Original Posted By: kyle ray
David,Reference your question about "Any suggestions on rebuilding as far as work that I*should* pay someone to do for your Model A engine?" It primarily depends on your abilities, time, and resources. If you are a machinist, my guess is you could do everything yourself. However, purchasing the molds to pour the babbitt into, the reamers, line boring machine etc. would probably not be cost effective for rebuilding only one or two engines. If you are an average engine mechanic, you could have Jim or another A-Ford engine shop, boil and clean the block, magniflux/check for cracks, have the cylinders bored oversize, pour the babbitt, linebore the block, and your could reassemble everything yourself. I wouldn't really recommend that approach. I did something similar to that once and originally thought I would be saving quite bit of money. I think I saved less than $100 dollars. Jim can buy the pistons, rings, valves, springs, gears, gaskets etc. wholesale -- I couldn't. It took me all summer working part time to get my engine back together (different engine, I sold that truck). Like many things the Ford engine is simple to work on, but it is a lot easier if you start with one properly put together in the first place, rather than assembling it yourself for the first time. Caution, there are some parts that look good and will work fine for a static display type engine. I.e. after-market valves etc. The original and quality replacement parts will give you great service, but over the years (ever since the 1930s) certain manufactures produced "look a like" copies that did not offer the same performance. Jim, would know where the valves he was installing came from and what their track record is. (I bought a set of valves at a swap meet that look great -- new-old-replacement-stock (NORS) but I wouldn't put them in my engine after all the articles I read on "bogus parts" in the Model A Club magazines. I hope that is of some help to you. If you are planning to significantly up the horsepower on the Model A engine, I would recommend checking into having the babbitt bearing replaced with more modern insert bearings. I don't think Jim offers that, but babbitt works great for stock to slightly modified engines. Chevy used babbitt bearings in their engines until 1953 (my dad had one with babbitt bearings -- std trans and one with inserts the automatic trans). Don't forget to let Jim know what you plan to do with your engine. He may have some helpful suggestions and recommendations. Also, I haven't had an engine rebuilt since 1989, and they may have come up with some new thoughts and/or cautions.Good luck with your project, if I can be of any encouragement, please let me know. HapPS I changed my e-mail from haptucker(at)hotmail.com to FordPiet(at)aol.com. ________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Ford A Engine Comments
Pietenpol-List: Re: Ford A Engine Comments
Original Posted By: jmcnarry(at)techplus.com (John McNarry)
Hap,Thank you for the information.David>David,>>Reference your question about "Any suggestions on rebuilding as far as work >that I>*should* pay someone to do for your Model A engine?" It primarily depends on>your abilities, time, and resources. If you are a machinist, my guess is you>could do everything yourself. However, purchasing the molds to pour the >babbitt into, the reamers, line boring machine etc. would probably not be >cost effective for rebuilding only one or two engines. >>If you are an average engine mechanic, you could have Jim or another A-Ford >engine shop, boil and clean the block, magniflux/check for cracks, have the >cylinders bored oversize, pour the babbitt, linebore the block, and your >could reassemble everything yourself. I wouldn't really recommend that >approach. I did something similar to that once and originally thought I >would be saving quite bit of money. I think I saved less than $100 dollars. >Jim can buy the pistons, rings, valves, springs, gears, gaskets etc. >wholesale -- I couldn't. It took me all summer working part time to get my >engine back together (different engine, I sold that truck). Like many >things the Ford engine is simple to work on, but it is a lot easier if you >start with one properly put together in the first place, rather than >assembling it yourself for the first time. >>Caution, there are some parts that look good and will work fine for a static >display type engine. I.e. after-market valves etc. The original and quality>replacement parts will give you great service, but over the years (ever since>the 1930s) certain manufactures produced "look a like" copies that did not >offer the same performance. Jim, would know where the valves he was >installing came from and what their track record is. (I bought a set of >valves at a swap meet that look great -- new-old-replacement-stock (NORS) but>I wouldn't put them in my engine after all the articles I read on "bogus >parts" in the Model A Club magazines. >>I hope that is of some help to you. If you are planning to significantly up >the horsepower on the Model A engine, I would recommend checking into having >the babbitt bearing replaced with more modern insert bearings. I don't think>Jim offers that, but babbitt works great for stock to slightly modified >engines. Chevy used babbitt bearings in their engines until 1953 (my dad had>one with babbitt bearings -- std trans and one with inserts the automatic >trans). >>Don't forget to let Jim know what you plan to do with your engine. He may >have some helpful suggestions and recommendations. Also, I haven't had an >engine rebuilt since 1989, and they may have come up with some new thoughts >and/or cautions.>>Good luck with your project, if I can be of any encouragement, please let me >know. >>Hap>PS I changed my e-mail from haptucker(at)hotmail.com to FordPiet(at)aol.com.________________________________________________________________________________
Hap,Thank you for the information.David>David,>>Reference your question about "Any suggestions on rebuilding as far as work >that I>*should* pay someone to do for your Model A engine?" It primarily depends on>your abilities, time, and resources. If you are a machinist, my guess is you>could do everything yourself. However, purchasing the molds to pour the >babbitt into, the reamers, line boring machine etc. would probably not be >cost effective for rebuilding only one or two engines. >>If you are an average engine mechanic, you could have Jim or another A-Ford >engine shop, boil and clean the block, magniflux/check for cracks, have the >cylinders bored oversize, pour the babbitt, linebore the block, and your >could reassemble everything yourself. I wouldn't really recommend that >approach. I did something similar to that once and originally thought I >would be saving quite bit of money. I think I saved less than $100 dollars. >Jim can buy the pistons, rings, valves, springs, gears, gaskets etc. >wholesale -- I couldn't. It took me all summer working part time to get my >engine back together (different engine, I sold that truck). Like many >things the Ford engine is simple to work on, but it is a lot easier if you >start with one properly put together in the first place, rather than >assembling it yourself for the first time. >>Caution, there are some parts that look good and will work fine for a static >display type engine. I.e. after-market valves etc. The original and quality>replacement parts will give you great service, but over the years (ever since>the 1930s) certain manufactures produced "look a like" copies that did not >offer the same performance. Jim, would know where the valves he was >installing came from and what their track record is. (I bought a set of >valves at a swap meet that look great -- new-old-replacement-stock (NORS) but>I wouldn't put them in my engine after all the articles I read on "bogus >parts" in the Model A Club magazines. >>I hope that is of some help to you. If you are planning to significantly up >the horsepower on the Model A engine, I would recommend checking into having >the babbitt bearing replaced with more modern insert bearings. I don't think>Jim offers that, but babbitt works great for stock to slightly modified >engines. Chevy used babbitt bearings in their engines until 1953 (my dad had>one with babbitt bearings -- std trans and one with inserts the automatic >trans). >>Don't forget to let Jim know what you plan to do with your engine. He may >have some helpful suggestions and recommendations. Also, I haven't had an >engine rebuilt since 1989, and they may have come up with some new thoughts >and/or cautions.>>Good luck with your project, if I can be of any encouragement, please let me >know. >>Hap>PS I changed my e-mail from haptucker(at)hotmail.com to FordPiet(at)aol.com.________________________________________________________________________________