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New here, hello! I'm a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer in southern California. Grew up addicted to pre-1960's mechanical anything. Recently bought my first old truck, 1950 F4 flathead 226 4 on the floor sitting in a field. As I start to tear it apart for sandblasting I thought about the motor. It spins freely but hasn't been run in 30 years. If I'm going to overhaul it will I need to do hardened valve seats?I'll be driving it maybe 2000 miles a year in city traffic only. I was planning on rebuilding the carb and replacing fluids and seeing if it will fire. Otherwise I'll tear it down and do new gaskets and anything else in need of replacing.
Any advice or input on the motor or anything in general?
On other notes I'm buying 6 replacement 22.5"s, new 9r22.5's, sandblasting the (lucky me) rust free cab/fenders/hood, and having it powder coated.
Alex, welcome to FTE the best Ford Truck Forum on the world wide Web! Your questions will be answered here, but there is one requirement.... you need to show us pictures of your truck.
About the hardened seats, I have read that if you don't haul heavy loads daily or race your truck then you do not need hardened seats with this no lead gas, nor do you need lead additives.
But if you are going to overhaul it why not put hardened seats in?
Good luck and don't forget the pics. And it sounds like you are way ahead since you got replacement rims for your " Widow Makers".
Welcome to the forum. I, too, like to see another F4 on the road. It sounds like you have a nice project. I will only comment that you have a 50 MPH truck with stock gearing and will be reving it pretty high to maintain that speed. High RPMs are generally not conducive to good valve life with unhardened valve seats.
I wanted to run my F4 at road speeds so I repowered and regeared.
Keep us posted with your project. We're all picture junkies.
The '48 to early '50 226's had hardened seats on both intake and exhaust. Then Ford started phasing out hardened seats, by using rotators on the valves. So in mid-to-late '50, only the exhaust seats were hardened inserts, then by '50 neither were hardened.
I believe you can simply look thru the spark plug hole and see the valve seat areas, and should be able to tell what your engine has.
Welcome to the forum. I, too, like to see another F4 on the road. It sounds like you have a nice project. I will only comment that you have a 50 MPH truck with stock gearing and will be reving it pretty high to maintain that speed. High RPMs are generally not conducive to good valve life with unhardened valve seats.
I wanted to run my F4 at road speeds so I repowered and regeared.
Keep us posted with your project. We're all picture junkies.
As always, good point Ray. I was thinking about 53 to 56 F100s which have lower geared rears.
The 226 is a good engine, you will like it. Be really careful when working on it though and follow torque guidelines. Snapping something like the exhaust manifolds or water pump starts to get expensive and aggravating hunting down parts. Skip in FL can do a real nice job rebuilding your water pump if it's bad or leaky. Keep it cool and change the oil if you are going to fire it without tearing into it. No doubt sitting that long it's full of sludge in every possible place. Lots of folks on here have the 226.
Alex, welcome to FTE the best Ford Truck Forum on the world wide Web! Your questions will be answered here, but there is one requirement.... you need to show us pictures of your truck.
About the hardened seats, I have read that if you don't haul heavy loads daily or race your truck then you do not need hardened seats with this no lead gas, nor do you need lead additives.
But if you are going to overhaul it why not put hardened seats in?
Good luck and don't forget the pics. And it sounds like you are way ahead since you got replacement rims for your " Widow Makers".
Originally Posted by raytasch
Welcome to the forum. I, too, like to see another F4 on the road. It sounds like you have a nice project. I will only comment that you have a 50 MPH truck with stock gearing and will be reving it pretty high to maintain that speed. High RPMs are generally not conducive to good valve life with unhardened valve seats.
I wanted to run my F4 at road speeds so I repowered and regeared.
Keep us posted with your project. We're all picture junkies.
Originally Posted by ALBUQ F-1
Welcome to the forum!
The '48 to early '50 226's had hardened seats on both intake and exhaust. Then Ford started phasing out hardened seats, by using rotators on the valves. So in mid-to-late '50, only the exhaust seats were hardened inserts, then by '50 neither were hardened.
I believe you can simply look thru the spark plug hole and see the valve seat areas, and should be able to tell what your engine has.
Thanks for the welcome and the advice! Living in LA isn't conducive to slow speeds but I think I can get away with 35mph max!
So there's a chance my 226 already has hardened seats? That would be helpful. I called the machine shop that just finished work on my Ford 557 and they're getting back to me on valve seat hardening anyways. I'd prefer to leave it as original as possible, although I'm going to do a full gasket set anyways and an inspection when I'm inside.
What's the cosmetic different between hardened seats and non?
Definitely read up on the widow makers! Has 4 on it now, think I'm going with WheelsNowInc 22.5's although I'll be scouting on here for a used set if anyone knows of a secret stash!
Not sure if the owner if the current owner is on here! I bought it sight unseen and will be flying out to start work on it in 3 weeks.
The 226 is a good engine, you will like it. Be really careful when working on it though and follow torque guidelines. Snapping something like the exhaust manifolds or water pump starts to get expensive and aggravating hunting down parts. Skip in FL can do a real nice job rebuilding your water pump if it's bad or leaky. Keep it cool and change the oil if you are going to fire it without tearing into it. No doubt sitting that long it's full of sludge in every possible place. Lots of folks on here have the 226.
JB
I'm hopeful. It's covered by a few feet of snow which should help with the temp! Is there a chosen manual I can buy with torque specs and rebuild guidance?
Definitely draining fluids and refilling before firing.
Where is the truck now? You have to haul it home still if i read that correctly?
Anyway. I'll send you a pm or email concerning some 22.5 wheels. Im in Salt Lake.
Cheers
Josh
Truck is in Idaho, seller stuck it in my temperature controlled storage unit for me. From 30 years in a field to a sealed, 68* room..not a bad transition back to life!
Ya please do. Would love to track down a source.
Originally Posted by FortyNiner
Welcome Alex! The 226 is a good engine - some of the old timers considered it bullet proof. As for stuff to know today:
The thermostat housing isn't reproduced so be careful removing and reinstalling as they are prone to cracking at the mounting holes.
Where is the truck now? You have to haul it home still if i read that correctly?
Anyway. I'll send you a pm or email concerning some 22.5 wheels. Im in Salt Lake.
Cheers
Josh
Truck is in Idaho, seller stuck it in my temperature controlled storage unit for me. From 30 years in a field to a sealed, 68* room..not a bad transition back to life!
Ya please do. Would love to track down a source.
Originally Posted by FortyNiner
Welcome Alex! The 226 is a good engine - some of the old timers considered it bullet proof. As for stuff to know today:
The thermostat housing isn't reproduced so be careful removing and reinstalling as they are prone to cracking at the mounting holes.
Where is the truck now? You have to haul it home still if i read that correctly?
Anyway. I'll send you a pm or email concerning some 22.5 wheels. Im in Salt Lake.
Cheers
Josh
Truck is in Idaho, seller stuck it in my temperature controlled storage unit for me. From 30 years in a field to a sealed, 68* room..not a bad transition back to life!
Ya please do. Would love to track down a source.
Originally Posted by FortyNiner
Welcome Alex! The 226 is a good engine - some of the old timers considered it bullet proof. As for stuff to know today:
The thermostat housing isn't reproduced so be careful removing and reinstalling as they are prone to cracking at the mounting holes.
02-02-2017, 06:48 PM
Is there a chosen manual I can buy with torque specs and rebuild guidance?
