The Ford Barn

Will N · 04-10-2013, 07:29 AM

Thouight I'd update you kind folks who took the time to enter suggestions. I'm the type of guy who likes to see things for myself before I bring in outside help. I wanted to check the head and deck for flatness before bringing it to a machine shop, so I ordered a machinists straight edge. It came yesterday. Sure enough, the head is warped. It's bowed upward (as installed) in the middle by .013 when measured lengthwise and diagonally, but it's flat from side to side. The block deck is also flat in all directions (phew!). I'll be looking for a machine shop today!

yachtsmanbill · 04-10-2013, 07:37 AM

EXCELLENT! Now also use that straight edge to check the exhaust manifold for flat and all the ports being in line. Thats a nice indespensible tool to have. Make a nice wood box for it and will it to your grandkids!
When they stick me in the oven, Im sure the junk man is gonna have a field day over here! ws

visionary · 04-10-2013, 05:11 PM

Thanks for the update, i'm glad you caught it before real damage ocured.
I know the head on my T was warped bad, they had to take .025 off to get it back straight. $30.00 cash to the machinist and all was well.

Will N · 04-13-2013, 11:57 AM

ARGH! It never rains but it pours! Got the head back from the machine shop yesterday. Installed it this morning, filled the radiator with water, and left the oil drain plug out so that I could check if it's still leaking. Went to do something else to give it time to leak down if it was going to. Came back and see water seeping from an external crack on the top of the head between number 2 and 3 cylinders!!!!!

I always suspected there might be a crack there because there was what looked a flaw in the casting, but it never leaked there. I guess, when the head was bowed and then drawn down, it forced the crack together. Now that the head is flat, the crack isn't being forced together and it's seeping.

Does anyone out there have a nice low cylinder head that has no cracks and isn't warped that they're willing to sell? Do the low heads have a casting date on them? Mine has raised 4 25 toward rear. If that's a casting date, then does anyone have one with a 1915 date?

P.S., it just occurred to me that that 4 25 can't be a casting date, as the switch from low to high heads occurred in 1918, and what I have is definitely a low head. Maybe it's a mold id number, or maybe it means April 25th instead of April 1925?

dumb person · 04-14-2013, 12:44 AM

Chemiweld.

Will N · 04-14-2013, 08:17 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Yeah, I thought briefly about some kind of sealer, but since I'm going through all this trouble with the head on and off and on and now off again, I want to fix it once and for all with a replacement head. But thanks for the recommendation.

yachtsmanbill · 04-14-2013, 09:55 AM

Can I please have the old head? Ill pay for the shipping! ws

Will N · 04-14-2013, 11:19 AM

Hey Bill, why so eager for a cracked head? Am I missing something? Are these things so rare that even with an external crack they're valuable?

yachtsmanbill · 04-14-2013, 12:24 PM

To be quite frank with you, they are in a bit more demand than a high head. Generally, they go for about $50-75 each (servicable), and of course theres the kook on edog that has a "rare" one for $600; yeah right! High heads are $20 at swap meets... For me, its worth trying to braze up and run on my speedster, if for nothing else, just to say that its a low head. That, and I like to fix stuff ! ws

Will N · 04-27-2013, 02:45 PM

Just to update y'all... I located a nice low head off the MTFCA Swap site. It needed a little milling to true it up. Installed it today, buttoned it all up and took it for a spin. So far so good. I used the modern style head gasket this time. Need to retorque the bolts after it cools down. But I'ma gonna keepa my eye on that water level like an OCD!

During the winter, I also splurged for the Strobospark coil tester, and I adjusted my coils. Holy smokes, what a difference! I can start it on magneto now too, which I was never able to do. Those friggin bad (and badly adjusted) coils were the reason I pulled the head in the first place (to scrape all the carbon).

I also rebuilt the pedal shafts and cams, and installed new band linings over the winter. Took a little fiddling to get is all right today. I think it might need a lot of adjusting until the new bands wear in some, right?

04-10-2013, 07:29 AM	#21
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,100	Re: water in the oil Thouight I'd update you kind folks who took the time to enter suggestions. I'm the type of guy who likes to see things for myself before I bring in outside help. I wanted to check the head and deck for flatness before bringing it to a machine shop, so I ordered a machinists straight edge. It came yesterday. Sure enough, the head is warped. It's bowed upward (as installed) in the middle by .013 when measured lengthwise and diagonally, but it's flat from side to side. The block deck is also flat in all directions (phew!). I'll be looking for a machine shop today!

04-10-2013, 07:37 AM	#22
yachtsmanbill Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Two Rivers, Wi. Posts: 1,406	Re: water in the oil EXCELLENT! Now also use that straight edge to check the exhaust manifold for flat and all the ports being in line. Thats a nice indespensible tool to have. Make a nice wood box for it and will it to your grandkids! When they stick me in the oven, Im sure the junk man is gonna have a field day over here! ws __________________ " Warning; the following contains content that the anal retentive may find offensive - please skip on to the next posting!"

04-10-2013, 05:11 PM	#23
visionary Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Amherst NY Posts: 108	Re: water in the oil Thanks for the update, i'm glad you caught it before real damage ocured. I know the head on my T was warped bad, they had to take .025 off to get it back straight. $30.00 cash to the machinist and all was well.

04-13-2013, 11:57 AM	#24
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,100	Re: water in the oil ARGH! It never rains but it pours! Got the head back from the machine shop yesterday. Installed it this morning, filled the radiator with water, and left the oil drain plug out so that I could check if it's still leaking. Went to do something else to give it time to leak down if it was going to. Came back and see water seeping from an external crack on the top of the head between number 2 and 3 cylinders!!!!! I always suspected there might be a crack there because there was what looked a flaw in the casting, but it never leaked there. I guess, when the head was bowed and then drawn down, it forced the crack together. Now that the head is flat, the crack isn't being forced together and it's seeping. Does anyone out there have a nice low cylinder head that has no cracks and isn't warped that they're willing to sell? Do the low heads have a casting date on them? Mine has raised 4 25 toward rear. If that's a casting date, then does anyone have one with a 1915 date? P.S., it just occurred to me that that 4 25 can't be a casting date, as the switch from low to high heads occurred in 1918, and what I have is definitely a low head. Maybe it's a mold id number, or maybe it means April 25th instead of April 1925? Last edited by Will N; 04-13-2013 at 12:17 PM. Reason: added the P.S.

04-14-2013, 12:44 AM	#25
dumb person Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South pacific island Posts: 1,724	Re: water in the oil Chemiweld. __________________ <Link> This is how we roll<Link> "I'm Convinced that no one really reads posts anymore; they just fabricate what they think the post says then ramble on about red herrings."--Bob Outcasts rules of old cars #1 Fun is imperative, mainstream is overrated #2 If they think it is impossible, prove them wrong #3 If the science says it impossible you are not being creative enough. #4 No shame in recreating something you never had #5 If it were not for the law & physics you would be unstoppable

04-14-2013, 08:17 AM	#26
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,100	Re: water in the oil Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Yeah, I thought briefly about some kind of sealer, but since I'm going through all this trouble with the head on and off and on and now off again, I want to fix it once and for all with a replacement head. But thanks for the recommendation.

04-14-2013, 09:55 AM	#27
yachtsmanbill Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Two Rivers, Wi. Posts: 1,406	Re: water in the oil Can I please have the old head? Ill pay for the shipping! ws __________________ " Warning; the following contains content that the anal retentive may find offensive - please skip on to the next posting!"

04-14-2013, 11:19 AM	#28
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,100	Re: water in the oil Hey Bill, why so eager for a cracked head? Am I missing something? Are these things so rare that even with an external crack they're valuable?

04-14-2013, 12:24 PM	#29
yachtsmanbill Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Two Rivers, Wi. Posts: 1,406	Re: water in the oil To be quite frank with you, they are in a bit more demand than a high head. Generally, they go for about $50-75 each (servicable), and of course theres the kook on edog that has a "rare" one for $600; yeah right! High heads are $20 at swap meets... For me, its worth trying to braze up and run on my speedster, if for nothing else, just to say that its a low head. That, and I like to fix stuff ! ws __________________ " Warning; the following contains content that the anal retentive may find offensive - please skip on to the next posting!"

04-27-2013, 02:45 PM	#30
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,100	Re: water in the oil Just to update y'all... I located a nice low head off the MTFCA Swap site. It needed a little milling to true it up. Installed it today, buttoned it all up and took it for a spin. So far so good. I used the modern style head gasket this time. Need to retorque the bolts after it cools down. But I'ma gonna keepa my eye on that water level like an OCD! During the winter, I also splurged for the Strobospark coil tester, and I adjusted my coils. Holy smokes, what a difference! I can start it on magneto now too, which I was never able to do. Those friggin bad (and badly adjusted) coils were the reason I pulled the head in the first place (to scrape all the carbon). I also rebuilt the pedal shafts and cams, and installed new band linings over the winter. Took a little fiddling to get is all right today. I think it might need a lot of adjusting until the new bands wear in some, right?