Building my first flathead

[Swimeasy]

Well, I am new even though I've been lurking around for a while and Iam trying to get a feel for this place. I will post picts soon, but I am building a 27 RPU and will be building the motor soon. My question is, how many of you have flatheads and have building knowlege that you could share with me? My 8ba is out of the machine shop and I have a lot of books bought but no locals are still around to help build the thing.I live in San Angelo, Texas and can use help.....THANKS, MAN!

 

[Youngster]

what are you using for a trans? what machining did you have done on the block? did you have the rotating assm. balanced? was the block cleaned inside too? what carb set up are you using? what kind of performance do you want from the engine?

Ron

 

[Keeper]

Well, I am new even though I've been lurking around for a while and Iam trying to get a feel for this place. I will post picts soon, but I am building a 27 RPU and will be building the motor soon. My question is, how many of you have flatheads and have building knowlege that you could share with me? My 8ba is out of the machine shop and I have a lot of books bought but no locals are still around to help build the thing.I live in San Angelo, Texas and can use help.....THANKS, MAN!

I cannot help with the flathead, but welcome!

I spent some time down there at the Goodbuddy airplane patch. Not a bad little place. Not a whole lot to do either!

 

[Swimeasy]

what are you using for a trans? what machining did you have done on the block? did you have the rotating assm. balanced? was the block cleaned inside too? what carb set up are you using? what kind of performance do you want from the engine?

Ron

 

[Swimeasy]

Block is clean, all oil passages are real clean. The shop went .080 over on the bores and .020 on the mains. It will be stock motor with just a Fenton 2-2 setup with 94's. I might put a mild Isky cam to it .... but nouthing that wants to heat water, if ya know what I mean!

 

[Youngster]

Block is clean, all oil passages are real clean. The shop went .080 over on the bores and .020 on the mains. It will be stock motor with just a Fenton 2-2 setup with 94's. I might put a mild Isky cam to it .... but nouthing that wants to heat water, if ya know what I mean!

ok ... controling the water temp on a flatmotor is very important especialy with that over bore. first thing i would do is start pokin the block. even a hottanked block can benifit from this. take a length of 1/4" rod and start poking around in the water passages. you're trying to dislodge rust scale in the water jacket. i have removed over a cup of it from a tanked block. pay particular attention to the top of the block. that where most of it seems to be.

did you have the block decked? it's not uncommon to find one side being a frw thousands taller at on end than the other.

balancing the crank and piston assems are very benifical with these motors too.

the 2x2 carb set up is a wise choice as ar the 94's. these carbs where designed to handle up to 250 cu. in. two of them will give you the performance you want and still pretty fair gas milage. A single 4bbl would be better but dosen't have the "look". the stock cam will also work well with either of these set ups. a word here on the cam. the isky grids are performance grinds. they give you the lop most want but also add to the cooling problem. the "Jr." cam can be used on the street sucessfully but i prefer the stock configuration.

lastly, is ignition. on the late blocks like you have, the distributor is crap!! i like to convert to the ealier stye 2 bolt with a Mallory distributor for a '42 to '48 motor. speedway pn#500-507-1601. also spend the $$ for the best plug wires you can find.

you said you have books. if you have "Rebuilding the Famous Ford Flat head" by Ron Bishop, use it as your bible. there are many good books out there but this one is far and away the best, jmo. if you follow it you are getting Vern Tardells flathead wisdom. You can't get better than that,again,jmo.

pm me if you have any other questions. i also have a few flathead parts for sale.

Ron

 

[Screaming Metal]

Well, I am new even though I've been lurking around for a while and Iam trying to get a feel for this place. I will post picts soon, but I am building a 27 RPU and will be building the motor soon. My question is, how many of you have flatheads and have building knowlege that you could share with me? My 8ba is out of the machine shop and I have a lot of books bought but no locals are still around to help build the thing.I live in San Angelo, Texas and can use help.....THANKS, MAN!

Pay close attention to what Younster told you in that lastpost.....he's a great guy sharing all his great info!!!!!
Yes....descale that block all you can.....I'm a terrible person to watch when I do it cause
1. I hottank the block....
2. Then I do the poking thing at the deck openings....there's a lot of restriction there....let her dry a couple of days to dry out completely....
3. Then I fire up the sandblaster, and down in the passages I go....when I see fresh graycast....I stop.
4. Then I spend several hours of purging all the sand from the waterjacket, flushing and bsck flushing till theres no grit at all coming out, with my high pressure washer.
5. Then I blower her out with 150 PSI of compressed air.

When I think I got her done.....I pressure wash it a second time and blow her out.....I am a stickler for that grit....then were off to get her worked on....

A big deal with flatheads is sometimes the gaskets can 'shroud' some of the coolant holes.....it you can't see the edge of the block cause that gasket hides part of it.....match the gasket to the hole. It doesn't hurt to open the coolant holes up a little, if they're really small and you have a good bit of meat there.
Now don't get carried away, especially if your by the bore.....cause you could cause a crack or water leak there.....

As Youngster said.....there are alot of good books about building the flatheads....and you canget alot of respectable performance outta them if done correctly.....

Now, after your machining and boring is completed.....wash that engine agian under high pressure, get everything thats not metal off and out of that block!

As soon as your baby is out of the final wash....get a cheap pressurized hand held garden sprayer filled with SAE 30 wt oil and spray her down all over and wipe it everywhere with a lint free cloth. then slide a 40 gallon trashbag over her....tie her up in it until assembly.

Yea.....its a little overkill but I've built about 10+ motors in the Nostalgia racers ranks and not a one has overheated. And don't forget to include a hiflow waterpump on that engine and a oversize radiator.

 

[Youngster]

thanks for the kind words screamim metal. Geez and i thought i was picky!!!!

 

[Screaming Metal]

thanks for the kind words screamim metal. Geez and i thought i was picky!!!!

Yea, yea, yea....I hear ya Younster.....Your like Ole Teddy there.....You probably forgetten more than most of us will learn in a lifetime! Ha!

 

[Swimeasy]

Thanks for the great info! I am getting a bit concerned because the shop tanked the block but did not bake it. You guys have convinced me to clean the water jackets real well! Now, for the big question, have you guys ever heard of soaking an entire block in a dilute solution of feed molassis and water for like a month, to remove scale and rust? I have been reading of people doing that on another board. The folks say it works real well, it's just a bit slow.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Thanks for the great info! I am getting a bit concerned because the shop tanked the block but did not bake it. You guys have convinced me to clean the water jackets real well! Now, for the big question, have you guys ever heard of soaking an entire block in a dilute solution of feed molassis and water for like a month, to remove scale and rust? I have been reading of people doing that on another board. The folks say it works real well, it's just a bit slow.

O.K.,...I'll bite here....Who said this??? I'm not saying its not true, ha!, I've heard of alot of 'home remedies' that will work that sound as silly when first hearing about them, like, putting pepper in your radiator to stop a leak, etc.
I've seen enough and heard enough in my lifetime to be wary of certain things....this MIGHT be one of them. IF, I am wrong....I've learned something and I apologize.....


I can see it now....I'll be rebuilding a block for one of the ole race cars and one of the owners will see me rebuilding his blower, he'll smile. Then He'll see his block sitting in a big tub of molassis and water...by the end of my workbench. I'll then see him grabbing a boat paddle going to smack me in the back of the ole noggin' Ha! Yep....

 

[Swimeasy]

O.K.,...I'll bite here....Who said this??? I'm not saying its not true, ha!, I've heard of alot of 'home remedies' that will work that sound as silly when first hearing about them, like, putting pepper in your radiator to stop a leak, etc.
I've seen enough and heard enough in my lifetime to be wary of certain things....this MIGHT be one of them. IF, I am wrong....I've learned something and I apologize.....


I can see it now....I'll be rebuilding a block for one of the ole race cars and one of the owners will see me rebuilding his blower, he'll smile. Then He'll see his block sitting in a big tub of molassis and water...by the end of my workbench. I'll then see him grabbing a boat paddle going to smack me in the back of the ole noggin' Ha! Yep....

 

[Swimeasy]

I have been following all of this on the HAMB board and there are some pretty funny threads about the process! I was sceptical but some before and after shots made me realize that it was for real. Some of the guys that chimed in are some real stand up folks. One guy said that ya need to do it before machine work because he showed picts of pitting and was warning everybody. As soon as I figure out how to add links to a post, I will turn ya on to it. In the mean time, I am going to try this process on a few smaller items and will post the results.

 

[Swimeasy]

Hey, I just did a search on Google and put in "Soaking in molassas" and the first hit has some biker telling about his gas tank parts that he soaked.(includes picts). Pretty strange, but I just got to try it!

 

[Youngster]

it dose work but you want to get the flakey stuff out first and it is NOT kind to machined surfaces.

Ron

 

[putz]

Hey swimeasy after you hit reply just above the reply there is a smiley face the next button to the right is a chain link.Click on that then enter link.You can name the link also otherwise it will be posted as MY LINK. The next button to the right after that one is for pics.

 

[Screaming Metal]

it dose work but you want to get the flakey stuff out first and it is NOT kind to machined surfaces.

Ron

Hey Youngster....how long does this precess take to work? See what I mean about you knowing stuff! That'd be really nice....really early in the morning I could whip up a batch of that maple flavored stuff and throw a block in it....it'd get me in the mood for some flapjacks and bacon with my coffee! Ha!

See, this old fart learned something today!!!! :egypt:

 

[Youngster]

it takes a long time. i like the electrolysis method better. both methods should be done outside your shop ..very smelly.

Ron