The Ford Barn

pineapple · 10-06-2013, 06:24 PM

Hello folks, the flathead in my f1 chucked an exhuast valve seat out on #7. I've got a good running 8ba from a 51 f3, I was gonna put in and keep on going. I then decided to clean it up a bit... was scraping the carbon off the piston tops when I noticed oil coming through on #4 as I turned the crank around...It's .040 over from stock with a .002-.003 ridge...I decided to hone it and re-ring it, then I noticed the rod bearings are just barely getting to the copper... now it's torn down all the way.. I've honed the cylinders and I'm getting ready to place a big order to Reds Headers for rings, bearings, valve guide seals etc..

My question is, will the Grant rings they sell, seat in a honed cylinder, are they cast iron? Or is there another brand/vendor that would suit this application.

Thanks fellas.

Sorry for the long wind..

Russ/40 · 10-06-2013, 08:13 PM

Grant are great rings. The flathead ones are cast iron but with today's oil will last longer than most of us will. Honing with a ball hone or stones, will both work fine. Cast rings are easy to break in.

pineapple · 10-06-2013, 08:20 PM

Russ, thanks much.

Mike B · 10-06-2013, 09:37 PM

One thing to think about when installing new rings where you have a ridge, is as the piston comes up, the rings will compress...additionally the new rings will "butt" up against the ridge.

I'd cut the ridge and sacrifice some compression at TDC for longevity of the rings...oil control should be fine as it's so far below the taper.

Karl Wolf · 10-06-2013, 10:48 PM

The lost valve seat is a reasonably easy fix...
Karl

Walt Dupont--Me. · 10-07-2013, 07:04 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Every engine builder has his or her favret rings. I hate Grant rings, I remember years you could take a Grant ring and tie in a knot and not break it. I still hate them. Hasting is my favret ring. Walt

pineapple · 10-07-2013, 01:09 PM

Mike B, thanks, I cut the ridge, I forgot to include that. Karl , the block took a bit of a beating, I'm sure it will a new counterbore and an an oversize seat, I measured the cam lift with a dial indicator, it seems pretty worn, I also found a bit of water in the oil. I've managed to squeeze around 10,000 miles out of this engine which was in unknown condition when I got it.. So with all that, I thought it should be torn down and looked over pretty good. I like to road trip this truck, so I feel like if one seat came out, when's the next one coming loose? Walt, thanks for the tip, Reds has Hastings as well..

Matt.

Karl Wolf · 10-07-2013, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pineapple

Mike B, thanks, I cut the ridge, I forgot to include that. Karl , the block took a bit of a beating, I'm sure it will a new counterbore and an an oversize seat, I measured the cam lift with a dial indicator, it seems pretty worn, I also found a bit of water in the oil. I've managed to squeeze around 10,000 miles out of this engine which was in unknown condition when I got it.. So with all that, I thought it should be torn down and looked over pretty good. I like to road trip this truck, so I feel like if one seat came out, when's the next one coming loose? Walt, thanks for the tip, Reds has Hastings as well..

Matt.

The engine that's in my avatar has 16 new seats in it. It needed a few so I had an outfit in LA, Ca. make a whole set- oversize... Took the old ones out by arc welding the old seats to washers... Made a driver from water pipe parts (use the lifter bore for a guide) put the new ones in with a hammer...
Cost on the seats was about $180
-Started by pressure test/magnufluxing the block.
Karl

pineapple · 10-08-2013, 06:52 AM

Karl, nice.. I will do something similar to that with the engine that chucked a seat, just want to make sure the block is good..I got it pretty hot coming home from bonneville this year, I had some radiator tank leakage happening. I think the heat maybe helped out with my problems.

Thanks for the reply.

Matt.

10-06-2013, 06:24 PM	#1
pineapple Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 82	piston rings Hello folks, the flathead in my f1 chucked an exhuast valve seat out on #7. I've got a good running 8ba from a 51 f3, I was gonna put in and keep on going. I then decided to clean it up a bit... was scraping the carbon off the piston tops when I noticed oil coming through on #4 as I turned the crank around...It's .040 over from stock with a .002-.003 ridge...I decided to hone it and re-ring it, then I noticed the rod bearings are just barely getting to the copper... now it's torn down all the way.. I've honed the cylinders and I'm getting ready to place a big order to Reds Headers for rings, bearings, valve guide seals etc.. My question is, will the Grant rings they sell, seat in a honed cylinder, are they cast iron? Or is there another brand/vendor that would suit this application. Thanks fellas. Sorry for the long wind..

10-06-2013, 08:13 PM	#2
Russ/40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, California Posts: 3,505	Re: piston rings Grant are great rings. The flathead ones are cast iron but with today's oil will last longer than most of us will. Honing with a ball hone or stones, will both work fine. Cast rings are easy to break in.

10-06-2013, 08:20 PM	#3
pineapple Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 82	Re: piston rings Russ, thanks much.

10-06-2013, 10:48 PM	#5
Karl Wolf Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mill Valley,Ca. Posts: 1,509	Re: piston rings The lost valve seat is a reasonably easy fix... Karl

10-07-2013, 07:04 AM	#6
Walt Dupont--Me. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gardiner Me. Posts: 4,200	Re: piston rings Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Every engine builder has his or her favret rings. I hate Grant rings, I remember years you could take a Grant ring and tie in a knot and not break it. I still hate them. Hasting is my favret ring. Walt

10-06-2013, 09:37 PM	#4
Mike B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oakdale,Ca Posts: 1,323	Re: piston rings One thing to think about when installing new rings where you have a ridge, is as the piston comes up, the rings will compress...additionally the new rings will "butt" up against the ridge. I'd cut the ridge and sacrifice some compression at TDC for longevity of the rings...oil control should be fine as it's so far below the taper.

10-07-2013, 01:09 PM	#7
pineapple Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 82	Re: piston rings Mike B, thanks, I cut the ridge, I forgot to include that. Karl , the block took a bit of a beating, I'm sure it will a new counterbore and an an oversize seat, I measured the cam lift with a dial indicator, it seems pretty worn, I also found a bit of water in the oil. I've managed to squeeze around 10,000 miles out of this engine which was in unknown condition when I got it.. So with all that, I thought it should be torn down and looked over pretty good. I like to road trip this truck, so I feel like if one seat came out, when's the next one coming loose? Walt, thanks for the tip, Reds has Hastings as well.. Matt.

10-08-2013, 06:52 AM	#9
pineapple Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 82	Re: piston rings Karl, nice.. I will do something similar to that with the engine that chucked a seat, just want to make sure the block is good..I got it pretty hot coming home from bonneville this year, I had some radiator tank leakage happening. I think the heat maybe helped out with my problems. Thanks for the reply. Matt.