The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Southern Bolters My '46 has puked

Having just celebrated 50 years with my original 1946 and we were planning to attend the Southern Stovebolters meet in Townsend, TN my 216 has apparently puked! It was lacked power and I perceived the sound from the engine was a ping and the timing and points might need some attention. After spending yesterday in my garage, the noise was a slight popping gurgle from the carburator that would not diminish with timing adjustment. Vacuum advance working, vacuum readings bouncing from 14-16 lbs., checked plugs and wires, and found #2 and #3 missing. Compression test was good on the other four but #2 and #3 was zero with just a little bounce while cranking. I had recently done a valve lash adjustment and thought that maybe that was the cause with a possible valves remaining open. The valves all appeared to be operational, so I backed off the adjustments, sprayed some PB Blaster and Marvel Mystery oil on the valve shafts to hopefully free up a possible stuck valves. I even ran about a half pint of Marvel through the carburetor at higher rpm hoping to free up stuck valves, creating quite the smoke cloud for the neighbors.

I then introduced some oil into the offending cylinders for a wet compression test to verify that the rings are good and the offender is probably a blown head gasket. I had previously noted an offending trail of antifreeze going into the garage after topping off the radiator and just wrote that off to overflow.

My next dilemma will be taking the manifolds and head off when I am not suppose to lift more than 10 pounds due to service-connected back issues, it will be time to rent a cherry picker.
Looks like the '46 will miss it's birthday party at Townsend, but Linda and I will still meet our Bolter friends.

If I knew for sure we would be allowed to do it I would say trailer it to Townsend a d we could pull it down. There should be enough hands to get the job done. I know Dave from the show will be disappointed in not having your '46 there.

Say the word and I'll load the tools.

Say the word soon! I’m doing our final loading tomorrow. Come-a-longs and tow straps will need to be loaded if need be.

Don

Thanks for the offer guys but while removing the head and replacing the gasket could be performed in that short time, Jerry (Hot Rod Lincoln) has offered to do a valve job while the head is off. This would be the prudent way to go since that head has not been off since the 1973 rebuild. I will talk to Jerry, who says he can not attend this week since his 85 year old brother-in-law fell and needs help. This was the more important event that I was hoping to attend, so I will just take my time on the repairs, thanks for the offers.
See you in Townsend!

Partway there- - - - - -a couple of old geezers can still turn wrenches, even if we can't beat the flat rate manual time any more! Archie and I got the cylinder head off today, and it's definitely got a blown gasket- - - - -about half an inch missing between cylinders 2 and 3. The head followed me home, where it will get magnafluxed, checked for warp, the valve guides fitted with bronze liners, and possibly get some new valves. That should make it good to go for another 50+ years, when it will most likely be somebody else's problem!
Jerry

Archie, any update on your 216? Just wondering how things were going with Jerry and the cylinder head.

From Jerry; Making progress- - - -got the valves fitted and lapped, and it looks like the head gasket surface won't need to be milled. I can't get a .002" feeler gauge under a straight edge anywhere, including where the gasket blew out. The intake and exhaust flange has a few pits, so I'll get my friend at the machine shop to clean up that surface, since the manifolds are notorious for developing leaks. The valve stem seals came in today, which were the last parts I was waiting for.

Kevin (KL Hansen) is sending me a pint of the correct color paint that he bought from Jim Carter, all the way from Alaska. He's got some left over from a project he finished recently. We can use my trim spray gun and your air compressor to touch up the engine paint if you like. I'll clean up the head and paint it once it's assembled.
Jerry

From myself today: It all sounds like good news and we did talk about on the phone yesterday. I have stripped the block of everything but the oil pan and water pump. Wire wheel to all surfaces followed by engine primer paint and Filling Station rattle can gray on both sides of the block. Valve cover had been done first, push-rod side cover will be done today. Starter and fuel pump are installed. I have new heater hoses and upper radiator hose, found a radiator petcock in that old tool box of stovebolts. Next I will be cleaning and paint all of the bolts and screws. #1 is a TDC and timing mark on the flywheel is marked. I will take care of the rest of the engine compartment clean-up when we are done. I am curious to watch you set the valve clearances prior to start up and then again after warm.

All of this sounds like it's coming together. I'm sure Jerry will have a "like new' fort you once he's completed the rebuild, maybe better than new. A fresh coat of paint and a little rubbing and she'll be real PURDY.... Of course you know we'll want pictures.

Jerry talking about the project in the forum: Archie (46 Texaco) had a blown head gasket a couple of weeks ago. I stopped at his place on the way home from the Townsend truck show and we pulled the head. Since it hasn't had any engine work done in 50+ years, I volunteered (that's what we do in Tennessee) to take the head home and rebuild it. As soon as a few more bits and pieces arrive in the mail, I'll assemble the head and we can reinstall it. I picked up a complete running condition 216 and a bunch of other bits and pieces at the swap meet during the show.
Jerry

Ready for assembly when Jerry and I get together in a couple weeks:

Archie, was the 216 bored over on it's first rebuild, those cylinders don't show any sign of wear. I wish I could take the time off from work and kidnap Alvin and lend a hand.

Sounds good......as long as someone brings the biscuits.

Tuts, the reports from Jerry were that the engine is a remarkable low mile engine showing very little wear in my 50 years of ownership. He was going to reface the rocker arm assembly and the head surface...no need! My brother-in-law rebuilt this engine while a senior in high school that was a tech school and I was happy to report to him this last week that the "kid" did a good job. He just retired at 70 years old. The engine was not bored and there is zero wear on the cylinder walls, I removed maybe a teaspoon of carbon deposits total from the top of all the pistons. When the valve cover came off, there was no sludge.
I GOT BISCUITS, HOT DOGS, PEPSI AND A SPARE BEDROOM!

Alvin can have the bedroom, I'll just through my fart sack in the bed of the '46.

The only machine work the head needed other than fitting the new valves with a 3-angle seat job was a slight bit of pitting at one of the exhaust ports. Even the valve guides showed minimal wear- - -no need for installing bronze liners like I expected to do. My friend who runs a machine shop in Fayetteville Tennessee took about .015" off the intake/exhaust manifold flange to clean up the surface and provide a good sealing surface for the manifold gasket. As soon as I finish dealing with my wife's cataract surgery tomorrow and a followup visit on Friday, I'll be reassembling the head, probably this weekend if everything goes well. I'm using stainless steel exhaust valves for a small block Chevy V8 engine, which are the same dimensions as stovebolt exhausts, and positive valve stem seals instead of the O rings under the split locks. We should be able to button up everything and take a test drive in another week or so.
Jerry

Sarge, Alvin, and Hotrod, I am leaving for Illinois and Wisconsin tomorrow, returning July 15, I was thinking about anytime after that other than Monday, July 17.

Well Archie unfortunately I am obligated at work. That stars just didn't line up this time, I wish it would have worked out Linda actually gave me a Kitchen pass to go ahead and go (wonder if I can do a rain check).

I spoke to Jerry and the assembly of the head had been delayed by other projects and there is a second pending cataract surgery for his wife this Thursday, 20th. He believes that he may be free this weekend sometime for the return trip and assembly. Don't know if this weekend would work with a kitchen pass.

I'm not sure if I can cut loose this weekend. I'll touch base with you on Thursday or Friday to see what the timeline is, it all hinges on Jerry I suppose.

Alright Archie, we are waiting for an update... I know you and Jerry were putting it back together this past weekend. Pictures!!! We need pictures

IT IS ALIVE!!! Jerry and I worked on the old stovebolt all day and when we had it running after Jerry adjusted the valve clearances a second time after running it was time to call it a day. I have completed some of the last details with the truck starting and running but not driven yet because my RV was blocking the driveway. Our son has joined us for a trip in the RV to Murrels Inlet, SC and we will arrive tomorrow, September 30 and we will stay til Wednesday before returning home and sending son off to Nashville to catch his flight. I will update and enclose some pictures in a couple weeks. That Hot Rod Lincoln is one knowledgeable guy, generous in his helping way, and a pleasure to work with.

Bet you and HRL had a good day and only a couple of stories were told would of loved to of been there

Archie, glad to hear the good news. Keep trucking brother! Hope to see you soon.

I'm glad it's a done deal, I know it's a load off of you. I'm already Iooking forward the Townsend Show this next year and seeing your '46 there. I'm running out of excuses on my trucks but Thor should be able to make the show.

It is running great, took it out on Saturday for a local show-no hiccups! The videos that I took with Jerry working on warm-up for final valve adjustment are too large to upload. This past show there was an excellent original 1941 that had been purchased out of the Volo Museum in Illinois. We had great conversations and I hope that I recruited another Bolter for next year. This photo is of his engine, a twin to mine.

Great to hear your Truck is back on the road. No excuses this year, I will have a truck at Townsend.

i will reinforce the idea of checking for vacuum leaks. My example is after Hot Rod Lincoln and I performed a head gasket turned valve job, I thought it prudent to perform some good old fashioned preventative maintenance. Of new fluids, cooling system hoses, spark plugs and ignition...the one thing I have overlooked for 50 years of ownership was the vacuum hose from the intake manifold routed through the firewall, up through the A pillar and supplying vacuum to the wiper blades which had ceased working. Talk about 77 year old hard fossilized rubber!!!