1926 MASTER BUICK ENGINE

[autonut]

The flywheel on the '26 engine weighs over 150 lbs alone. Along with the multiple clutch we are talking about over 200lbs of weight. Is all that weight necessary? I wouldn't think so since V8's use a flywheel & clutch assy that weighs 1/4 of that weight.

The question I have is, "Has there been anyone who has converted this huge flywheel weight & multiple clutch to a lighter flywheel and a regular clutch plate??"

Thanks/Lee

[Guest kaycee]

Hi Lee,

It would'nt surprise me with all the conversions into rat rods today, and of course Buick did it through the years, but it would be a shame to ruin a nice old engine that ran well in its day. Almost all of the twenties car engines had big, heavy flywheels and many with heavy multiple disc clutches. The purpose of the flywheel in most cases was to give extra balance and "oomph" to the engine.

kaycee

[Mark Shaw]

Lee,

The heavy flywheel provides more enertia (stored torque) to move heavy cars when stopped. You may find the engine will stall much more frequently and require more rpms to move without the added enertia the flywheel provides. Multiple disc clutches provide much more surface area to minimize slipping while still providing a relatively light clutch pedal.

You could modernize your clutch and flywheel to reduce weight, but you will still have a big heavy Buick to move with either a slipping clutch or hard pedal that may stall the engine anyway. I guess it really depends on how far you want to go. Maybe a hydraulic actuated clutch would allow you to move the car while slipping the clutch to keep the engine from stalling & still be comfortable to drive.

Just my $0.02

[Dave_B]

I have often thought there must be ways to get more performance out of a 20s Buick engine and still have it stock on the outside. Installing aluminum pistons should help make it more free revving. Raising the compression ratio would be doable with positive effect, it might make it run cooler too. Exactly how much I don't know 5:1 5.5:1? I think they are about 4:1 from the factory.

If you lighten the flywheel it may be more responsive and free revving but there will be trade offs as Mark said you will have to give it a little more gas to get going from a stop. There is probably some amount you could lighten the flywheel before it had adverse affects. I know my 28 will start from a stand still on level ground without touching the gas. It will start in third with a little slipping of the clutch. Are those necessary characteristics under modern driving conditions? I wouldn't think so. I would be interested know how it works out if you took say 50 lbs off the flywheel. I wouldn't change the clutch though i think it would be too much trouble and not much pay off.

Just thinking out loud.

Happy New Year everybody

[Mark Shaw]

I agree that aluminum pistons make sense. My 13 Buick has them and I believe it adds about 10% more power to the original engine.

[Terry Wiegand]

I HAVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS REGARDING THE 1926 BUICK ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE. I HAVE THREE BUICKS FROM THE MIDDLE TEENS TO THE EARLY TWENTIES. THEY ARE ALL POWERED WITH THE 6-CYLINDER ENGINE. ALL THREE OF THESE CARS WILL RUN THE SOCKS OFF ANY

CHEVROLET OR T-MODEL FORD OF THE SAME YEAR. I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THESE ENGINES REPRESENTED THE EPITOME OF ENGINE

ENGINEERING IN THEIR TIME. YOU ARE DEALING WITH A LOW SPEED LOW COMPRESSION ENGINE. THERE WAS NO COUNTER-BALANCING ON THE

CRANKSHAFT AND THEY ALL USED A 'BUILT TO DO THE JOB' FLYWHEEL. THE TORQUE GENERATED BY A HEAVY ROTATING MASS (AKA FLYWHEEL)

WAS WHAT MADE THE CAR MOVE. I HAVE BEEN AROUND JOHN DEERE TRACTORS ALL MY LIFE AND THE FLYWHEEL ON A MODEL 'D' IS WHAT ALLOWED IT TO PULL A 3 BOTTOM PLOW. THAT FLYWHEEL WEIGHED IN AT AROUND 125+ POUNDS AND WAS WAY LARGER THAN ANY BUICK ENGINE

FLYWHEEL EVER THOUGHT OF BEING. WHAT I AND OTHERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS THIS - WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH BY TAKING WEIGHT

OFF THE FLYWHEEL ON A 1926 BUICK ENGINE? IT WON'T MAKE THE CAR GO ANY FASTER DOWN THE ROAD. IT'S NOT GEARED THAT WAY. 30 - 35

MPH IS ALL THE FASTER I WANT TO GO IN AN AUTOMOBILE THAT HAS PLATE GLASS WINDOWS AND A WOOD FRAMED BODY. I MEAN NO DISRESPECT

IN WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY NEXT, SO, ALL THE SPEED FREAKS SHOULDN'T GET THEIR SHORTS IN A WAD. I WAS 18 ONCE UPON A TIME AND I HAD A

'55 CHEVROLET 210 POST. (THAT'S A 2-DOOR SEDAN TO YOU YOUNG PUPS) IT HAD A 265 SHORT BLOCK, 283 HEADS, AND A 327 CRANK. THAT FIGURED OUT TO 301 CUBIC INCHES AND DAMN THAT THING WOULD RUN. I PAID A $145.00 FINE FOR DOING 107 MPH IN A POSTED 60 MPH ZONE.

THAT GOT THE 'HOT ROD MENTALITY' OUT OF ME RIGHT QUICK. THAT WAS IN 1966 BEFORE I HEADED OFF TO THE NAVY. THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THIS - IF YOU WANT A GO-FAST MACHINE - GO GET ONE, BUT, DON'T TEAR UP A NICE ORIGINAL ENGINE OR CAR TO GET IT. I THINK MR. SHAW CAN RELATE TO WHAT I AM TELLING YOU GUYS HERE. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM TO DROP A SMALL BLOCK IN HIS VERY NICE 1913.

I REALLY WISH THE GENTLEMAN WOULD EXPLAIN JUST WHAT IT IS AND WHAT HE HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH BY CHANGING THE PROPERTIES OF THE

ENGINE THIS WAY. SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK ABOUT - BUICK HAD THE WINNINGEST FACTORY-SPONSERED RACING TEAM IN AUTOMOBILE

HISTORY BY 1910. ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS LOOK THE OTHER GUY SQUARE IN THE EYE AND SAY 'ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY BUB? I'M DRIVING A BUICK'

TERRY WIEGAND

DOO-DAH AMERICA

[Larry Schramm]

I know of a person that has a 1913 or 14 Buick that had the engine redone by a friend of his Dads to "modern compression, modern clutch from like a Camaro, etc" and it turned out awful!! The car is not driveable and he is in the process of having the vehicle put back to stock so he can drive the car and enjoy it as it was intended. The pleasure of having an old car is being able to drive it as it was intended and designed. That is one of the reasons that I have my clutches relined with leather only. I agree with Mark Shaw that if it lasted 100 years so far, how will a new leather reline not outlast me.