The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop I hope I am wrong.

Hey guys, I may have a real problem. I started the engine today it runs great, no noises, good oil pressure, and runs on all cyl.'s.
I can't tune it yet as the radiator isn't installed so I can only run the engine for 30-45 seconds then shut her down for an hour or so.
Here is my problem the other engine was wrong for the truck (235) it had an ignition switch activated starter. The 216 I installed has a stomp starter. When installing the floor board I am having difficulty lining the stomp start hole with the stomp start rod. The rod sits to the extreme left of the hole and rubs, it also looks as if the stomp mech. is going to hit the floor pan when bolted down.
The engine and bell housing came out of a CAR, is the bell housing for a car different than a truck or is it just the stomp mech.? I hope just the stomp mech. needs replacement.

Why not use a start system like the 235. Hot wire the stomp switch and use a short duty contactor like found on Fords.

But SCOOOOOOOOOOOOTT (me whining) the stomp starter is so cool.

It sounds like the stomp start mechanism needs a little attention from a BFH, and possibly a torch. It's a pretty primitive system, so just get rowdy with it and make it fit.
Jerry

I don't know anything about a '41 but I can tell you that I had to heat and tweak the fit of my brake and clutch rod to get the centered in the floorboard holes. If you're using aftermarket floorboards it's very possible they are wrong and some minor surgery may be in order.

Woody the floor pans at the same ones that were in the truck when I started this project. Someone before me blocked off the hole when they installed the 235, all I had to do was drill out the rivets and remove the sheet metal.
Jerry the idea of modifying the mech. is still in my thoughts. But if it is just a simple replacement of the mech. It only has 4 bolts and a clip. Finding one might present a problem.

Before you get out the BFH, try loosening those 4 bolts and see if you can move the mechanism around a bit. That was all it took to line up the stomp starter on a friend's '51 when we changed the engine. If you replaced the rear mounts on the bellhousing, everything has moved a bit, anyway.

It may come down to the BFH and blue tipped wrench, but it may be more simple than that, too.

best wishes,

Les

Thanks Les.
I would still like to know if the bell housings are different from a car to a truck.

The clutch housing is most likely different between car and truck (from at least 1940 and newer).

Crud, well at this point I am going to modify the stomp arm so that the rod centers the hole and hope the distance is the same from the transmission to the pressure plate. darn!!!!!!
Thanks tclederman.

Then use a foot switch to activate it. Cable pull brakes on a model A were cool too, however .....

As for running the engine, just stick a garden hose in the lower heater hose inlet, and let the water flow at a steady pace. Keep touching the outlet stream, if its hot turn the water up some, if its to cool slow it down a bit. I have run a lot of engines this way.

Scott, I agree with mechanical brakes on an A model being cool but that is a safty issue and I guess that the stomp start could also be a safety issue if you have someone that dosn't know what thay little peddle is for. But once again the stomp start is cool.
Joe, thanks for the tip. My body guy is going to prime and paint the core support this week so I can install the radiator next week end. I can wait that long.
Oh, I almost forgot, the stopm start modification went well. I cut off the rod that sticks through the floor pan and rewelded it about 3/4 inch to the rt. and it works great. The mech. dosn't hit the floor pan as I thought it would. I need to do some tweeking to the clutch pedal, it is binding with the floor in place. The seals make it a snug fit. Other than that I drove it onto the trailer and took it to the muffin shop this morning.
Thanks for the input guy's and dolls. James