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1932 DeSoto Head Gasket Replacement


Touringcuda

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It looks like my first move is getting the hood off.

I have never removed the hood assembly. Is there an easy, time tested way of non destructive removal. 

I am studying the hood assembly and could use some advice on the best method for a trouble free removal.

The two slot head machine screws next to the radiator do not look to be a problem.

Will the hood assembly lift in the front center and slide forward and out of the rear bracket?

I am thinking that I do not want to remove the rear slot head screws because there may be nuts below them that may disappear into the cowl.

 

Will appreciate any advice.

 

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Not sure on the '32 DeSoto but my '33 Plymouth was designed by the same people so it could be similar.

 

The slotted screws on the back (top of firewall) are into captive nuts. At least on my car they weren't too hard to remove. But rust and corrosion being what it is your experience may vary. You can do a quick look under the dash to confirm there aren't nuts there, but I am pretty confident you'll find you need not worry about losing nuts into the cowl.

 

Getting the hood off without marring the paint needs some care. I've actually done it once by myself but I'd highly recommend you get someone to help you on both the removal and installation. The four pieces of the hood all hinged together make for an assembly that can quickly get out of hand and drop on something.

 

For what it is worth, I've had the head off my car without removing the hood. Biggest issue is getting the temperature sensing bulb out of the head without twisting off the capillary tube. On the '33 Plymouth there is a small freeze/core/welch plug above the bulb with I think might make accessing the back of the bulb possible and allow you to push the bulb out rather than pulling on the capillary. I say might because I noticed that after I did the deed and needed to replace the bulb and capillary I broke in the process.

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I have taken off and replaced on my own the hood from my Dodge 8, but it was hard work. It is much more sensible to have two of you on the job to control it. The Dodge has nuts inside for those screws at the back. On mine, the front hold-down is rivetted to the radiator surround so you have to remove that back piece.

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On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 1:16 PM, keiser31 said:

In my mind, I have an image of blankets across the cowl and each fender....

That is a real good idea........

When I lifted the hood off my '31 Imperial, we slipped 2  2x4's sideways under the hood, about 3' apart, undid the front bolt for the hinge, and lifted and walked forward.

Put her back the same way. but backwards.

 

Mike in Colorado

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Thanks to All

 

I have been pondering how to make the assembly somewhat rigid to make it a vertical lift without too many surprises.

Also this will make it easier to sit down. Maybe on an old piece of carpet. After all in some events the dismount is scored also.  🙂

After all the top of the hood is my view of the car as we motor along.

 

Bob

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hood is off.

I slid two 8 foot 2x4 s over the cross braces that run from fire wall to radiator.

Then I mounted short pieces of 2x4 to capture the louvered parts of the hood on either side.

Bracing was applied to assure that the assembly would remain ridged and capture the hood so it could not move fore and aft.

My rear hinge fastener clip on the cowl  does not have captured nuts up under the dash so I didn't loosen it.

I removed the front hinge fastener clip. We gently lifted the front of the assembly  and walked it forward and off of the car.

All head nuts are off. 2 studs came out and I guess I will reinsert them as a bolt assembly.

I removed the spark plug wire holder and tagged the wires.

I removed the bypass oil filter canister.

Now my problem is removing the temperature gauge cable from the head.

Both fittings are loose. The smaller one that I assume captures the bulb at the end. The larger diameter fitting is also loose that threads directly into the head.

I wish I had a cross section drawing to see how it is assembled. Does the bulb at the end just slip out of the larger diameter fitting that is threaded into the head.

I have soaked it with penetrating oil. If I rotate the larger diameter fitting a few degrees back and forth will this possibly help in removal??

 

Any suggestions......

 

Bob

 

 

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The temperature sensing bulb has an adaptor with a seat that screws into the head. The bulb slides into that. There is a ridge on the bulb that the gland nut presses against to hold the bulb in place and to seal it. Leave the adaptor threaded in the block and remove only the gland nut (one wrench to hold the adaptor in place and another one to remove the outer gland nut). Even with the gland nut off it may be difficult to remove the bulb as it is likely locked in place by mineral build up, etc.

 

On my '33 Plymouth there is a core/welch/freeze plug on the top of the head above the sensing bulb. I believe you can remove that to get access to the part of the bulb that is in the head. I think you can then insert something to push the bulb out. (Not positive on access with the plug removed because I didn't notice it until after I'd twisted the bulb off the capillary.)

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I easily removed the gland nut and over several days and many applications of penetrating oil the sensing bulb refused to budge.

I worked the adaptor back and forth a few degrees initially and applied penetrating oil there also hoping it might help internally.

To make a long story short I also twisted mine off. DeSoto has no freeze plug for access.

Once I had the adaptor with the bulb still stuck inside I picked and picked at the built up rust applied more penetrating oil and it is still stuck there. 

I have gotten suggestions of a few suppliers, Tractor Supply, NAPA  .... etc, that may have temporary replacements so I can replace the head and road test my head gasket fix.

Ply33 is the supplier still around that repaired yours??

 

Thanks in advance

 

Bob

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Touringcuda said:

Ply33 is the supplier still around that repaired yours??

 

I was hoping you'd be able to avoid that problem.

 

1 hour ago, Taylormade said:

Ply33 has a nice write up on his website if you want to try the repair on the temp gauge yourself.

 

The page is at https://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge

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  • 2 weeks later...

Removed the head had it checked and it was warped.

Took it to a recommended local machine shop that specializes in antique engine rebuilds.

He has a surface grinder and trued up the head while I waited.

He paused 3 or 4 times in the grinding process to allow the head to cool and gave us a tour of his shop.

He is finishing the build on his Ford T for the upcoming repeat of the 1909 Ocean to Ocean Automobile Endurance Contest.

I didn't hear his car run but he compared it as sounding like a sprint racer.

He was also installing hardened valve seats in a straight 8 Packard when we arrived.

Thanks ply33 for the repair tempgauge advice.

Tomorrow I am going to my local NAPA in search of a compatible sensing bulb.

What is the proper torque for the head studs??

Thanks to All

Bob

 

 

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11 hours ago, Touringcuda said:

Removed the head had it checked and it was warped.

Took it to a recommended local machine shop that specializes in antique engine rebuilds.

He has a surface grinder and trued up the head while I waited.

He paused 3 or 4 times in the grinding process to allow the head to cool and gave us a tour of his shop.

He is finishing the build on his Ford T for the upcoming repeat of the 1909 Ocean to Ocean Automobile Endurance Contest.

I didn't hear his car run but he compared it as sounding like a sprint racer.

He was also installing hardened valve seats in a straight 8 Packard when we arrived.

Thanks ply33 for the repair tempgauge advice.

Tomorrow I am going to my local NAPA in search of a compatible sensing bulb.

What is the proper torque for the head studs??

Thanks to All

Bob

 

 

Looky here....

TorqueSettings2.jpg.f99e972e36537e6823e2fe733a934bfd.jpg

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Thanks for the chart. I have 7/16 studs.

Picked up my temperature sensing bulb complete with gauge at NAPA.

I decided to remove the radiator and have it checked while things are torn apart.

It was somewhat of an undertaking to get the radiator out of that grill.

I quit when the radiator lifted out now I still have to figure out how the grill can be removed.

Any one out there knowledgeable on the removal of the grill enclosure?

Tomorrow off to radiator shop.

 

Thanks All

 

 

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12 hours ago, Touringcuda said:

Thanks for the chart. I have 7/16 studs.

Picked up my temperature sensing bulb complete with gauge at NAPA.

I decided to remove the radiator and have it checked while things are torn apart.

It was somewhat of an undertaking to get the radiator out of that grill.

I quit when the radiator lifted out now I still have to figure out how the grill can be removed.

Any one out there knowledgeable on the removal of the grill enclosure?

Tomorrow off to radiator shop.

 

Thanks All

 

 

Photos?

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The radiator on our 32 is secured to the grill with 8 slot head machine screws.

I removed them then the x brace that ties the radiator/grill to the fire wall.

4 more bolts hold the body panels below the radiator with the "6" over the crank hole.

2 vertical bolts hold the radiator/grill assembly to the frame.

I was able to rock the grill and painted surround forward enough to leave the radiator just sitting there loose.

I rotated the fan witch is not a 90 degree x to where it looked like obstructions on the radiator would clear the fan.

I put my 3 step ladder astraddle the bumper protected the honeycomb with some cardboard and wiggled the radiator out.

My pictures file sizes are too large.  Three more pictures to follow.

 

DeSotoHeadRemoval 410.JPG

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One more pic that dodge bros. may find interesting.

note stencil on #1 piston. 2 thru six are the same.

Number 1 is for #1 piston. What does B signify? 117 may be an inspector? Obviously Kilroy was not here.

I would load the other 5 pics but I might overload the internet...........😉

SC-DK.

DeSotoHeadRemoval 387.JPG

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Has the engine been overhauled before? It may be an oversize designation.

 

On my Dodge 8, there are little raised machined circles adjacent to each cylinder on the oil filler side on the same line as the engine number boss. The number stamped on each of them indicates a bore oversize from the factory.

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The history of our car is vague.

In 1991 it won a trophy in Carlisle Spring Car Show when the restoration was done.

I believe it had a AACA Senior. It appears to have been a rust free car.

As far as the engine we can only guess. We have had the car since 2011.

This is the first that I have had the head off. A good friend miced the bores the other day and found them all to be 10 over.

I will post more pictures of piston tops and maybe we can decode further the stencils. There was lots of carbon.

My plans are to put head back on for now and pull engine this fall for further exam. We have 2 tours planned this summer.

 

Bob

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Piston  #6

 

Any thoughts on "B"   "C"   

117  maybe machinist  or inspection

All bores are .010  over size.

I do not know if engine was ever rebuilt.

#6 Intake valve is different than the others.

there are some small stencils also.....  s on #6 for example.

Bores look good. Compression test last fall were all a touch less than 90#.

 

Looks like SC DeSoto  and DK Dodge were the same pistons.

 

There was lots of carbon. I scraped it with a utility knife blade.

 

Bob

Piston Tops 005  Piston  #6.JPG

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