The Ford Barn

gilitos · 07-03-2013, 10:52 PM

Two rebuilds with a local antique engine rebuilder and the same result: after a few thousand miles the mains cracked and the car started making noise and bleeding oil. Third time I took out the block and sent it out of state for new babbit to a real pro I met here on the Barn, and ended up also paying for sleeving from 0.100" back to standard, performing welded repair of old stitched cracks, and putting in a new crank, all in the interest of not cutting any corners and doing a first class rebuild. Got the engine back and installed, and within a few miles a new crack showed up between the #1 exhaust valve and water jacket. Pulled the motor again to repair. $1.5k later I'm reassembling for the fourth time (this time also put in flowed jets and a large 'B' police head). Car ran incredibly for about 20 miles: smooth, quiet, powerful. Then I turnded it off for 1 hr, started it up, and now it's only hitting on 3 cylinders and making a new mechanical noise from the valve chest. Checked and found zero compression in #1. Blecchh. What the heck? Valve seat? Stuck valve? Gotta take it out and take it apart AGAIN. It's been a year and about $6k since I"ve been able to drive the darn thing.

Okay, now that I've vented, I'll just take a deep breath and dive in again. Who else has had this kind of experience? What do you do to keep going?

07-03-2013, 10:52 PM	#1
gilitos Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 209	Rebuilding an 80 yr old engine is always a gamble.... Two rebuilds with a local antique engine rebuilder and the same result: after a few thousand miles the mains cracked and the car started making noise and bleeding oil. Third time I took out the block and sent it out of state for new babbit to a real pro I met here on the Barn, and ended up also paying for sleeving from 0.100" back to standard, performing welded repair of old stitched cracks, and putting in a new crank, all in the interest of not cutting any corners and doing a first class rebuild. Got the engine back and installed, and within a few miles a new crack showed up between the #1 exhaust valve and water jacket. Pulled the motor again to repair. $1.5k later I'm reassembling for the fourth time (this time also put in flowed jets and a large 'B' police head). Car ran incredibly for about 20 miles: smooth, quiet, powerful. Then I turnded it off for 1 hr, started it up, and now it's only hitting on 3 cylinders and making a new mechanical noise from the valve chest. Checked and found zero compression in #1. Blecchh. What the heck? Valve seat? Stuck valve? Gotta take it out and take it apart AGAIN. It's been a year and about $6k since I"ve been able to drive the darn thing. Okay, now that I've vented, I'll just take a deep breath and dive in again. Who else has had this kind of experience? What do you do to keep going?