pvmw Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I wondered if someone might advise me................... I'm restoring a 1916 Maxwell, and recently dropped the sump for a look inside. I found two strange things, The first was a sock. OK, its a sock. I can live with that! The second was that all the rods had been shortened at some time in the past by heating them and then compressing them, such that there is a bulge in the middle. Quite bizarre, I've never seen anything like it. I suspect it was done when someone changed the pistons to alloy, the crown height was different so the rods were shortened - apparently by a blacksmith of large biceps and small brain (tho' to be fair, to have got them all the same length and true in both axes is quite an achievement). However, I don't want to risk using them so I'm looking for an alternative. I first thought Model A, the length (7 1/2 inches) is about right but the journals are too small. However, I think the Model B rod has 1 7/8 inch Big Ends which would be very close. Could someone please tell me the dimensions of a Model B rod, length between centres, big end and small end journal diameter and big end width? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19tom40 Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 The overall length is 9.562" and the crankshaft end is1.872" ID. The model A rods have an overall length 9.312 and 1.497 id at the crank end. I found these dimensions in the Green Book (1928-1948 Ford Chassis Parts Catalog) and cannot give you the center to center measurements. I hope that this helps you. Are you sure that the bulge was not from the factory? It seems to me that it would be easier to find pistons with the wrist pin located in the correct place for the rods than to shorten 4 rods by heating them and shrinking them. That process has so many issues that have to be resolved, that I find it hard to believe that someone would take it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvmw Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 Thanks for that. The journal dia. fits, but if the overall length is different then maybe the centre to centre dimension is different. I'll need to find out what it is. I don't think the factory would have done anything quite as messy as shown in the photo below. All the rods have been done , but all are different so they weren't done on a jig or anything like that. It is hard to believe, but I think someone must have done it to be able to use new alloy pistons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viv w Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I would advertise in buy/sell and see if someone else has a set of Maxwell rods to sell you.Viv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvmw Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) the trouble with that is that they will be the same as the old rods before they were modified - too long. I need to either find/make a set of rods that are the same length as the "modified" ones. or replace the pistons. Edited November 23, 2015 by pvmw (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19tom40 Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 You can try this site for an answer. http://www.mafca.com/tqa_e_block.html Have you measured cylinder taper and diameter and compared them to piston diameter? You may need to use new pistons if the block and pistons are worn. Have you talked with someone in the Chrysler Club who is familiar with Maxwells? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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