Matt Harwood Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 10 minutes ago, keiser31 said: Isn't there a spring on the screw to keep it tight? Yep: Nevertheless, it tightens. I loosened it a few days ago to where there were almost no threads left. Over the past two days, I've loosened it four turns. A lock nut on the screw will solve the problem. It'll make adjustments a little harder, but at least I won't get random 1500 RPM idle speeds while driving. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 Cars as far as you can see. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Looks good Matt. This is my two cents and you can take it or leave it. When I was just finishing my 1931, American, Austin roadster and it was going to go to Pebble Beach. I worked with a guy who helped write the book on Corvette. Anyway he told me when I show my car present it as you would see it in the showroom of an automobile dealership, basically the car ready to drive no trunk up no hood up no doors open, etc. I personally will not take a photo of a car with the hood up because I want to see what it really looks like, it’s beautiful lines, and how it was designed.. I know you spent a lot of money on that engine and it’s gorgeous. But only lift the hood when somebody ask you or if you’d like to show it to someone and then put it back down because most people don’t want to take a picture of a car with a hood up. Have fun. Sorry for the criticism. Lynn 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 While I typically agree with the hood closed sentiment, Lynn, my thoughts are two-fold. One, my car is just a frumpy sedan and most people walk right past it with the hood closed. Hood open, everyone stops to look and frequently start a conversation. I enjoy that part. And two, I spent $50,000 on the sucker. You better bet I'm taking it out of the wrapper. However, I do close it when I'm not around to keep an eye on it. 13 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said: While I typically agree with the hood closed sentiment, Lynn, my thoughts are two-fold. One, my car is just a frumpy sedan and most people walk right past it with the hood closed. Hood open, everyone stops to look and frequently start a conversation. I enjoy that part. And two, I spent $50,000 on the sucker. You better bet I'm taking it out of the wrapper. However, I do close it when I'm not around to keep an eye on it. I agree on your logic. Certain cars need their hoods open because the engine is the most important part of the car. Duesenberg Model J and 540K Mercedes fall in to that category. V12 Packard, V12 Lincoln also. Edited July 22, 2023 by alsancle (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 I like sedans and "frumpy" is good , it is what most people bought when new, plus sedans have incredible interior details and appointments like vanities with clocks at the center , cabinetry etc IN 1988 a friend from England who had several early 1930s classic cars went to Hershey with me . As a neat black late 1930s sedan drove by as we walked back to our car to leave we paused to watch it pass by . He commented " old cars look best when viewed in motion". I agree. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 It’s a beautiful car Matt. I wish I had it. I have the 34 two window town sedan. I like it but the 35 has a really cool look to it. You’re lucky to have it even though it’s been a pain in the…… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 1 hour ago, AB-Buff said: When I was just finishing my 1931, American, Austin roadster and it was going to go to Pebble Beach ...... Lynn Whenever I think of American Austins, I think of your car. It's the most beautiful one on the planet... bar none. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 12 minutes ago, West Peterson said: Whenever I think of American Austins, I think of your car. It's the most beautiful one on the planet... bar none. Thank you West!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob staehle Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Mat any chance the threads on the idle screw are stripped and the spring is pushing the screw out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfloro Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 (edited) Hi Matt, Regarding the mysteriously tightening idle speed screw: if it's possible, what about making tiny radial cuts under the head of the screw and a few on the carb casting where the spring sits. Then, do the same on both sides of the spring. This might create a "self locking" arrangement. If it works, this would be an invisible fix... It requires very fine and careful work. You are an expert in that area and many others... Paul PS: I can understand the screw loosening with the present setup (using the "stored" spring tension). For it to tighten, force (energy) is required to compress the spring. Edited July 22, 2023 by pfloro (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, pfloro said: Hi Matt, Regarding the mysteriously tightening idle speed screw: if it's possible, what about making tiny radial cuts under the head of the screw and a few on the carb casting where the spring sits. Then, do the same on both sides of the spring. This might create a "self locking" arrangement. If it works, this would be an invisible fix... It requires very fine and careful work. You are an expert in that area and many others... Paul PS: I can understand the screw loosening with the present setup (using the "stored" spring tension). For it to tighten, force (energy) is required to compress the spring. There's no question that the idle screw is somehow tightening itself, even against all laws of physics. Every few days, the idle skyrockets. I reset it to normal, which is with the screw almost all the way out. 20-30 miles later, it's idling at 1500 RPM again. I back it off one or two turns, again to almost all the way out. A while later, same thing happens again. I have probably backed off the idle 15 times since I started driving it, each time at least one full turn. At that rate, I would have run out of threads on the screw long ago. What other explanation is there? Every 20-30 miles, it needs to be backed off. It is definitely tightening itself somehow, against the spring. I do not know how to explain it, but there it is. Yep, it's weird. Nope, it's not what you would expect. But that's what the evidence suggests. I thought that maybe the engine was just breaking in and loosening up, but I reset the idle and 10 miles later it was 1500 RPM again. It didn't break in that much in 10 miles of driving. Then someone suggested it might be the fresh oil, but again, it's now got about 500 miles on it. It isn't that fresh anymore. It isn't a vacuum leak because right now it's idling at 400 RPM with the screw backed all the way out and it's rock steady. Tomorrow when we stop for gas halfway home, I bet it'll be idling at 1500 RPM with the screw somehow 1-2 turns tighter. I can almost guarantee it. The only explanation supported by the evidence is that the screw is somehow getting tighter as I drive. It shouldn't, it doesn't make sense, the spring should prevent it, but all the evidence points to that conclusion. What else is there? Before we leave in the morning, I may try stretching the spring a bit to see if I can increase tension on the screw head. Maybe the spring is just worn out? And speaking of gas stops, we did fill up after the show. 12.2 gallons for about 100 miles of driving = 8.2 MPG. WOot! Edited July 22, 2023 by Matt Harwood (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Maybe some purple (small screws) Loctite would be appropriate here. It would probably remain draggy after you break it by adjusting it and still stay set. Well, that is assuming the screw is advancing from vibration while the throttle is open. If it is jumping threads due to damage as someone else suggested then it probably wouldn't work, but it is worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 22, 2023 Author Share Posted July 22, 2023 Back at the hotel. Melanie and Riley were back from the zoo before I got back from the show so I just tucked in next to the TourX. A long, hot day but it all went pretty well. 150 mile drive home in the morning... 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 7 hours ago, Matt Harwood said: I hope it didn't confuse you opening your bonnet/hood next to that '36 Airflow...😜 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 Aaaand we're home. The Lincoln put in a fantastic performance with no notable issues beyond some hiccups when it got hot towards the end of the trip--switching on the electric fuel pump cured it. The mechanical fuel pump is the last remaining component on the car that was not rebuilt by me (it was supposedly rebuilt by the guy who sold the car to me, but, well, you know...) so I'll address that this week. I have a spare pump sitting on the shelf from my parts engine that I'll send out to be rebuilt and put that one on the car and save this one for a spare. No worries. I also removed the idle screw early this morning before we left and stretched the spring a bit, then put it back together and reset the idle. It seemed to hold for the entire drive. Is it solved? I don't know yet. Other than the minor vapor-lock incident, this was an overall excellent performance. Car cruised happily at 55 MPH for nearly 150 miles straight with just one gas stop (more on that in a moment). It stayed around 180 degrees all the way, with a few long uphill slogs pushing it to 190, but on two downhill runs it cooled off into the 160s, so I know the cooling system is working well. I'm running without restrictors and I guess this is proof that I don't need them. Ambient temps were in the mid-80s and it didn't seem to get hotter at higher speeds, so everything appears to be healthy. It tracks straight, brakes hard, and stays cool in the passenger compartment (thanks, insulation!). Better yet, the thing started instantly hot or cold, even after a hot soak and after the vapor lock gave it the hiccups. It never hesitated or gave me a hard time. I guess with twin Optimas and huge battery cables, there's no way for this thing NOT to start. Oil pressure still sucks, but whatever. Not sure there's anything to be done about it. I may change the oil and switch to straight 50 weight synthetic and see what happens. Melanie stopped us for gas at about the halfway point--the TourX said we'd gone 75 miles while the odometer on the Lincoln said 66. So the Lincoln speedometer is an optimist but the odometer is a pessimist. But more remarkably, I only pumped about 4.5 gallons at this point. 4.5 gallons for 66 (or 75) miles is more than 15 MPG. Not sure that's truly accurate, but when it was in its groove at 50-55 MPH it may have been at peak efficiency. Who knows? Of course, right after I shot this video is when it started to hiccup, so I drove the last 30 miles or so with the electric fuel pump running. It eliminated the problem, so I know this car is at least a little susceptible to vapor lock. But that was only after more than two hours at 55 MPH on a very warm day. I'm definitely not complaining. I don't think I could expect anything better. Anyway, this was a great run that built a lot of confidence in the car--for all of us. Melanie and Riley were undoubtedly relieved to not have to deal with my rage over a broken car and I feel elated. I have now put nearly 900 miles on it since the engine was installed and we've worked out most of the bugs. I think there's probably an oil change due and I'd still like to figure out the crappy exhaust note at idle, but those are pretty minor. I also think I should adjust the generator down from its current 10 amps, which seems to be generating a lot of heat and may be putting some stress on the Optimas. Nevertheless, this trip was about as far as I want to drive it, at least for the moment. We're going to trailer it to Hickory Corners next month for the Lincoln homecoming. Unless I figure out how to get that overdrive in there... Hmmmm... 25 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bloom Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 Thanks for the update Matt. I’m happy for you. I’m so glad you didn’t walk away during some of the challenging moment you’ve had with this car, although I don’t think anybody would’ve blamed you if you had. This is a good thing for your son to see. Difficult things and perseverance with a reward at the end. Good stuff for all of our kids (and us adults) to experience and learn in life. Keep giving updates. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 Congratulations Matt. I'm happy for you too. But no way is that thing getting 15 mpg! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 33 minutes ago, alsancle said: Congratulations Matt. I'm happy for you too. But no way is that thing getting 15 mpg! You are undoubtedly right. There's no way it doubled its previous best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 (edited) I would do another 900 miles on the petroleum based oil before you switch over to synthetic. Most likely the pressure issue is the cam bearings…….which means the pressure is not low at the mains or rods………just the cam, which isn’t an issue as splash and rod squirter’s are putting out enough oil. It will be fine. Obviously the cam is turning half the rpm’s of the crank……….so there is not any issue with the pressure at the cam. Edited July 23, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 Matt, a while back you were mentioning you didn’t think you were getting full throttle and is there an adjustment on the thistle rod. Yes, there is but it’s a pain in the butt to get to. We have to take out the floorboard that the Excelerator pedal is attached to and then there is a an adjustment you can make there. Mine was pretty good but I didn’t like exactly where the throttle felt on my foot so I backed it off a couple more turns to give me a little more peddle. See photo. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 24, 2023 Author Share Posted July 24, 2023 26 minutes ago, AB-Buff said: Matt, a while back you were mentioning you didn’t think you were getting full throttle and is there an adjustment on the thistle rod. Yes, there is but it’s a pain in the butt to get to. We have to take out the floorboard that the Excelerator pedal is attached to and then there is a an adjustment you can make there. Mine was pretty good but I didn’t like exactly where the throttle felt on my foot so I backed it off a couple more turns to give me a little more peddle. See photo. Nice! That's exactly what I was hoping to see. I didn't take a close look at it when I had the floors out but I'll tear into it sometime in the future. Our big open house is this Saturday, so this week is getting the shop ready for a party, but after that, I'll tear into it and get that adjustment made--I think I'm only getting about 80% throttle. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 13 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said: I think I'm only getting about 80% throttle. It's to avoid full throttle with a fresh rebuilt engine! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike "Hubbie" Stearns Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 Matt, PARTY? Where and when? I might just have to make a road trip. Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 25, 2023 Author Share Posted July 25, 2023 16 hours ago, Mike "Hubbie" Stearns said: Matt, PARTY? Where and when? I might just have to make a road trip. Mike This Saturday, July 29, 11-3 at the Harwood Motors showroom (1333 Highland Rd., Macedonia, OH 44056). There will be a few hundred cars, a few hundred people, live music, food, raffles, and more. It's a charity event with all the proceeds going to help feed kids who may not have food at home on weekends. Melanie really puts together a great event (I cannot claim credit for any of it, she does all the heavy lifting). It would be great to meet any of you if you're nearby. Let me know you're coming and I'll see if I can save some VIP parking--it fills up fast! 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 I wish I lived closer! Looks like a good time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVP Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 Kudos to Melanie for raising dollars for food insecure children! I experienced this need first hand during my lengthy tenure as an elementary teacher in a core city position within a large urban school district. Wonderful that you're using your business for such a worthy cause! 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike "Hubbie" Stearns Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 4 hours ago, KVP said: Kudos to Melanie for raising dollars for food insecure children! I experienced this need first hand during my lengthy tenure as an elementary teacher in a core city position within a large urban school district. Wonderful that you're using your business for such a worthy cause! I’ll agree. It’s a worth while event. Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 31, 2023 Author Share Posted July 31, 2023 Well, the open house was kind of a washout. The morning was beautiful but by 11 it was cloudy and it rained off and on the rest of the day. Parked the tow truck out front on the grass to help attract attention. A few hardy souls brought their cars (about 50) which was good and we had quite a few visitors just looking around. Not a total bust, but not nearly as big as the usual turn-out. But after seven years of great weather, I guess we were due for a rainy day. Oh well, there's always next year. 18 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B Jake Moran Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 On 7/23/2023 at 6:22 PM, edinmass said: I would do another 900 miles on the petroleum based oil before you switch over to synthetic. Most likely the pressure issue is the cam bearings…….which means the pressure is not low at the mains or rods………just the cam, which isn’t an issue as splash and rod squirter’s are putting out enough oil. It will be fine. Obviously the cam is turning half the rpm’s of the crank……….so there is not any issue with the pressure at the cam. You are one of the smartest old car guys I know. And we’ve never met! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 (edited) 14 hours ago, B Jake Moran said: Edited August 1, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 Matt and Melanie have a wonderful shop and it’s very well done. They work very hard, and they give back to their community. They’re very nice people and I’m proud to call them a friends. 14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted August 2, 2023 Author Share Posted August 2, 2023 Jumped in the Lincoln tonight to go to a cruise-in that I haven't attended before. It's about 30 miles away, but I figured that would be an easy drive. There was plenty of traffic that I tried to avoid but at 5 PM it's crowded just about everywhere. Got to the show area without incident only to find... nobody. Ghost town. No idea what happened but maybe I got the day wrong (it's supposed to be every Wednesday) or it just dried up, which I've noticed happening to these small get-togethers recently. So I drove back to the shop, another 30 miles in rush-hour traffic. What I realized as I was driving and ruminating is that I jumped into this car without a second thought and hit the road to a destination some distance away. Not terribly far, but enough that getting home was more than a long walk. I didn't even look at the gauges in the glove box as I drove (and sat in rush-hour traffic on an 80-degree day) because I knew it would be fine. I am a long way down the trust road with this car, and despite our rocky relationship, I am hopeful that my trust will not be abused [again]. However, my water pump leak persists. I found a good puddle under the car when I got in to leave for the show today, bigger than before. I took a look at the water pump and saw this: That's my freshly rebuilt water pump with a STAINLESS shaft. That's an awful lot of rust for a stainless shaft, don't you think? I'm not sure what to make of it, but if it's that rusty all the way through, it's probably chewing up the packing, which is causing my leak. Granted, I've been running plain tap water in it, but still... I'm going to loosen the packing nut and see if I can clean it up this weekend and get a smoother finish, then [finally] get around to filling it with a 70/30 mix of water/coolant plus some No-Rosion. That should at least stop the rust progression. But why would a stainless shaft rust like that? It's not like my friend and water pump rebuilder would have made THAT basic of a mistake. Maybe this winter the water pump comes out [again] and gets rebuilt [again]. I really hate to take it apart and risk everything that I've done simply because I know it's working properly now. After another rebuild, will it work as well (or at all)? It took a lot of work to get it to this point, I really don't want to go back 8 steps. I'll think on it... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 (edited) I’ll have to take a picture of my water pump. I don’t get any leaking from it after 100 or so miles. I typically forget about it a little bit and then I’ll see a drip and I’ll just “lightly” snug it. But I do have a small grease gun that is filled with special water pump grease that I give the other end of it a shot quite often. Obviously that’s not going to help the that end. Be interesting to see what you find out there. I don’t know what kind of packing mine has in it. Usually it’s a graphite rope type packing. Anyway I’m glad you are becoming more comfortable in it. The Lincoln Owners Club picnics coming up this month. It’s 155 miles from my house to where I’m staying. So I’m looking forward to the nice drive along the coast and up in the Santa Cruz hills in the redwoods. Anyway, I am sure glad that Lincoln is running great. Keep us informed I went out in the shop, lifted the hood and looked at the water pump. I saw a slight film of oil next to the packing and thinking back. I remember every once in a while, I put a few drops of 30 weight oil on it, thinking it might wicking into the seal?? I don’t know if that helps. But here’s a picture of my H2O pump. By the way, I just took a magnet and it does not stick to the shaft. Lynn Edited August 2, 2023 by AB-Buff (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-Buff Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 One more thing I also carry these two items all the time. I try and give the water pump a shot every hundred miles or so. If I’m driving it a 300 mile weekend I don’t pull over and put some in, I’ll wait till I think about it or get back home, but if I’m going around town or cars and coffee or whatever I’ll give it a shot every once in a while. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 Matt, what grade stainless is that supposed to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_in_nh Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 Not all stainless steels are non rusting. Request 316 stainless steel (medical grade) if it is feasible. Best of luck to you Matt. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 That could be just rust coming out with the water. If it's plain water there's probably lots of brown powder in the water jacket. The pump needs to leak a little, just not very much. I'd get some corrosion inhibitor (or antifreeze) in there right away and give it a little squirt of water pump grease. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmhowe Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 I agree with Bloo: Your stainless steel water pump shaft is not rusting. The rust is coming from someplace else. The rust buildup on the external part of your shaft looks like lots of big particles, which they may be. However, the particles were not as big when they bypassed your packing. What you are seeing is a combination of passage, deposition, partial drying, more deposition and accumulation. I'll bet, when you clean the exposed part of the shaft, you will find absolutely no pitting of the shaft - hence, no corrosion of the shaft. What you have is a minor leak problem, with some rusty water doing the leaking. I'd start by assuming your packing gland needs to be tightened slightly. Phil 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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