oh yeah your learning and doing so why feel like an idiot ???? we all get there ocassionally ..... chriminy as long as i've been playing with cars and trucks , racing etc. i am still letting the electrical systems kick my **** and having to find peeps who know what the hades is up ............. so yer not an idiot .. just learning from those who may know , something you don't know .

 

It would be rare to need new con rods, unless you need forged and are going to a blower. Ol' Henry made some excellent pieces there.

 

WOW!!! Did you ever hit the nail on the head with that remark??? I know I'm an old geezer but I can tell you first hand that the 16 to 20 year old group I'm seeing these days are a major disappointment to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if they don't take an interest in cars and trucks they are worthless. What I am saying is that most of them I see do little more than text on their cell phones and hang out at the malls. It's a sad thing when they have gotten so lazy that they can't even get a life.

Now for the positive part of this post... This is directed to both 3rdshiftdiscretion and fifty-two_f1. As is the case most of the time, I am deeply disappointed by the youth of today but once in a while I get a glimmer of hope when I come across young people like you that are actually doing something. For that you have my admiration and praise. Keep at it and don't get discouraged. If you get in a bind you can always ask for help here or on a slew of other boards online. You are not only learning to do these things, you are also getting a bit of a history lesson too. I wish you continued success and enjoyment with your endeavors.

 

if the crank is sitting around keep it standing up. that way it stays straight. is mountain dew the drink still

 

Well..... The 52 that i have done with the straight 6 was rebuilt by myself and my grandfather. The 51 that I am working on has the flat eight. I have done some valve work to it, but I try to find decent engines to start with.

 

I've seen a lot of talk about how to store a crank, the bottom line being no one really can prove one way or the other. With the spare flathead crank I have, I am storing it flat because with only 3 mains, and the huge counterweights, it seems less likely to be under stress that way. Vertically it would be bending across the mains. If it tipped over I would not want my foot anywhere nearby!

 

good to see more younger people on here. Im only 19 myself but i grew up tinkering on old broken down stuff and helping dad fix everybodies cars and farm equipment. and as far as feeling like an idiot, you dont have a reason to. you came across a problem that you werent sure how to fix so you recruited the help of older and wiser people before you broke something expensive. trust me on this you feel a lot dumber after you break something because of not asking a simple question.

 

i now have spent my first 50 bucks at autozone!!! woot

haha i rented the RR and a piston ring compressor. my pistons are out but i decided to swim instead of take out my valves. ( need to rent to tool for that one too)

thank you everyone you saved me a nice little bit of cash. im sending the block in very soon. as it seems my stepdad ordered me a complete engine rebuild kit for the 239 .

and not all 19 year olds are worthless but not going to lie i do text alot. just not when my hands have motor oil on them.

 

You don't need a tool for the valves; just some pry-bars, long screwdrivers, and some pliers. I used a tire iron to pull down my guides, but admittedly mine weren't rusted up or otherwise ornery. A couple of clips were tough but most just popped right out. Give it a try! (Keep them in order)

 

There's some flathead books out there that may be handy to have. Frank Oddo's Ford Flathead, JWL's Flathead Facts, Tex Smith's The Complete Ford Flathead V8, and How to build a Flathead Ford V-8 by George Mcnicholl. I recommend the first two, first, though.

 

When you take the valves out, make sure you have them in order like albuq said. Also make sure you keep track of all the keepers. Do you have adjustable lifters in your flatty?

 

i plan on getting new valves and lifters. everything is going to be new. except the crank, cam,block, and heads

 

I would be careful on getting new valves and lifters. The steel quality was much better then than it is now. The Chinese do not care. The parts wear and you have shavings from the poor quality parts flowing around in your engine. I am not saying all new parts are bad. Just be sure that you know the quality of the part you are getting. I would suggest adjustable lifters because I bet you dont want to take the valve out and grind on it 400 times to get it to fit just right!

 

ordered the engine rebuild from reds headers.