V4 Dodge

[Dynoroom]

Since you sorta asked the question, Axel is a Scandinavian first name, axle is a mechanical part.

Good time to poke you and ask for the return of the spell check feature........ you axle 

Now back to Rich's #104 roadster 

[RichFox]

Tank is welded and back home again. $40. Cheap enough considering how many welders don't want to hear anything about gas tanks.

[38flattie]

Looks good!

Looks like it's all but ready to run.....

[V4F STR 60]

Speedweek or WOS?

[zenndog]

Since you sorta asked the question, Axel is a Scandinavian first name, axle is a mechanical part.

I have no idea what you guys are talking about.......

 

[RichFox]

Speedweek or WOS?

WoS

[zenndog]

Room Reserved

[zenndog]

Well....Rich put the gas tank back in





Here is a shot of rich re connecting the line from the primer pump to the primer injectors



Here is a shot showing the shock absorbers



We spent the day trying to fire the car after we made certain everything on the gas tank was reconnected and tight.

The starter kept slipping out of the ring. The starter was off and on the engine a couple times. We identified a couple of issues and once corrected the starter was working better than it had before, and even the way it should perhaps! But by then we had drained the battery and so we knocked off for the day.

Rich needed to pick up a 1928 Chevy engine at the UPS freight hub so we ended the day picking it up, unloading it into Rich's garage and looking at it.

I plan to take and extra battery with me next Saturday, August 11th and hopefully we will get the engine fired.

 

[zenndog]

Engine still hasn't fired as of 8/17

Close but no cigar, Rich is certain that it will start when pushed.

We ran a test of the cooling system. After 60 years of service the aircraft surplus water pump has quit. Also the two coolant holes on the block, one set up as the input for the coolant and the other plugged leaked.....a lot. So we set out to remedy these issues.

We removed the Water tank and the original pump





It was difficult to remove the old pump, it looked to be in bad shape for sure. Here is the old pump Rich next to the tank with the new pump mounted.



Here is the pump mounted the morning of 8/17



Before I forget, details of the rear suspension. Just for fun.





New pump. Water tank back in car.





Plugged hole, plug removed. I cleaned off all the paint, sanded, and cleaned out all the casting flash/rust. This is before cleaning the casting flash/rust off.



Maybe you can tell in the pic above but one of the two screws that held the plug in place was noy really tapped into anything so Rich fabbed a larger plug and we drilled it with four holes. Here it is mounted.



Here is the front "input" hole. This was the original input for the coolant.

I cleaned it as well. We expect this plug, with the AN fitting for the inlet line, to seal once silicone is applied and it is screwed down again.



Here is a side of the block with both leaky areas shown.



We plan to work on it this Saturday. Hopefully it will be all buttoned up.

[zenndog]

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Patched up cooling system!

Got car to fire!

Everything Packed for WOS!

Can't wait.................................NOT!


Notice anything wrong about this picture???



I mean besides the head being off the engine.

Well, incase Freud doesn't photoshop my picture so you can see it, the #4 piston looks like the Salton Sea. Yep, full of nasty water.

But we are okay, we will just remove the head, go over the gasket with a fine tooth comb, re anneal, and re install. NO SWEAT!







Wrong!!!!!! Still leaking

Why why why why.....The curse of the dodge? The curse of the Morton and Brett head

Note this picture of the #4 exhaust port. See that old repair. Turns out the water was filling up the port with water and the water was spilling down into the #4 piston when the exhaust valve was opening.



Here we are at the end of the day



That is Bob who is owns the head, he beat a hasty retreat shortly after this photo. Rich started suggesting we load the Morton & Brett into his Bob's truck!

The day looked like this

Rich had put the front plug back on, we filled the cooling system and the front plug was still leaking.

Plug comes back off, we go to the hardware store for some socket head cap screws. Plug replaced, cooling system filled. No leaks! Great!

Rich wants to crank the engine with out the plugs. Plugs removed, engine cranked, water shoots, yes shoots, out of #4 plug hole.

Head comes off. Everything gets cleaned. Gasket gets some attention, additional deburring etc., gasket is annealed, head is re installed.

Cooling system filled again, engine is cranked, looks good at first.....then water is shooting out of #4 again!

Sigh

The we drain the coolong system, but decide to refill and look at exhaust port while running pump............Massive leak. After the head is back off i spot the old repair.

Rich plans on taking the head to his welder on Monday, still a slim chance we might make it but probably not at this point.

On the plus side, no water in the oil and Rich was in a better mood when he saw how close to the outside of the port the leak was so who knows, it may still work out.

Will update when anything is known.

Oh yeah, on a side note. Yes that is a 28 Chevy engine on the stand. It was set up way back to run in a midget racer. full pressure, welded on crank weights, tractor magneto, etc. Olds head with Winfield intake. Pretty neat!

[DND]

Hi Rich

Do you think those ' Irontite ' pipe plugs would work to stop your exhaust port leak ?

My friend used them at his automotive machine shop all the time, they worked very good.

Don

[RichFox]

Perhaps a plug would work. There is a patch of welded or brazed in steel just inside the port and I believe welding or brazing might be best. Not absolutely sure at this point.

[zenndog]

I don't see how we could get a plug in there, maybe I am being dense.

How would we get a drill and tap in there?

Who knows how much material is left to put a plug into?

I think the welder Rich uses can seal it up. I have high hopes.

To be specific, the leak is at the bottom of the repair.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Guys, this sucks. 

I trust Bob's comfortable with any repair necessary to make this go? 

Weird situation, to say the least.  It's Bob's head, but you certainly have a huge investment in its use.

If the casting required a repair there before, it's reasonable to assume it's weak in that area. 

Bore, sleeve and weld?   

Press on, Rich - keep us posted.

[RichFox]

Yes I am becoming concerned about the cost of repairing Bob's head. But the rest of the engine isn't worth much without it. The thing has been really killing me lately. It seems like next year may be the best option. Bob, of course would like to see the head repaired and run.