After I read Jerry's suggested steps, I started out to pressurize the cylinders and realized that I needed a way to do that. (I had thought my compression test setup would be able to be repurposed for that, but the pneumatic fittings wouldn't connect to my air hoses.) I went to the local NAPA store where the people seem to actually know something about what they sell and three of the guys understood what I was trying to do (and that I really didn't want to spend the money for a leak down tester). Eventually, they had me talk to their machinist and he asked if I was local...then lent me HIS leak down test kit!
I did as Jerry suggested and backed all of the adjusters off, and for good measure, I loosened the rocker shaft stands.
When I ran air into cylinder #'s 3 and 4, you could have blown up balloons if you stretched them over the carburetor. The leak down test gauge showed that whatever air went in was going straight out (basically no resistance). On cylinder #6, there was more resistance, but it was still pretty sad. I could hear the air hissing somewhere, but I couldn't be sure it was not just coming out around the sparkplug hole threads.
Since all the valves were loose, I figured that if I gave the intake valves that were leaking so badly a whack with a rubber mallet, perhaps whatever was holding them open would let go. So, I went ahead and did that and saw the gauge indicate that there was an improvement (increase) in the resistance. I did that a few more times to the other offending valves and then adjusted the valves to the "zero slack" stage as Jerry suggested.
I reconnected everything (made sure that the manual crank was removed from the front of the truck (!)) and called my wife in as a witness to see what the result might be...
That thing started on the first touch of the button! It ran quietly and smoothly with a slightly fast idle. I was dumbstruck! Not only did it start right up - but it sounded really smooth!
I had taken the advice several folks had offered about how to set things up for the first test run, and I had gotten some steel flex exhaust pipe and the muffler that Otto had suggested. The thing just purred!
(I have to admit I was stressing. When the compression test showed 0 compression on three cylinders, I was thinking I might have to give the whole project up due to finances.)
I have attached a photo my control panel...Light Switch as ignition, oil pressure, water temperature and volt meter (although I have not connected an alternator yet).
I wish I could post a short video...it started up in less than 2 seconds!
Nick 1940 KC Model 1/2 Ton Pickup Project (with '37-'39 Bed and what we think is a '42-'46 Frame) Taos, New Mexico
