CBoz Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Well, my buddy Rob and I spent the day in the garage working toward the time when the engine will be ready to fire up, but of course there are always little things that have to be dealt with first:1. The sleeved hole above the cam that the fuel pump actuating rod rides on was way too tight, and the rod would bind. We used a makeshift lathe to bring down the rod width slightly until it worked fine.2. Two of the sparkplug threads were nearly non-existent, so we used a heli-coil setup to restore them. Worked *very* nicely, but I should have caught these *before* putting on the heads (we still did it without getting trash in the top of the cylinders).3. The engine was so tight that the six-volt battery would only bump it. A 12-volt spins it fairly slowly when all the plugs are in, but it may be enough to fire up when we are ready.4. The engine was so tight, in fact, that I sheared the cheapass bolt holding the balancer on while trying to turn the engine by hand. I'll have to pull the balancer and extract the offending bolt before dropping the engine in the car. Another thing to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no more Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 D'OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHI WOULD CALL YOUR MACHINIST...DID HE HAVE TOLERANCES IN SPEC...BEEN THERE (A COUPLE TIMES) NEVER ENDED WELL..ME AS ASSEMBLER ALWAYS> ATE SOMETHING..(EVEN WITH ZDDDPPPP)I PAID A REBUILDER TO ASSEMBLE..ENGINE ROLLED OVER FAIRLY EASILY...STORY BOOK SO FAR......DID YOUR MACHINIST MISS STRIPPED PLUG HOLES?????????ALUMINUM HEADS?????? HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND FOR "A PRO"TO DO / ASSEMBLE..WHAT IS HIS WARRANTY??JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peecher Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 The "tightness" in the fuel pump bore was probably due to the cam bearing not lining up with the hole in the fuel pump bushing. I had to run a 3/8" reamer (carefully) down thru the bushing on one of my rebuilds. I think the guys that install the cam bearings kinda "eyeball" them in.Can't imagine what bolt you sheared off on the damper set up unless you tried to turn the engine over using the bolt that keeps the damper/pulley in place? The 12's can be a little on the snug side depending on what type of rings you used. Sometimes the rear main bearing and cap need to be massaged a little especially if you have near minimum end play.Good to hear you're getting closer with that nice coupe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBoz Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 The bolt was the one holding the damper/pulley in place, and yep, I was trying to turn it over with that (yeah, I know...). Not a terribly strong bolt from the look of it. Actually, this was the engine that George Trickett had rebuilt for a car he had before he decided to retire, and he warned me it would be snug. I've got to assume he knew what he was doing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backydmech Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 CBOZ, did you oil down cylinder walls, I used mavel oil seemed to help while I heads off then put some on walls with rag before I installed heads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBoz Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 I did do some, but I might hit it with a little more. My concern is whether the marvel oil might run down and dissolve any of the break-in grease on bearings, etc.I'm not too worried -- it will spin with the 12-volt, albeit slowly. I have a feeling once it runs in for a few minutes it will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peecher Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I wouldn't worry about the MM oil washing out the assembly grease. George Trickett liked to use the original type cast steel pistons in his rebuilds and this might be adding to the initial stiffness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_V12Bill Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I was told years ago by Bob Olmstead, an oldtime V 12 rebuilder, that the cast iron pistons burnished the cylinder walls and thus put such a smooth surface on the walls that the rings just slid by and allowed the engine to consume oil. The best piston in his opinion was the aluminium piston. Have you tried to turn the engine over with the plugs out and build up oil preasure? Then sneak up on it and install the plugs on one bank and start it on 6 cylinders. If the engine will start on 6 then run it for about 10 or 15 minutes and install the remaining 6 plugs and restart it again and run another 10 to 15 minutes. This should wear down the highest points and allow the engine to restart on 12 in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBoz Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Hey Peecher and V12Bill -Those are good ideas. I'll give it a shot trying to start with the 12-volt battery, but if that doesn't work, I might try to sneak up on it, per Bill's advice.BTW, I could turn it by hand with the plugs out; it's just that the damper bolt was very weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backydmech Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 CBoz, been checking this thing to see how your doing..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBoz Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 With any luck, might get back to looking at it on Sunday. But I'll definitely let the forum folks know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no more Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 BOB OLMSTEAD!!! NOW THERES A BLAST FROM THE PAST DID U KNOW HIM?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_V12Bill Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 No I didn't, but I wrote to him about rebuilding V 12s back in the 70's and he responded with that info and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_Overfield Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Hey Boz....Years ago when I rebuilt the V-12 in my 41, I put it together with all the care in the world. Torgued down the mains and the crank would turn with very little effort. By the time it was all together and ready to start I could barely move it at all. Long story short, poured a litle gas down the carb, hit the starter button and it just groaned turning over on the 6 volt system (which I found out later was the normal slow way they turn over). In any event, it turned over maybe one full revolution and started so fast it scared me. I had it on a test stand at the time and knowing nothing at all about these 12's figured I probably screwed the plug wires up or had the points set wrong. I guess my point is, if everything is as it should be, it may turn over slow, but it will start. Best of luck and I'll just betcha it will run fine after the initial start.Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toyopet Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 No problem here when I started my engine last weekend it took 30 seconds after I had oil pressure to start. I ran the engine for 30 minutes with the RPM up to break it in properly. I am also using an oil treatment which I will keep in the engine for 1,000 miles as recommended.If you want to see pictures of the car and engine you can visit my website at wwwfrenchysrides.com look at the bottom of the main page and you click on the 1932 Hot Rod and you will see. Thanks Frenchy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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