1927 fast four engine

[Guest Pete611]

Hello, hope everybody is doing well. looking for any information on a 1927 dodge brothers fast four engine. we are in the process of rebuilding it for a customer, we have finished Babbitting the  block and rods. starting the rebuild process now. no sure on the ignition ( distributor ) set up, any 

information on this engine would be greatly appreciated. would love to find manuals on this to buy.

Thank You for any info

Pete Simon

Consumers auto

Saginaw Mi

[trimacar]

A friend just rebuilt a '27 Fast Four for me, he might reply to this.  Great engines, five main bearings....but also a lot of pot metal parts on accessories that will drive you crazy....

 

One piece of advice, don't use pistons that are made by a company that sounds like a frozen breakfast waffle you buy, or what hens lay.  My car would run for a little while, then the engine would seize.  We're now putting Arias pistons in it, a little more expensive but worth it.

 

I can get you some pictures of the restored engine, and also have some extra parts, including an extra engine and transmission for sale, asking $1000 for all and will negotiate, on a pallet ready to ship.

[Guest Pete611]

Thank you for the information, more pictures would be great. what other parts do you have, looking for a clutch disc.

[ArticiferTom]

MAy try Dodge Brothers Web site also has general info posted . Attached is some examples of the 1914 to 1927 Mechanics Manual .also a private web site Plymouth the First Decades has a wealth of info .MEC Man.pdf

[robert b]

What information do you want on the ignition , they are very straight forward to time , " IGN " mark on flywheel with No 1 at TDC ,  1342 fireing order, set with advance lever at full . very simple Bob

 

ps these engines must use split skirt pistons with 0.002 clearance, there is no temp controls on the cooling system so you must use pistons that can expand and contract with changing temps.

Edited April 22, 2017 by robert b (see edit history)

[Guest Pete611]

Robert B,

Thank you for the information,

[R.White]

On 4/21/2017 at 1:57 PM, trimacar said:

 

 

 

One piece of advice, don't use pistons that are made by a company that sounds like a frozen breakfast waffle you buy, or what hens lay.  My car would run for a little while, then the engine would seize.  We're now putting Arias pistons in it, a little more expensive but worth it.

 

 

 

 

Although my engine is not a fast four it is very similar being a "C" with five main bearings.  I am just about to fit the new +0.040" pistons but what I have read here is worrying me.

 

I have just bought a set of the EGGE pistons to which you refer.  They have been supplied by Myers as a replacement and have solid skirts.  The pistons that were in the engine were standard and also had solid skirts - but as some of you may recall - they had been fitted to bores which had been machined + 0.010".  Obviously they would not have seized being so slack unless the rings had not been gapped properly.  

 

My worry is that these new pistons will seize and I wondered if I have wasted my money.  Unfortunately, given the value of the £ and the postage and import charges, everything I buy from the U.S.A. is costing me about twice as much as it would cost you guys.  If a split skirt is necessary, I may resort to putting a split in the skirt of these pistons and hope for the best...

 

Ray. 

 

 

[dwollam]

I've been running Egge pistons, valves, head gaskets in my DB's for years. Never a problem. Ever.

[trimacar]

7 hours ago, dwollam said:

I've been running Egge pistons, valves, head gaskets in my DB's for years. Never a problem. Ever.

 

That's good to hear!  I've been not so lucky, I guess, as they didn't work in my '27 fast four, and I've had troubles with Egge supplied pistons in two other engines rebuilt in the last decade.

 

I do understand that there can be contributing factors to parts not working correctly, particularly "custom" manufactured parts.

[Spinneyhill]

On 26/04/2017 at 0:33 AM, R.White said:

My worry is that these new pistons will seize and I wondered if I have wasted my money.  Unfortunately, given the value of the £ and the postage and import charges, everything I buy from the U.S.A. is costing me about twice as much as it would cost you guys.  If a split skirt is necessary, I may resort to putting a split in the skirt of these pistons and hope for the best...

 

What about asking Egge what clearance they recommend for those solid-skirt pistons? Your local engine reconditioners should be able to give advice too - i.e. pick their brains! Note also that you have to measure the piston at the right place when determining the piston to cylinder wall clearance.

 

I note the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of Al is a little more than twice that of grey cast iron so some allowance seems to be necessary.

Edited June 23, 2017 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[R.White]

I would like to know what they say the ring gap should be.  I would think you should file the rings to give a minimum gap of 0.014"