. Took the new piston rings out of the box and oiled them. Were dry and just starting to get a rust film (can't even call it that, more a haze) on them, that wiped off with gun oil.   Dated August 2020.  Checked the bearings for the camshaft against the cam,  best I could measure was .003" play. Tried one out lightly oiled, and couldn't feel play on the camshaft.   Ho hum..  Also was comparing ring weights, most spot on, a few off 0.1 gram.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Bryan