Time to Pull That Engine!

[sethkestenbaum]

Special thanks to Al Clarke at Go Devil Garage (518-477-6725) for helping me out yesterday... even if he was the doctor that gave me bad news. The good news is that the bad news wasn't a surprise. My 1929 Phaeton started showing its age on my roadtrip to Vermont this Sunday. The car made it to Albany like a champ but was burning more oil than I would like and started to leak oil out of the head gasket. I figured I had one last roadtrip before figuring out how to pull an engine to get it rebuilt. Upon opening the head with Al to see if I could get away with a on-the-fly gasket change as a 1,000-2,000 mile band-aid, it was decided that 85 years is too long to go without a rebuild. I've blogged it all up and included photos and videos. It was great to see the inside of the engine again.... even if all the problems didn't fix themselves with time. Again, I wanted to give Al a special thanks.

Here is the link to the blog
http://oldcarroadtrip.wordpress.com/...eant-ten-dang/

[Patrick L.]

Who did you decide on to do the engine ?

As RosanneRosannaDanna would say, never mind !

That was kind of a dumb question I guess. I just looked up Al Clarke's garage, didn't know about him.

[1931 flamingo]

Seth: Sorry for your "troubles" (at IBM we called them opportunities). Glad to see you're still out and about.
Love your detailed posts.

Paul in CT

[catfishdog]

real nice blog, very informative. thank you for sharing

[BlueSunoco]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Seth: Sorry for your "troubles" (at IBM we called them opportunities). Glad to see you're still out and about.
Love your detailed posts.

Paul in CT

At Deere 'troubles' are called Case-IH They seem to have more than their share.

[jetmek]

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thanks for the kind words seth...just trying to help out a stranded traveler

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by jetmek

thanks for the kind words seth...just trying to help out a stranded traveler

You were obviously there when he needed you. Hopefully your efforts will result in increased business for your garage. A friend in need is a friend indeed !
Wayne

[mshmodela]

Seth,

Best wishes with your rebuild; at some point all Model A's will have this performed as there are limits.... Thank you for documenting all that you've done on your 29'

[sconnors]

Seth,
Al Clarke is top notch! He did the new engine on my 1930 CCPU, along with clutch etc while he had the engine out. He also did a complete new brake job for me. He is a talented, consummate professional, extremely knowledgeable Model A mechanic. I can't say enough good things about him!! Great guy to do business with and a really nice guy too!!!!
http://www.godevilgarage.com/

[sconnors]

Originally Posted by forever4

Sorry, I am not supporting anyone who names their business God Evil Garage.

Uh that would be Go Devil Garage after the Go Devil Engine..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willys_Go_Devil_engine

[machine girl]

really!! read before you post , how did you fit god evil in that?

[newshirt]

LOL, God Evil... here's a list of the worst domain names on the web:

http://www.citymaxblog.com/top-50-cr...urchased/1240/

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by machine girl

really!! read before you post , how did you fit god evil in that?

Read the web address in post #9

[Terry, NJ]

Methinks thy leg has just been pulled!
Terry

Originally Posted by machine girl

really!! read before you post , how did you fit god evil in that?

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Read the web address in post #9

On the side of the guys 29RPU, It READS, GO DEVIL GERAGE !! SEE post #1 & read ALL..

[al's28/33]

Seth I know your situation. A few years ago I was having issues with second gear and had a tough time trying to get home from some local neighborhood shows only a few miles from home. Turned out the tranny was shot and that led to my own engine rebuild since the babbitts were gone in my '28. I just didn't want to give up my sunday drives and reluctantly had her towed away to a restoration shop. Took about 5 months before I got the car back with a rebuilt engine, new transmission gears, new wiring, rebuilt steering gears and lots of other rebuilds and restorations of generators, carburetor and starter. It was hard on my pocketbook but I knew if I wanted to keep on driving for the long term, I had to bite the old bullet! So far I have had almost 1000 miles of trouble free touring and I feel safer knowing the car is more reliable with practically everything rebuilt and fresh. Brakes had already been done a few years before that.

Feel confident that you will get many more driving miles out of your '29 if you do it the correct way from a guy with a good reputation. Not to mention that having all this done through the winter months will ease the anxiety of not being able to drive your "A" in 4' snow drifts.

Alan

[5window]

Originally Posted by Fred

On the side of the guys 29RPU, It READS, GO DEVIL GERAGE !! SEE post #1 & read ALL..

Actually, it reads
Go
Devil
Garage

I hope the God Evil comment was tongue in cheek. really. I knew a woman once, in WVA, who would not pay her utility bill because she discovered that her account number was 666. Sewage treatment by the devil himself?

[ronn]

I hope the God Evil comment was tongue in cheek. really. I knew a woman once, in WVA, who would not pay her utility bill because she discovered that her account number was 666. Sewage treatment by the devil himself? _______________

cant say that I blame her!

ouch, just bit my tongue..................

[meskhov]

Hey seth, how you coming along?
Love to see more pictures as I will need to do mine next year for sure!
Thanks

[sethkestenbaum]

THE ENGINE IS OUT! With some help (lots of help) from Len Spinelli from our club, the engine was removed from the phaeton today. It rests on a wood stand and now waits in the garage for the "next steps". I'm also going to remove the bell housing case at some point to include in the restoration process. That is a job for another day.

For all those that told me that it would be an easy 2-hour job. You were wrong. My general lack of a clue has proven me to be three times the mechanic you guys are... as it took me 6 hours to do the work. That's the math I am going to use!

[Mitch//pa]

great news seth when your all said and done what a nice accomplishment. it will probably take longer going back in but its no race who cares...

[Brentwood Bob]

You stuck to it, so now take a few pictures and start a journal. pictures of where everything you removed goes, and how the complete motor looks, good time to look at motor mounts, and flush the radiator.
If the bell housing is still inplace then replacement of the clutch/brake pedal shaft is easiest with the bell housing on the floor, the cotter pin hole is a wear point as well as the wear from dry pedals on the shaft.

[Fred]

Don't do like some people & not rebuild Trans. with ALL new bearings, including fly wheel Brg.. Also take a real good look @ the clutch & P/P..

[sethkestenbaum]

I'll remove the bell housing next weekend and inspect it (and then think about the transmission and if I need to rebuild it -- I probably will do the bearings just so they are done). I'm hoping not to have to do too much work to all of it. My goal is to pace my work/repairs over the next 10 years..... and the engine removal is already snowballing into a lot more time/money/effort. I'm enjoying it, but do want to keep things paced.

[spinelll]

Scissor jack to the rescue!