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Old 09-04-2017, 08:54 PM   #41
Mr. J
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Default Re: Basic advice

That makes sense because my great grandfather bought it from another guy in Williamsburg va, pretty nifty to know thank you guys, the next issue I have number wise is that I've tried every way in the world to get the numbers off my block, but I just can't get anything, and I dread trying to get to the number on the frame and advice how to tackle getting to it?
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Old 09-04-2017, 10:07 PM   #42
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Default Re: Basic advice

I also believe the number is the count of the body style built, as my 9-27-28 Phaeton has TC476, and my 2-23-29 Tudor has TC17509.
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Old 09-04-2017, 10:49 PM   #43
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Default Re: Basic advice

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That makes sense because my great grandfather bought it from another guy in Williamsburg va, pretty nifty to know thank you guys, the next issue I have number wise is that I've tried every way in the world to get the numbers off my block, but I just can't get anything, and I dread trying to get to the number on the frame and advice how to tackle getting to it?
Not an easy task to lift the body.

I'm not going to get into legalities but if you do not have a number on the block now and you have your grandfathers paperwork showing the serial number, most seem to just stamp that number on the engine.
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Old 09-04-2017, 10:53 PM   #44
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OK so I finished flushing the radiator, not much rust mostly grease, I used blue wolf degreaser which worked like a charm, now it's running at about 165, ....

Do you know where the grease comes from? It is a common, but wrong, practice to pump a lot a grease into the water pump. Just the slightest amount is needed.
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Old 09-05-2017, 06:14 AM   #45
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Default Re: Basic advice

Yeah I realized that when I first started on it, I gave it about half a pump, might very still been too much
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Old 09-05-2017, 10:31 AM   #46
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Sounds like you are getting things under control but I would like to add that the cleaning of a cooling system like yours is a three step process.
1. remove grease and oils.
2. de rust as several have suggested.
3.Use a rust converter such as Evapo Rust.
Flushing in between as most have suggested to do on this forum.
Good luck, Jack
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Old 09-05-2017, 11:43 AM   #47
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When I started out I put 1 gallon of blue wolf (local mining equipment degreaser) to 2 gallons of water and I let it soak for about 3 days, starting it everyday and letting it warm up to get it circulating, then drained it, back flushed, then I put thermocure in it and let it do its thing for about 3 days starting it and running it then drained it and back flushed filled with water drove up the driveway a few times then drained it again ( I done this about 3 times) and then mixed and topped off with antifreeze, anyone think of any ting I could've missed or done differently?
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Old 09-05-2017, 12:10 PM   #48
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Default Re: Basic advice

Mr. J
Cleaning the cooling system with the radiator in the car only helps promote the loose rust from the engine to circulate and stick in the top and tubes of the radiator.


If you want to clean the system out, remove the radiator, lay it flat on the front, leave the cap on, pour a gallon of vinegar in and let it set for a couple days, you can agitate it by gently sloshing the fluid toward the top.

After a few days of soaking, drain the contents through a strainer of cheese cloth and see how much rust is removed. I then pressure blow water through from the bottom to the top.

The engine is another story. What I did to mine was, since I had to replace the head gasket, while it was off, I used a bore brush on the drill motor and swept the insides of the water jacket, specially around the #3 and #4 cylinders, then with a magnet, cleaned up the rust. If you use vinegar it will continue to eat away at the metal, so DO NOT use that in the engine. I suppose you could use evaporust or some such remover, but please do it while the radiator is removed from the car.
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Old 09-06-2017, 09:01 AM   #49
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Thank you rawhidekid, when I take the motor out I'll put the vinegar in the radiator
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Old 08-28-2018, 01:01 AM   #50
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Hi MR J,


I have been in the same boat as you are in. Reviving an A that which in my case was my fathers, and sat for 50 years, and me not knowing much.


A suggestion is to find someone that know As to guide you. I would have done a lot of things differently if I had known what I was doing.


Hopefully the below does not discourage you.


Lubrication that has been sitting that long is a bad thing. Drain the oil pan, pull the pan and clean it out, and clean the pump oil screen. Oil sitting that long turns to sludge. Enough sludge will block your oil pump. Pull the valve access panels and clean that out. You may want to change out your other fluids - Differential, transmission. Make sure to hit all lube points and grease fittings, especially the generator and distributor oiling, or you will probably ruin their bearings and have to rebuild or replace them.


Run some diagnostics. Compression test, Napa Block Test (for exhaust gasses in the coolant, overheating could be head gasket, cracked head or bloc)- about $45 No use worrying about the radiator until you know the motor is OK.


Install an upper hose coolant filter to filter rust/scale from migrating into and plugging up the radiator. You can buy them, or simply use panty hose in the upper radiator. The filter needs to be checked extremely often when de-rusting a cooling system.


Remove the Motor coolant inlet and outlet, use a borescope to inspect the motor coolant passages for rust/scale. Also use a borescope through the radiator hose connections to inspect upper/lower tanks for rust scale and the core tube openings.


Inspect where head bolts down to the block. After running hot inspect for dampness, or for a white powdery substance - indicates a miss-torqued head or warped head, or bad head gasket.


Use an IR Temp Laser gun, only costs $30 - $40 . With the engine warm/hot/running, take readings horizontally across the radiator tubes, 1st at the top of the core - all tube readings should be within a few degrees, then repeat for the across the middle of the core, then about 2 inches above the bottom of the core. If some tubes are cool compared to others, you have partially of completely plugged tubes.


With engine hot running take temp readings from the passenger side, on the head, close to each spark plug - readings should be very close to each other. Take readings on the block just below the head, where each cylinder is, do both passenger and drivers side of the block. The passenger side readings should be the same, the drivers side should be the same. This could be a multitude of issues. If the back (cylinder 4) is hot could be rust scale, they develop rust/scale usually build up there 1st. If other places only the block test may tell you bad gasket, cracked head/block, bad valves. Pop off the head.


If you do the preceding you will have a fair idea of what is needed, and what shape the Motor and cooling system is in, and what needs attention 1st


I suspect you will probably end up pulling the head at some point to replace the head gaskets, mine was bad which I discovered after 2-3 years of not wanting to pull it, should have had it done right away. I've been told it is common for them to go bad sitting, or gaskets that old go bad within a couple thousand miles due to age.




You also likely have lots of rust/scale in the cooling system.


This is not overly expensive to do, does not take a ton of time, but can save much time in the long run.


If performing flushing/backflushing there is tons of info buried in the threads. Some like using white vinegar, some like Evaporust/thermocure/rust911 because they are not caustic and do not need a baking soda/water flush to neutralize the acid from vinegar.


Whatever you decide make sure you have a coolant filter in the upper radiator hose.




Hopefully others on the Barn agree, I am not an expert, but this is what I have gleaned and understand from my personal experience.


Hope this is helpful to you and others.


Wade
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Old 08-28-2018, 11:01 PM   #51
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Default Re: Basic advice

It appears Mr J hasn’t post since 9/17/17. Maybe he used the A for a rat rod.?
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Old 08-29-2018, 09:52 AM   #52
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It appears Mr J hasn’t post since 9/17/17. Maybe he used the A for a rat rod.?


Yep, realized that when I posted.


Personally I do not like turning As that can be original runners into rat rods, however I do appreciate and like rat rods, another form of the hobby.


Since MR J/me have similar circumstances, am hoping for a response from him. Curious as to how he is doing, and what he has found.


Additionally get feedback from others if they disagree with my "alternate facts".


I completely agree with everything posted on this thread. Just took the approach to try to diagnose as much as possible and not shotgun things. I envy his skills. I have paid for lot of mechanical work due to my limitations.


I consider myself lucky, made so many mistakes listening to advice, wish I had known of this site in 2011 when I started my journey.


Thanks,
Wade
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Old 08-29-2018, 11:10 AM   #53
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Default Re: Basic advice

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I also believe the number is the count of the body style built, as my 9-27-28 Phaeton has TC476, and my 2-23-29 Tudor has TC17509.
I lean towards that thinking too. Our '28 Roadster was a September build at Twin Cities and seems like the body build code was 'TC527' I'm going from memory here. That makes sense because I'm SURE most body styles being built in Minnesota weren't necessarily open top cars. Brrrr. So I know, as big as Twin Cities was, they hadn't only built 526 Model A's up to September!!

Mr J welcome to Model A's and it sounds like you have a pretty neat one with a neat history. You have a good handle on the car already. The reason for all the grease in your cooling system is people pumping chassis grease, a lot of it, into the water pump zirk. Get some 'water pump grease' from the suppliers and a different grease gun for that purpose. Makes all the difference brudder.

Keep us posted on your Model A
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