Gene Van Arx’s Riley OHV V8 Questions

I thought someones here might be able to help me with a problem...

I have the Gene Van Arx’s Riley OHV v8 sitting on the floor of my shop. I have some serious questions about the oiling and getting some schematics on it. I need to find someone with knowledge of this engine.
If you know anything or know some who does PLEASE get back with me.

972.741.8211 leave a message. I will call you back.

Thanks

 

maybe it is your posting-search: SingleFingerSpeedShop.com then Riley V8 "flattie" on Ebay -interesting stuff-did you buy it or are you the seller?-hope you have it well protected

 

It is ours. We have it in a very safe place. I've been to the site you are talking about. Didn't have what I'm looking for...

 

Wow, that is an interesting setup - can you post a pic with the rocker boxes off? Weren't most rileys' exposed?

 

Which engine do you have? The SOHC or OHV?
Gene ran both OHV




& SOHC










It may pay to contact Don Orosco as he owns/owned the SOHC above also a OHV in his '32

 

Sorry, we have the SOHC engine. This thing is amazing!!!

It was purchased a little over a year ago for a customers car. The engine was said to have been rebuilt and put on the dyno. The gentleman who rebuilt it has since passed away so we are out of luck on finding out anything about the internals or about proper oiling.

 

Here are 2 pictures of the engine in it's current state. Sorry, no pics of the rocker boxes off. If we take anything apart I will take and post pics.

 

Here are a few things we need to know.

What spark plugs are used. The plugs in it are wrong and because of limited access can't be tightened.

We have read that there is a certain starting procedure with this engine and need to know what that is.

More questions to come

 

As the SOHC Riley used the stock crank, rods & pistons is it possible it also uses stock V8 Ford plugs? One problem with the Riley SOHC is only 4 were built for the US. The guys that actually raced them are dead the 3 that are accounted for none are currently running, so finding solid info is hard. PM me, I can give you a name of someone who maybe able to help.

 

Would Speedy Bill have one . I would call speedway motors. they might be able to help. also Reno , Nevada Harria's auto.

 

Yeah, Speedy Bill has one.

 

PM Jess here on the HAMB. Her Dad is a curator at the Speedway Museum, and if anybody knows anything about Speedy Bill's Riley, it would be him.

But be warned, he has told me they never start their engines, and actually would rather they have never been ran. All that nasty oil and shit to leak all over the museum floor. But they sure do look pretty!

 

Wow, keep this story going. Can you show us px of the plugs? and the constraints from tightening? do you know if they solved the heat range/colder plug? is there coolant around the spark plugs? looks to me that there isn't any coolant flow up around the cam area and they hoped to control heat with the sparkplug? but that dosn't make sense as a colder plug transfers heat to the coolant while a hotter plug transfers less but it still relies on having coolant.
More pics, please

 

I think we solved the spark plug problem. It has Champion j2 and j3's in it now. It just needs a smaller plug so it can be tightened.

Here are a few pics of the plug situation.

 

We also have some questions about the front cover on the crankcase. The three holes seem like they might leak oil or water. I'm not sure what is flowing behind there.

Here is a pic.

 

It is cool to see this history. Looking forward to seeing more about this engine.

 

I followed a tip that Jimmy B gave me with no luck.

Does anybody know how to get ahold of Don Orosco? Jimmy B???

 

There is a book about George Riley and all the incredible automotive and other things he built including this engine and the OHV conversion for the flat Ford block. Found it!
George Riley Racing Scrapbook by Dan Iandola, copyright 1992. Chapter 12 is devoted to the SOHC RILEY V8 engine, advertising, letters, etc. Not much in depth tech.

 

The plug should be 10mm, the plugs you have in it are for flatties where you can wrench it from the side. get some 10mm and you'll be good to go.

 

The George Riley book I have says "Champion 10 mm Y-4 spark plugs should be used" in the copy of the original "INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR ENGINE".