New guy

[Flatheadfarmer]

Hello,

I stumbled upon this forum, and it looked like it was geared towards what I was heading for. I have an old Ford Flathead truck that was my grandpa's, and I got the green light to take and get it going. It was supposed to be overhauled before in the 60's, and was drive around for ten years or so. It is now stuck, and would like to know what I am working with. I believe it to be a 46 Ford truck, 5 bolt rims, with a 24 stud engine. It has center water outlests also, but I do not know the exact years yet... I'll try to post pictures.

[JSeery]

Sounds like it could be a 46-48 engine. Welcome to the Barn! Also be sure to keep in mind the size limit on photos you post. It is ~500Kb so for a lot of photos you need to reduce the size to post.

[chap52]

Your in the right place. Learn to use the search function and you will find that the "Advanced Search" function helps narrow your search parameters. Lots of great information and advice has already been posted.
Add your location to your profile. There may be a flatheader right around the corner from you.
Remember,, "No question is a dumb question". Hopefully someone has already made the mistake your issue addresses..
Welcome aboard, and enjoy the adventure. Chap

[Flatheadfarmer]

Thanks guys for the warm welcome. I'm right south of mille lacs lake in Minnesota.

[tubman]

Hello "Flatheadfarner"; we're pretty close, as I am in Breezy Point, north of Brainerd. I know of at least one other member in the area as well. Welcome to the "Barn".

[LuckyFordGuy]

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Welcome to the Ford barn nice place

[JM 35 Sedan]

Welcome to the Fordbarn. Pictures would be great. You will get a lot of help here on your truck, plus we can help you post your pictures.

[Ron Pilger]

Best advice that I can offer: don’t be ask questions that you think may be too trivial. The wisdom on this site for original Fords is unsurpassed. Don’t let the odd snide comment discourage you. 99% of Fardbarners are patient and wise teachers.

[Flatheadfarmer]

Thank you once again. Main thing is that this engine is stuck. It's disheartening, but I have freed up a couple engines to get them running again. Also, it's going to need some interior work, seats, headliner, etc. I will have to crop my pictures so I can load them on.

[chap52]

"Engine stuck". Pour a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF down the spark plug holes and let it sit a few days. See if that helps.
Need more info. How are you trying to turn it over? By hand or starter.
I would try a breaker bar on the front pulley nut after the "soak".
I also removed plugs and towed an old tractor in 3 rd gear with a stuck engine to get it to free up.
Get you a Ford Shop Manual for your specific truck. Chap

[RalphM]

Welcome to the Barn!
Look at the serial number prefix, it will tell what year it is. I love the Jailbar trucks!

[mfirth]

Welcome to "the barn" from a relatively new guy myself. One of my grampa's had a 40 PickUp, i wanted so bad when i was 15. NOT allowed. Enjoy, & ditto on what the others have said. By the way, tubman said he is close by, check him out. He's a great guy & helped me LOTS.
mike

[1934]

Welcome! Lots of knowledgable folks here. Good luck with your truck!

[Flatheadfarmer]

Thanks for the kind remarks again. I have been trying to turn it over with a breaker bar and socker like stated. I also have found that in my experience if you take a spark plugs and and we'll a grease zerk in where the porcelain goes, it breaks them free, so I will try that after the atf treatment.

[Flatheadfarmer]

I pulled the plugs today, and as expected, I have rust in the second from last on the passenger side..

[Ken Crans]

Welcome to the Barn... Lots of Ford trucks on here. Plus, the best group of men that know Flatheads.. Good luck!

[deuce_roadster]

Maybe some water came down the carb to an open intake valve. All the advice about soaking the cylinders is good. One trick which may or may not be feasible for you would to be to close the block drains and fill the engine with HOT water. I unstuck engines that way a couple of times, the cylinders expand a tiny bit and let go of the stuck rings. You probably are looking at minimum taking off both heads and looking at the cylinder walls and valves, especially if you can't get the crank to move. Good luck and welcome to the barn, we all look forward to hearing about your progress. Neat that you have your grandpa's truck!

[fordwife]

Here's another idea: On the cylinder that has rust, take a piece of pvc pipe near the same size as the cylinder, put in he hole and tap on it, after soaking. Be careful turning it with the crank bolt. It is possible to bend a rod.

[Lanny]

Some info about derusting below.


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=239344












.

[Flatheadfarmer]

I wasn't going to get crazy with the crank bolt because I'm not very good at extracting broken studs anyhow.... Ha. I like the hot water trick, but I might as well get it out and on the stand because I'll have to clean it out anyhow. What options were available for these trucks back in the day? This one has a radio, and heater, full gauge cluster, mph temp, oil, charge. Also, it has some pretty nice cab lights too.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Welcome from New Zealand at the "ass end of the world."

GB

[chap52]

Remember on these "flatties" the cylinders are numbered front to back, passenger side 1-2-3-4 and driver side 5-6-7-8. So the one you found with the rust issue is #3.

Several of us have old Chevy flash backs when numbering the cylinders for spark plug wire placement on the distributor cap. Really messes up the timing. Don't ask how I know...

You'll get it, keep us posted.Chap

[tubman]

I think this is the most common problem I have encountered when called upon to help people who "just can't get the damn thing to run!".

[Habusailor]

Originally Posted by tubman

Hello "Flatheadfarner"; we're pretty close, as I am in Breezy Point, north of Brainerd. I know of at least one other member in the area as well. Welcome to the "Barn".

Another close member, I am in the Pelican Rapids area. 2 flattes in my garage a 35 and a 49 shoe box


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ol' Ron]

Yes welcome.
the best thing you can do is buy an early motors manual. This will give you all the information on the truck and it's pieces parts. Clintions is probably the best. Your systems should be covered up to the mid 50's.
Keep em rinnin
Ol' Ron

[VeryTangled]

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Hi Everyone, Flatheadfarmer has these photos to share...

[Flatheadfarmer]

Thanks Jeff for the help with the pictures. I just have to put the other tire on it and pull it up to the garage.

[VeryTangled]

You are absolutely welcome, Flatheadfarmer. I'm enjoying following your new 'family' project.

There are lots of ways to deal with a stuck engine, so I hear. One of the most dramatic, and I can't find the photo of it, involves starting a small controlled fire inside the stuck cylinder while the engine is out of the car with the heads off. That's around here in the Forum somewhere.

I also saw recently, on the Model A side, a gizmo that bolts where the starter is, has a starter gear that goes in the flywheel and a bolt head that can be used to coax the engine to spin.

I'll be watching with fingers crossed.

Edit to add: I like trucks!

[Flatheadfarmer]

Well at least I have one fan around here... Haha. I have heard of people using the fire method too, but I figure a torch would work better anyhow. I've usually been able to get them free, but now that I have said something... This one may not.

[rotorwrench]

The pistons can rust up in the bores. Sometimes they are so bad that they have to be cut or broken out. The valves can also get stuck. I have a later 8BA truck motor that has a decent block but the valves were stuck and the farmer tried to pull start it with a tractor. One of the valve stems dented its cam follower and broke the cam shaft. That one was a bear to get apart but it can be done with the right tools if they get that bad.

Lets hope yours is just a couple of stuck pistons. I generally recommend a person pull the heads & intake and have a look. All it will cost is the gaskets if things aren't crusted up too bad. I hope the thing was either drained of coolant or had plenty of anti-freeze. They like to freeze up in the north country. A lot of blocks were ruined due to that.

It looks like a 46 or 47 1 1/2-ton with a flat bed. You should be able to tell by the VIN number. Some farm trucks have a dump bed. I know all of ours did.

Welcome to the Barn.

[Flatheadfarmer]

This one just has a flatbed is all, no dump box. Also found another shift transmission top that moves freely for it, and a fan shroud laying on the bed.

[chap52]

When I found my 52 it had a home built, wood framed flatbed on it. I designed a new bed and had my son weld it up for me. Used redwood because of the looks, not the durability. Really gets the looks and good comments when I drive it. Make it "Your Truck"...Chap

[tubman]

"Chap", That's almost too purty to use. I had a 5500 actual mile el Camino once with the same problem; not a scratch in the bed and I sure wasn't going to be the first. Are you gonna use it for real or is it just for looks?

[26 lakes]

This is how I always take stuck motors apart. I have used this method on more than two dozen blocks. It has never failed. The pistons will slide out when you are done. I posted this years ago. Thanks
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61058

[chap52]

Tubman, I do use it for hauling lumber and home project materials. But I first cover it with good ol Harbor Freight moving blankets.
Use to haul firewood with it when I first got it.

[Flatheadfarmer]

Well I've been at a stand still. I have to clear the shop up some getting an old 1938 Pontiac coupe out. It has been free for two years, but not started. Put some gas in the carb bowl and cranked the old 6 v starter and she came to life. Smokey, but came to life.

[Flatheadfarmer]

I baught myself a motorbooks workshop Ford Flathead v8 engine book. It seems to be packed full of info, plus a little more like porting, polish, and deck work.

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by Flatheadfarmer

Hello,

I stumbled upon this forum, and it looked like it was geared towards what I was heading for. I have an old Ford Flathead truck that was my grandpa's, and I got the green light to take and get it going. It was supposed to be overhauled before in the 60's, and was drive around for ten years or so. It is now stuck, and would like to know what I am working with. I believe it to be a 46 Ford truck, 5 bolt rims, with a 24 stud engine. It has center water outlests also, but I do not know the exact years yet... I'll try to post pictures.

There is a special forum intended to be used to practice things like posting pictures, https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=13 Try out posting a few pictures. If you are having problems come back to the main forum and tell us what you are using to take pictures and what computer/software you are using to post. Cell phone pictures are usually about the right resolution to post but larger cameras may require reducing the size of the pictures before posting. You will find it easy after the first couple of times.

Charlie Stephens

[Flatheadfarmer]

Thank you for the insight. I am using a phone camera.