The Ford Barn

trainguy · 07-11-2010, 07:39 PM

As previously suggested,my vote is for a bent rod.Phil

andyg · 07-11-2010, 08:45 PM

bent rod here too...on the upper end. doesn't take much. as stated before though it could easily have been tight at the bottom of the bore in the beginning.

i used to work for an oil company that made oils for many uses so i will keep my mouth shut about about the whole oil thing.

hope you get it running again soon!

flatjack9 · 07-14-2010, 08:21 PM

No bent rods. The bores all measure 3. 312 to 3 .313 and the pistons are 3.309. #5(the one with the scuffing) is 3.307 and the bore is 3.314. There was no chamfer cut on the bottom of the bores. I plan on using a hone to remove the slight metal transfer in #5 and use a bottle brush on the others and will install new pistons and rings. Obviously I'll chamfer the bottom of the bores. Still can find no good reason for the scuffing on that piston. I bought the pistons from Motor City Flathead 17 years ago. I'm sure they were installed as per specs, but don't have any paper work anymore.

Ronnie · 07-14-2010, 08:47 PM

Try this skidoo guys use it.

If the piston has seized and smeared aluminum on the cylinder you will need to remove it . You can do this with Muratic acid. Just take medicine dropper and put just a few drops on the aluminum that has been smeared in the cylinder. The acid will eat the aluminum but will not hurt the steel of the cylinder. DO NOT GET THE ACID ON YOU . If you do get it on yourself, water and baking soda will get it off. Also don't get it on any aluminum unless you want that aluminum eaten up ! You can get Muratic Acid at any home improvement store. They sell it buy the gallon, which will do about a billion cylinders. they use it for... swimming pools .

flatjack9 · 07-14-2010, 10:18 PM

Being a plumber, I've got a gal on the truck. Use it for deliming old toilets. I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

Buckelew · 05-04-2014, 09:02 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

A few months ago the blow-by in my '48 59Y (Mercury crank, dual strombergs, mild cam) got to be too much -- causing a big mess.

#7 was running 70 PSI and all the others 120. Pulled #7 to find skirt scuffing well below the oil ring. Decided to look at the rest of 'em.

All the rest had scuffing, too. The top compression ring on #1 was broken in half(!).

Visual inspection revealed no problems with the cylinder walls. Repeated snap gauge measurements reveal minimal wear (each measures between 3.312 and 3.313) -- the block seems to be in really good shape. Crank is fine, too.

Piston scuffing is not noticeable to the touch, and there is no taper to any piston. All pistons measure and look good otherwise.

Washout/detonation seem to be the causes, but a long time ago it suffered intermittent loss of oil pressure, when the oil plug fell out(!).

Gonna carefully re-check everything, hoping for just good honing and new rings

Mike B · 05-05-2014, 12:32 AM

Wow...public apology here to Ronnie, 4-5 years ago...never mind, will PM Ronnie myself.

Mercy what an ass I must have looked like.

07-11-2010, 07:39 PM	#61
trainguy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lehighton Pa Posts: 1,085	Re: Engine troubles As previously suggested,my vote is for a bent rod.Phil

07-11-2010, 08:45 PM	#62
andyg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Springfield,MO Posts: 107	Re: Engine troubles bent rod here too...on the upper end. doesn't take much. as stated before though it could easily have been tight at the bottom of the bore in the beginning. i used to work for an oil company that made oils for many uses so i will keep my mouth shut about about the whole oil thing. hope you get it running again soon!

07-14-2010, 08:21 PM	#63
flatjack9 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oshkosh, Wi Posts: 4,527	Re: Engine troubles No bent rods. The bores all measure 3. 312 to 3 .313 and the pistons are 3.309. #5(the one with the scuffing) is 3.307 and the bore is 3.314. There was no chamfer cut on the bottom of the bores. I plan on using a hone to remove the slight metal transfer in #5 and use a bottle brush on the others and will install new pistons and rings. Obviously I'll chamfer the bottom of the bores. Still can find no good reason for the scuffing on that piston. I bought the pistons from Motor City Flathead 17 years ago. I'm sure they were installed as per specs, but don't have any paper work anymore.

07-14-2010, 08:47 PM	#64
Ronnie Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Where it snows Posts: 2,058	Re: Engine troubles Try this skidoo guys use it. If the piston has seized and smeared aluminum on the cylinder you will need to remove it . You can do this with Muratic acid. Just take medicine dropper and put just a few drops on the aluminum that has been smeared in the cylinder. The acid will eat the aluminum but will not hurt the steel of the cylinder. DO NOT GET THE ACID ON YOU . If you do get it on yourself, water and baking soda will get it off. Also don't get it on any aluminum unless you want that aluminum eaten up ! You can get Muratic Acid at any home improvement store. They sell it buy the gallon, which will do about a billion cylinders. they use it for... swimming pools .

07-14-2010, 10:18 PM	#65
flatjack9 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oshkosh, Wi Posts: 4,527	Re: Engine troubles Being a plumber, I've got a gal on the truck. Use it for deliming old toilets. I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

05-04-2014, 09:02 PM	#66
Buckelew Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ardmore, AL/TN Posts: 45	Re: Engine troubles Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) A few months ago the blow-by in my '48 59Y (Mercury crank, dual strombergs, mild cam) got to be too much -- causing a big mess. #7 was running 70 PSI and all the others 120. Pulled #7 to find skirt scuffing well below the oil ring. Decided to look at the rest of 'em. All the rest had scuffing, too. The top compression ring on #1 was broken in half(!). Visual inspection revealed no problems with the cylinder walls. Repeated snap gauge measurements reveal minimal wear (each measures between 3.312 and 3.313) -- the block seems to be in really good shape. Crank is fine, too. Piston scuffing is not noticeable to the touch, and there is no taper to any piston. All pistons measure and look good otherwise. Washout/detonation seem to be the causes, but a long time ago it suffered intermittent loss of oil pressure, when the oil plug fell out(!). Gonna carefully re-check everything, hoping for just good honing and new rings Last edited by Buckelew; 05-04-2014 at 10:59 PM.

05-05-2014, 12:32 AM	#67
Mike B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oakdale,Ca Posts: 1,323	Re: Engine troubles Wow...public apology here to Ronnie, 4-5 years ago...never mind, will PM Ronnie myself. Mercy what an ass I must have looked like.