edinmass

While your waiting for the block to come back, have you looked for a core engine? Expectations vary, but from the looks of things it may have a lot more cracking after you get it back. Over the years I have found the real extent of the cracking is usually twice what you can see with your eyes. I applaud that your still pushing on the car while waiting for the engine…….too many people stop in their tracks while dealing with block issues. Looking forward to your next post on the block.

Coil tester from the 40’s on a 1929 Rolls Royce factory coil set up.

Again, guessing isn’t the way to go. Diagnose and eliminate. Lean burn misfire, vacuum leaks, internal coil short, the list is endless……….sort the systems one at a time. You will figure it out.

PS- Nice Packard for the price if the engine is good.

Why not drive it everywhere? A Duesenberg isn’t a uncommon sight at the NAPA near me. V-16’s are also seen there on a semi regular basis. Steve- 10-15k to make that car sorted? Nope…….it’s gonna take a lot more. Car looks decent, but on a big 30’s Classic……..figure 25-35 if you have to pay someone. Money doesn’t go far anymore. Sad, but true. Photo below, two cars parked at the Tiki Bar about 100 feet from the dock……….It’s a great watering hole at the Port of Palm Beach. We park them in the police cars only spot………haven’t got a ticket yet! I recommend the “Pain Killer” special………works as advertised. Met Ozzy Osborne there at lunch on day.

Yes, I have a Sun Distributor machine, and a oscilloscope. And a bunch of other early test equipment. On a 41 Plymouth, I wouldn’t be likely to use any of it. The Plymouth six was a nice little package. Simple, robust, and reliable. Most of my diagnostic tools are home made. Without trying to be insulting, I would expect to figure out your problem in less than a half hour. Part of the trick to figuring out what is happening are small special purposes built tools……like a fuel pressure guage that can be taped to the front windshield to watch fuel pressure going down the road. Also a remote enrichment device to add fuel while driving at speed and under load independent of the carburetor. I would also heat and load test the coil. It’s unlikely to have a distributor problem…….unless someone assembled it incorrectly. I’m guessing that the “it breaks up under zero load” at 3500-4000 rpm isn’t exactly accurate as 3000 rpm is probably the end of the world for that engine. (Just checked, 3800 is max according to the factory. Seems high to me.) Countless things could be wrong, often times it’s two or three different problems sending you off in the wrong direction. There is no substitute for having 5000 or 6000 working hours in a shop. It’s experience that fixes cars…….after a few thousand running problems it gets fairly easy to fix them. I recommend going back to the basics. Compression, timing, spark plug gap, ect. Everything MUST be perfect before you go in to the next diagnostic step. Good enough simply isn’t. Here is a coil tester from the 40’s, and a Sun machine. The dirty distributor was just on it for disassembly…….not testing.

Transmission photos please. Thanks, Ed.

N.B. Pease.....I literally grew up in that place. He is closed now, and selling off everything. It's just about gone.

Now HERE is a tool kit. 1933 Rolls PII AJS American kit............you want to talk about work finding everything.

Joel, I have a bunch of stuff, I will PM you.

This morning at my home in Western Mass............

Is it Gettysburg again, I was just checking flights to Williamsburg.

Dandy Dave……..cool stuff! Love the lineup. Your collection of vehicles seems perfectly normal to me………..like minds think alike. The rest of the world sure is strange, and I’m especially grateful you and I are both “normal people”!

The update was helpful. So engine noise and running problems. One step at a time. Figure out the noise, and if it needs to be addressed. Then chase the running issue. People new to the hobby need helping hands, and always happy to try and help. He is in good hands with others in the background, so shall stand mute till they need more help.

Am I missing something here? It went from a mechanical engine noise to a running problem? Doesn’t get more basic than this engine. Any running problem should be a simple diagnosis. You don’t need a scope or a distributor machine to figure it out. How about a complete and clear explanation of what you are trying to fix. Running a correct diagnostic procedure should identify the issue in just a few minutes.

It’s a very simple engine. Never heard anyone say a noise sounds like piston rings. Very few mechanics alive today can tell noises apart. Wrist pin, piston slap, rod noise, valve train rattle……….unless you have fifty years in a shop, most is just conjecture. Do a cylinder power balance test with a test light and rpm setting on a DVOM. It should help you pinpoint the suspect hole. In my humble opinion, if you have a noise in that engine……..just pull it out and tear it down. Don’t assume anything is square, or in specification. That platform is usually bullet proof.

Here is a Model J original tool roll. You can buy a nice collector car for the cost of an original intact kit.

5th place overall…….seems you were slow back then also. 🥸

Sure looks like mid size 34 stuff. I could use the oil cooler and cover. And maybe a few other bits. It’s possible it’s off a bigger series car………I will need to take a peek at the stuff on the car we are getting going.

I remember that car well. Noel had it at a Grand Classic I attended. Haven’t seen it in thirty years. Cool car. AJ, you should put that one on your shopping list.

Ok, I’ll be nice. Buy me a V-12 Horch and we can call it even. Better yet, opine on the V-12’s. And post a few photos.

Well........since you're married to one, I bet she made you sell it.

What my mother said applies............if you can't say something nice........ It's possible it could be a fun car, but my Pierce Arrow eyes give me pause on this car unless the number is low......like in the submarine service. Just add time and money; time & money; and finally lots more time & money.

Bohmann & Schwartz= Bad & Shixxy for 2/3's of the stuff they did. Certainly did more damage than improvements overall.

I can give a bunch of reasons to not use radials. As a purist, and pain in the ass, I only run bias tires on everything pre 1965. When I see radials on a car……I immediately think to myself 🤮. Many to most people use radials to cover up issues…….Not all, but most. I understand the appeal of them. I don’t install fuel injection, electronic ignition, air conditioning, and a host of other items. It’s a slippery slope.