Do not watch this

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

This one cheated the scrappy:

Tony, perhaps you should tell more of the story of the state of the valves and how hard it was to get compression.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Tony, perhaps you should tell more of the story of the state of the valves and how hard it was to get compression.

Nah, none of use will believe it isn't a photoshopped photo anyway - show us the video of it running under it's own power!

H.

[Ian Fawbert]

What a great use for a lemon!

Cheers,
Ian.

[Lynn Eades]

Ian, I have to wonder, What concoction of "lemon" parts, complete your Jeep?

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Nah, none of use will believe it isn't a photoshopped photo anyway - show us the video of it running under it's own power!

H.

Oh, ye of little faith! In due course I'll take some video of it driving around the back yard, but first I need to fix the accelerator pedal, which like everything else on this truck is rusted solid!

As Keith mentions, this poor old flathead took a lot of coaxing back into life. Having finally managed to unseize it and get the crankshaft turning freely, I was confronted with 16 valves stuck wide open, and even after I finally managed to free them all up (which must be accomplished by repeatedly cranking the motor by hand and tapping the valve closed with a punch inserted through the plug hole), the only way I could raise sufficient compression to fire was by removing the plugs and squirting oil into the pots. However, the effect only lasts a few revolutions before the oil is dissipated, and since the motor kept dying on me, I had to repeat the procedure many times. Eventually though it chugged into life and I was able to run it for about 10 minutes, after which it recovered sufficient compression to start normally. That is, without having to remove the plugs every time! Presumably the rings had been rusted solid in their grooves, and perhaps the rusty valves needed to re-seat themselves on their rusty seats! In any case it's now running around 75-85 psi in all pots, which may improve further after driving under load.

All in all a worthwhile exercise - there is no more satisfying sound than the roar of a long dead flathead, and it's always great to cheat the scrappy. This is one flathead that won't be going into a Beijing skyscraper or a Great Wall SUV!

[Tony Wheeler]

Unfortunately the gearbox has suffered rust damage typical of Ford CMPs left out in the weather for decades - moisture collects in the reverse lock actuating rod channel in the gear lever and drips down onto the internals. I've freed up the selectors and it's working fine now but will probably be confined to yard duties.

Distributor works fine despite the cap having been off for years, and the points would have just needed cleaning if the return springs hadn't been rusted through!

[Ian Fawbert]

Ian, I have to wonder, What concoction of "lemon" parts, complete your Jeep?

Hi Lynn,

Not sure what you mean mate, but none as far as i know! I did use some citric acid experimenting on something during resto (dont remember what!!!), so you may find a few particles left!

However, i will remember lemons as a good plug for rad pipes next time i need to blank one off (thought likely smaller lemons on the jeep than the v8!).

Cheers,
Ian.

[Lynn Eades]

Ian, I figured the lemon you were talking about was Ford, and as Ford made the majority of Jeep spare parts,(you being a Jeep man) it just seemed you were having a free ride at Henry's expense.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ian Fawbert

However, i will remember lemons as a good plug for rad pipes next time i need to blank one off (thought likely smaller lemons on the jeep than the v8!).

Yes they're an effective generic plug for use in all water inlets/outlets and I have a tree in my back yard which produces them all year round in a convenient range of diameters! I have another tree which produces small diameter plugs for use in vacuum hoses etc., although my sister prefers to use them for making cumquat jam!

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi Lynn,

Aah, i see! No mate, not a dig at all! But yes, well under that logic, its a complete lemon- all ford!

Tony- very fortunate to have that natural shop there for such purposes!

Cheers and please keep posting the running updates! As i venture towards trying to get my motor running before tear down, i am learning alot and enjoying these at the same time!

Cheers,
Ian.