Stovebolt.com Forums The Side Lot The 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