I have them on my big block chevy. I machined a small flat on top of the cap so the bolt has a nice flat surface to sit on. The support bolt just sits on the cap and if the cap wants to move it will have to move the bar stock also Most that I have seen us longer main cap bolts with thick Walled spacers to hole the bar stock just over the cap. I made mine out of .625 tool steel for over kill and the stock was free
A little OT, but I'm going to a local spot that has a pair of Gordon Smith air compressors. Neat little things, and from what I've read, many were made from B engines... which hopefully means B cranks. Anyone know anything more about them?
Thank you for information. My engine has inserts from Antique Engine Rebuilding and they are already fitted. So i´m little bit of late whit these modifications. Engine would be just a little bit hopped up. Still looking for reasonable priced Counterweight Crank, maybe i have to get new one in next winter. BCCHOPIT picture is just that what i meant.
If the stock caps are not pinned or sleeved START OVER. You will not be able to refit them in the same place again. Sorry
Here is what I have found so far in SO Ca. Spoke to a shop recently and thy quoted $400 for counterweights. I'm assuming that included grind. Last quote I had for installing inserts on mains was somewhere over $ 600 (on a "B") Didn't get a quote from shop that priced counterweights for line boring as I'm going to go with babbit $ 650 mains and rods latest bid. Man is negative as to hot rods. There is a shop closer but no answer to telephone. Also, saw a reference on the barn to some one in Ramona pouring bearings.
Bill Hansen model A ford service and repair, Ramona, ca. 760 789-9296 never used them, picked up a card somewhere.
wrong number above 760 789-8296. card says they do wheel balancing, counter balanced crankshafts, engine babbiting, lightened flywheels, v8 clutches, leakless water pump,carbs, dist, generators,starters and more.
Here is a strange one, modified "C" crank in an "A" block with inserts. This happens to be a Eubanks crank (modified), Saturn bearings, with std bolt spacing between the main bolts. Not running yet.... but close John
Terry Burtz is working on a 5 main A block. Here is a link to his project. http://www.modelaengine.com/ .
And the internet is even older. You have to subscribe to his news letter to get the current info. Here is the last update Updates This update is a few days late because I have been busy making new tooling and minor changes to existing foundry tooling. These changes were completed today and Lodi Iron Works is in possession of all tooling required for casting attempt #4 of the cylinder block. I have committed to give a seminar at next years MARC convention in San Diego (June 2011), and my optimistic goal is to have a running engine by then. In case someone gets this Email without seeing the article on the new Model A engine, the article can be found at: http://www.modelaengine.com If anyone has a question, concern, comment, or suggestion, please let me know at [email protected], and Ill do my best to resolve the issue. On Jan 29, 2011, good castings of the crankshaft, connecting rod and main bearing caps were displayed at the Turlock, Calif swap meet along with casting #1 of the cylinder block which was at the MAFCA convention in Vancouver, Canada. I was happy to meet and talk with several of the people that are on the Email update list. In addition, several others were added to the update list. Cylinder Block Lodi Iron Works has cast 3 cylinder blocks. #1 had gating problems and the core was known to be broken during mold closure. The revised gating worked on #2, but it also had a broken core problem and was cut apart to verify integrity and wall thicknesses in the areas where the cores were intact. Wall thickness was good in all areas not affected by the broken core, and there was no porosity, tears, cold flow or anything else that would affect the integrity. Casting #3 also had a broken core problem. Attachments 1 and 2 are pictures of casting #2 which was cut apart. A technical meeting was held at Lodi Iron Works on 10 Jan 2011 when the core assembly for casting #3 was being assembled and a variety of chaplets were discussed that could be used to keep the cores separated to maintain casting wall thickness. Lodi Iron Works believes that the cores can be kept in position without chaplets since chaplets may create other problems including cold flow and porosity. No chaplets were used on any of the 3 castings. A second technical meeting was held on 28 Jan 2011 where everything was put on the table to be discussed in order to make this project successful and within budget. Every core box, pattern and every other piece of tooling was analyzed and talked about. The meeting culminated with an action item list where several minor tooling changes were requested, some new tooling was requested, and Lodi Iron Works has taken on the task to write a procedure to implement a stronger system for process control on the foundry floor to insure that the tooling will be used as designed, and this should provide the flat surfaces and good features that are needed for core positioning during core assembly. During mold assembly, the core assembly is placed in the drag (lower half of mold), and the cope (upper half of mold) is lowered into place. The cope weighs several hundred pounds and it is thought to be bumping and breaking the core assembly while being lowered. Longer alignment pins have been made for the cope pattern, a core box to form the longer alignment pins has been made, and extensions for the longer alignment pins have been made. These changes should make alignment easier for the crane operator as he is lowering the cope. In addition, the core boxes that form the upper and lower core holders have been modified to provide clearance to the cope on their vertical edges. Other changes made to the tooling include stronger retraction springs on both the upper and lower water jacket core boxes, and modifying the valve chamber core box to make the upper and lower casting wall thickness greater by 1/16 inch. After the new and changed tooling is verified to work, casting #4 will be made. Connecting Rod, Main Caps, and Crankshaft As stated above, good castings of these parts were displayed at the Turlock swap meet and are ready for machining. Compared to the cylinder block, these parts are very simple. The material that was used to cast these parts is Meehanite SP80 (80-55-06). Other uses for this material include suspension parts, and even off road front spindles where the stub axle is lowered to provide additional ground clearance. Attachment 3 is a picture of the crankshaft, connecting rods, and main caps. GD&T, Tolerances, Machining, and Surface Finishes Good castings of the crankshaft and connecting rods have been created and are ready to be presented to machine shops along with SolidWorks descriptions of machined surfaces to obtain CNC machining quotes. This is on my "to do" list. Next Update The next update will be in 2 months or sooner. Terry Burtz, Campbell, Calif. .
Is anyone useing an external oil pump if so could you provide some information. Many early dirt track cars appeared to use one driven off the front of the cam or crank shaft. I may use VW gears but dont want too high pressure as I will be useing a beehive oil filter which does not take high pressure crank will be drilled shell bearings
The bypass valve will only open if the pump has greater volume capacity than the flow rate of the oil thru the clearance of the bearings. A new engine with tight clearances could have 45 lbs. and bypass more than 1/2 of the oil being pumped, as the bearings wear and the clearance increases you could still have 45 lbs. but less would be going thru the bypass. eventually the pump would not be able to overcome the worn bearings and oil pressure will then fall as was typical in early Olds V8's. Many an Olds had to be push started to get the lifters to fill up but would run ok till you shut it off again. The standard VW pumps don't have enough capacity for an "A" or "B" engine, the gears need to be at least as big as an "A" to have enough flow capacity. Maybe an 8BA or CHEV pump could be modified to work.
thanks BHT8BALL in that case at 45lb it would be better that the oil being filtered would only be that going past the bypass [lower pressure] while the main flow goes straight to the engine
I would be carefull with running an external pump, I know they look the part, but reliability may not be so. I hear that someone makes a modified flathead pump that fits into the stk "A" location with a 45-55# bypass. You can then plumb from the retaining screw fitting to a filter then back into the motor. Race cars, with wet sumps and external pumps sometimes have leakage issues on the low pressure side, without any indications like leaking oil, just low oil pressure issues. Before making comment about drysumps, most have the tank/resevoir mounted higher than the pump inlet port. Also, oil pumps generally run at cam speed +/-, if running off the crank you could use a smaller pump. I seem to recall drysump pumps run 50% crank speed.
Here's some pics of installing "B" inserts from Snyders, the inserts are available from std. to -.060 I made the seal holders for the block & main cap to fit 350 CHEV 2-piece seal. The oilpump has 50% longer gears and the relief is set for 55 lbs. with the outlet blocked off. All the oil that goes to the engine is filtered, the bypass oil is routed back to the intake of the pump to minimize cavitation just like in a CHEV. I included pics of a '25 CHEV engine with external oilpump that I recreated and used an 8RT pickup in the pan, there was no drama getting it to prime or make pressure.
once again excellent photos BHT8BALL once more shows the quality of your work and answers a lot of questions maybe I will hide a modern spinoff filter in my behive filter houseing. Nice crank shaft is that new?
yes I agree camspeed is the way to go air in the oil is the greatest challange I am useing a Rutherford sump so there is plenty of oil volume in there if I have to enlarge my stock pump
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