Turning motor by hand on a flathead

[my40ford]

I have a freshly built flathead on the engine stand and was told I need to turn it every so often to avoid it locking up. How do I do this? This is my first build.

[fordscript]

A large wrench on the crank dog that holds on the front pulley should do it.

[jerry grayson]

Old wives tale!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rotorwrench]

If the engine is going to be stored for long periods, it's a good idea to put a little heavier viscosity of lubricant on the cylinder walls at build up. On aircraft engines we pickle them this way then put desicant crystal plugs in all the spark plug holes. This is for storage beyond 60 days or so. Military engines are also packed in special containers then purged and sealed with dry nitrogen gas. This is the only way you can guarantee no corrosion damage to the cylinders in all environments.

If you turn them over with a turn tool when in open air storage, the spark plugs should be removed and fresh oil squirted in each cylinder to keep them lubed. If no lubricant is used, the rings will just scrape all the good stuff off and cause is to corrode faster. I've stored a flathead for longer than 20 years without turning it over at all but I used a mixture of SAE 30 motor oil and SAE 140 gear lube on the cylinder walls. The environment was dry western Kansas.

Kerby

[39portlander]

Originally Posted by fordscript

A large wrench on the crank dog that holds on the front pulley should do it.

which is an 1" 1/8

[36tbird]

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I have a crank dog on one that is bigger than 1 1/8". I found a 36mm. socket that fits it. I think Bruce pointed out in another thread that it is the socket they use on VW axle nuts.

[Bruce Lancaster]

1 1/8 for '39-48 long crank engines, around 1 3/8 (they seem to vary, and 36 MM generally fits) for '32-38, I think 7/8 for '49-53.

[Bruce Lancaster]

On the 1 1/8 ones, if you have '39-41 Fan style pulley or '42-48 double style, you may need a 12 point deep to grab the thing well. I once spent two days proving systematically that my '48's crank bolt could not be removed without that... at the time the required eep socket was I thing $6.00, and that was SERIOUS in my world!

[WRA]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

If the engine is going to be stored for long periods, it's a good idea to put a little heavier viscosity of lubricant on the cylinder walls at build up. On aircraft engines we pickle them this way then put desicant crystal plugs in all the spark plug holes. This is for storage beyond 60 days or so. Military engines are also packed in special containers then purged and sealed with dry nitrogen gas. This is the only way you can guarantee no corrosion damage to the cylinders in all environments.

If you turn them over with a turn tool when in open air storage, the spark plugs should be removed and fresh oil squirted in each cylinder to keep them lubed. If no lubricant is used, the rings will just scrape all the good stuff off and cause is to corrode faster. I've stored a flathead for longer than 20 years without turning it over at all but I used a mixture of SAE 30 motor oil and SAE 140 gear lube on the cylinder walls. The environment was dry western Kansas.


Kerby

I know this is an old thread but a serious bump for a Friend who inherited a stuck rebuild. I know that Flatheads and bangers can be very stiff direct from rebuilds, but throw in 23 years of dry West Texas air and Bam.

Here is a tool for the 1927-1934 Banger, Hard to find now. Is there a similar tool for the Flathead?

IMG_1804.jpeg

[alanwoodieman]

bought a truck engine still in the frame and it was "pickled" in used diesel oil, oil was poured into cylinders/down the intake and the crankcase was full. we drained oil out of it, over 5 gallons, engine was free. we cleaned under the intake and the pan and I am running that engine now, good compression/oil pressure

[flathead4rd]

I turn the one on my engine stand over once a month and with the plugs removed spray fogging oil into each cylinder. Only turn the crank one complete revolution each time so the pistons are not always in the same location. Also spray the valve areas. You can buy fogging oil at any parts store.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by flathead4rd

I turn the one on my engine stand over once a month and with the plugs removed spray fogging oil into each cylinder. Only turn the crank one complete revolution each time so the pistons are not always in the same location. Also spray the valve areas. You can buy fogging oil at any parts store.

One complete revolution will put the pistons back in the EXACT same spot as they were.