FE President engine specifications

[Dave_president]

Hello all, I have a FE President 8 state sedan here in Sydney, Australia. It developed a knock in cylinder 4.

The big end bearing is cracked.

Has anybody else fitted slipper bearings to one of these?

Does anybody have details on clearances and specifications for the rebuid?

[edinmass]

They built President models for a long time. How about a year? After fifty years I have never heard the term slipper bearing. How about details and a few photos. It’s a simple engine……..not too much mystery to it. 

[Gary_Ash]

The FE President was built 1929-1930, 3.5 inch bore, 4.375 inch stroke, 337 cu in displacement.  The "1928-30 Service Reference Library" calls for a rod big end bearing clearance of 0.0015 to 0.002" when new, 0.005" max in service.  Side play is listed as 0.004"-0.007" new, 0.012" max. in service.  Reprints of the Library are available from Faxon Auto Literature.  As for re-machining the rod to accept an insert bearing, you may be in uncharted territory.  

 

The part number for the rods with standard bearing size is 157016 for engine serial numbers before FE-8,343.  After that, the odd and even number cylinders have different rod part numbers, 143660 for odd numbers, 143661 for evens.  Part numbers for later engines, models 80, 90,91,92, were different, though the same pistons were used in FE/FH cars as the 1931-33 cars. 

 

Check your crank pin for diameter, should be 2.249-2.250".  There were 0.010' and 0.020" undersize rods available, don't know where you would find one now.  Try to get your rod re-babbitted and reamed to fit your crank.

 

Rex Miltenberger may have some used rods.

[Dave_president]

Thanks Gary, Excellent information. I have the manual on order from Faxon, but it seems to take a while to get to Australia.

The engine is stripped and it only seems like the No.7 Big end has an issue. (not 4 as I said earlier)

I will pass the information onto my engine builder.

 

The engine received a $30,000 rebuild 4 years ago, 3 years before I bought the car.

It was owned by a promotions company and I don't think they got a good deal from that rebuilder.