What we used to do 1945-46 pull the sleeves out ,hone the block . Easy 1/8 over bore . Ford ,in those days had a steel piston ,made for a truck, that was 1/8 over . Had to pay close attention to clearance pistons only had 2rings ,low friction motor was a little noisy till it warmed up . Did that with 9-N trackers,power in crease was unreal
@@toddclyne3493 I sure will thanks, I just bought a 8BA from a buddy of mine to go into a 49 shoebox coupe I'm chopping. These videos are very helpful.
I have built so many engines over the years, but two that I have always wanted to own was a flathead V8, and a Buick straight 8, and put a turbocharger on it.
Really neat to see your videos, im a younger guy at "36" and you really dont see these engines much at all anymore. I have a 337 big block flathead that I am going to start working on and parts I guess are stupid rare for it. Apppreciate the vids keep them coming!
I worked for Hank the Crank in the early 70's, Henry himself showed me how a flathead was properly ported and relieved. The relief should be down to the top of the piston ring and follow the outline of the gasket. The shop welder and I were into go karts and I built a 4 stroke 2 hp edger motor that made about 12 hp when finished.
Oh yes, the relief should angle down from the top of the intake valve seat to the edges the top of the ring with radius edges blended at the gasket profile.
I did more of a French block relief. Dyno results have showed any kind of a relief increased air and fuel flow for better hp. I went with a more of a anybody can do this approach. Thanks for watching
I did that to a 8 hp flathead briggs marked the top piston ring travel and gave it about 50 thousandths or so so ring wouldnt catch and man it mafe so much difference it was unreal
To assist in flow dynamics, if it was my engine, I would put a generous radius on the relief cut on the cyl wall, maybe as much as a 3/16 “ and get a custom set of pistons with the top ring being cut at 5/16 “ below top of piston. At 4500-5000 RPMs that 90 degree radius would really assist in volumetric efficiency ... which translates into more power...!!! Whatcha think...???
Alexander Reimer I do plan on putting a radious from the relief into the cylinder. I was waiting to have it bored before I did that. I will be picking the block up from the machine shop in a couple days and will be posting an update. Thanks for watching and please sub so you will receive update videos.
As a kid in Canada we grew up with flat heads and only the rich kids could play with 283s and the ultimate was the 327...!!,😏🥇. I got hold of Floyd Clymer’s book on hotrodding Flat Head FORDS and that was my hot rod BIBLE until some low life stole it. Yeah, I am enthusiastic... memories and flash backs. I even thought of a Formula Flat Head race car class ... like in the sixties they had FORMULA JUNIOR, and FORMULA VEE...!!! To revive Flat Head enthusiasm you gotta promote it. Use the French Blocks...!!!
This video was pretty interesting. I have a 51 Ford F-1 Hot Rod with a 327 Chevy V8 in it. People are always busting my balls for having the Chevy engine in the truck. They're always telling me I need to put the flathead back in it. People just don't understand how much time money and effort it takes to build a strong flathead. My truck has had a chevy small block in it since 1975 when my dad swapped in a 283 out of his 66 Biscayne. Anyway my point is I appreciate the work guys like you put into these engines even though I'm running a chevy.
On a flathead, the flow from/to the valves and cylinder travels up and across the cylinder head ceiling. It does not flow straight across the block where people always relieve them. All one is accomplishing here is weakening the area between the valves and cylinder, and lowering the c/r. All that's really needed is to smooth the exit/entrance area around the valve seats and flowing it up to the top edge of the cylinder, with no cutting into the cylinder wall at all. Then put a slight radius at the top edges of the exhaust valves and keep the top edges on the inlets at 90 degrees, no radius- just clean off the sharp corner.
I realise this is an older thread but i have a couple questions if you are still there. What stone did you end up using? How did you measure .040-.060 on your router?
My other suggestion for a hot flattie is in the area of blown head gaskets. You can fix that FOREVER with O RINGING the head and block . You will blow the engine before you blow the gaskets but it aint cheap...!!! My brother ran a 388 “ small block “ chebby” with VORTEC head and 17:1 comp pistons .... made huge power /torque at lower RPMs but blew the head gaskets in just a few laps . He O-RINGED the engine and ran away from everyone at 1000 RPMS lower than the 8000-9000 rpm HOTSHOTS...!!!... RELIABLY...!!!
todd clyne : There are shops that specialize in O-Ringing for Nitrous Engines that probably have never done a flattie unless they were in business 50 yrs ago. Back in the sixties the worlds most powerful flattie was a 239 “ ,030” over to clean up bore and provide all the extra stiffness to the center main web. Low comp alum heads fed by a GM blower,with a blend of nitro fuel. It dynoed at 400 + but eroded the heads on several runs down the track . After O-Ringing it he never blew head gaskets again . The engineers calculated that the equivalent HP generated at the crank to account for the added 200-250 HP just to drive the blower at 6000 RPM computed to about 650 GROSS HP to produce 400 HP at the flywheel...!!!.I was so stoked by that HOT ROD article I practically memorized the techno stuff...!!! BTW, they advised O-RINGING head and block before relieving block...!!! As I watch your “show” , I am impressed with the fact that you do the DIFFICULT tasks first and then,almost as an afterthought ,...you do the IMPOSSIBLE...!!! I am excited for you to see what you will actually do...!!! Best of luck and may THE GOOD LORD guide your hands on that O-Ringing operation...!!! Remember, FLAT HEADS FOREVER...!!!🤗🤭😆🔥💥😱😅
I dont see why you need to port and relieve a blown engine as the purpose of supercharging is to force the air in anyway. It would give some advantage I guess . In a naturally aspirated engine the porting would have a much more profound effect. My next question revolves around relieving the block ...If you ever find a set of ardun heads could one use them on a block that has been relieved? At any rate I admire your commitment to old school techniques plus the ardun heads are scarcer than hens teeth
Well think about it the purpose of a blown engine is to get massive amounts of air in as faST as it will go if it is relieved the air and fuel speed of entry will increase.
Todd, I am just about to do the same thing, I was going to use carbide bur bits but after seeing this... Could tell me where did you get the stones from? What size and material did you use? Did you end up only needing one to complete the entire power slot?
LearningAlways Grainger was my source on the stones. Yes I only used one to do the whole job. I would get two to be safe. They where like 3 or 4 dollars each.
LearningAlways This is what I used to do the relief. From Granger listed under Mounted Points the shape is A31 part number 4F771. As I said it only took one to do the whole job. Maybe get two to be safe. I used a variable speed router set on the slowest setting. I'll be posting a video on doing the block porting soon. Hope this helps you.
Rekiving the block does nothing to do with improving the power and economy of a flathead. Having flow benched dozens of these I find the only thing it accomplished is make the block thinner ans reduce compression. Gramps PS did allot of them in the early days.
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What we used to do 1945-46 pull the sleeves out ,hone the block . Easy 1/8 over bore . Ford ,in those days had a steel piston ,made for a truck, that was 1/8 over . Had to pay close attention to clearance pistons only had 2rings ,low friction motor was a little noisy till it warmed up . Did that with 9-N trackers,power in crease was unreal
I love stories like this from guys that have real experience with these engines.
Who knew a router was the answer, good stuff. But I would have loved to have a close up after you stopped routing.
Check out the porting video. I show a very close up of what I did. Thanks for watching
@@toddclyne3493 I sure will thanks, I just bought a 8BA from a buddy of mine to go into a 49 shoebox coupe I'm chopping. These videos are very helpful.
I have built so many engines over the years, but two that I have always wanted to own was a flathead V8, and a Buick straight 8, and put a turbocharger on it.
Really neat to see your videos, im a younger guy at "36" and you really dont see these engines much at all anymore. I have a 337 big block flathead that I am going to start working on and parts I guess are stupid rare for it. Apppreciate the vids keep them coming!
Matt Merritt thanks for your comment. 337! that's a mountain of a flathead!! That will be one sweet flatty when you get that one done.
I worked for Hank the Crank in the early 70's, Henry himself showed me how a flathead was properly ported and relieved. The relief should be down to the top of the piston ring and follow the outline of the gasket. The shop welder and I were into go karts and I built a 4 stroke 2 hp edger motor that made about 12 hp when finished.
Oh yes, the relief should angle down from the top of the intake valve seat to the edges the top of the ring with radius edges blended at the gasket profile.
I did more of a French block relief. Dyno results have showed any kind of a relief increased air and fuel flow for better hp. I went with a more of a anybody can do this approach. Thanks for watching
I did that to a 8 hp flathead briggs marked the top piston ring travel and gave it about 50 thousandths or so so ring wouldnt catch and man it mafe so much difference it was unreal
To assist in flow dynamics, if it was my engine, I would put a generous radius on the relief cut on the cyl wall, maybe as much as a 3/16 “ and get a custom set of pistons with the top ring being cut at 5/16 “ below top of piston. At 4500-5000 RPMs that 90 degree radius would really assist in volumetric efficiency ... which translates into more power...!!! Whatcha think...???
Alexander Reimer I do plan on putting a radious from the relief into the cylinder. I was waiting to have it bored before I did that. I will be picking the block up from the machine shop in a couple days and will be posting an update. Thanks for watching and please sub so you will receive update videos.
@@toddclyne3493 ]]
As a kid in Canada we grew up with flat heads and only the rich kids could play with 283s and the ultimate was the 327...!!,😏🥇. I got hold of Floyd Clymer’s book on hotrodding Flat Head FORDS and that was my hot rod BIBLE until some low life stole it. Yeah, I am enthusiastic... memories and flash backs. I even thought of a Formula Flat Head race car class ... like in the sixties they had FORMULA JUNIOR, and FORMULA VEE...!!! To revive Flat Head enthusiasm you gotta promote it. Use the French Blocks...!!!
Imagine an EX INDY chassis with a rear engined FLATTIE...!!! BILL BLAIR would love it...!!!
Thanks for the video. About to do this.
Nice video Todd, that went a lot easier than I expected.
Aaron Dominguez thanks for watching.
This video was pretty interesting. I have a 51 Ford F-1 Hot Rod with a 327 Chevy V8 in it. People are always busting my balls for having the Chevy engine in the truck. They're always telling me I need to put the flathead back in it. People just don't understand how much time money and effort it takes to build a strong flathead. My truck has had a chevy small block in it since 1975 when my dad swapped in a 283 out of his 66 Biscayne. Anyway my point is I appreciate the work guys like you put into these engines even though I'm running a chevy.
Thank you.
Can't believe you didn't show the cut after you finished!
I do in other videos.
my 1948 59A was done in a Ford dealership relieved and bored .040 i don't know when but engine has 130 lbs comp all cylinders
On a flathead, the flow from/to the valves and cylinder travels up and across the cylinder head ceiling. It does not flow straight across the block where people always relieve them. All one is accomplishing here is weakening the area between the valves and cylinder, and lowering the c/r. All that's really needed is to smooth the exit/entrance area around the valve seats and flowing it up to the top edge of the cylinder, with no cutting into the cylinder wall at all. Then put a slight radius at the top edges of the exhaust valves and keep the top edges on the inlets at 90 degrees, no radius- just clean off the sharp corner.
I realise this is an older thread but i have a couple questions if you are still there. What stone did you end up using? How did you measure .040-.060 on your router?
Very cool video. Did you only have cracks between water jacket and bolt hole?
Thanks and yes cracks in the normal spots. Nothing I needed to repair so that was good.
My other suggestion for a hot flattie is in the area of blown head gaskets. You can fix that FOREVER with O RINGING the head and block . You will blow the engine before you blow the gaskets but it aint cheap...!!! My brother ran a 388 “ small block “ chebby” with VORTEC head and 17:1 comp pistons .... made huge power /torque at lower RPMs but blew the head gaskets in just a few laps . He O-RINGED the engine and ran away from everyone at 1000 RPMS lower than the 8000-9000 rpm HOTSHOTS...!!!... RELIABLY...!!!
Alexander Reimer to O ring a flatty would take some serious machine work I would think. Not really a round hole if you know what I mean. Thanks again.
todd clyne : There are shops that specialize in O-Ringing for Nitrous Engines that probably have never done a flattie unless they were in business 50 yrs ago. Back in the sixties the worlds most powerful flattie was a 239 “ ,030” over to clean up bore and provide all the extra stiffness to the center main web. Low comp alum heads fed by a GM blower,with a blend of nitro fuel. It dynoed at 400 + but eroded the heads on several runs down the track . After O-Ringing it he never blew head gaskets again . The engineers calculated that the equivalent HP generated at the crank to account for the added 200-250 HP just to drive the blower at 6000 RPM computed to about 650 GROSS HP to produce 400 HP at the flywheel...!!!.I was so stoked by that HOT ROD article I practically memorized the techno stuff...!!! BTW, they advised O-RINGING head and block before relieving block...!!! As I watch your “show” , I am impressed with the fact that you do the DIFFICULT tasks first and then,almost as an afterthought ,...you do the IMPOSSIBLE...!!! I am excited for you to see what you will actually do...!!! Best of luck and may THE GOOD LORD guide your hands on that O-Ringing operation...!!! Remember, FLAT HEADS FOREVER...!!!🤗🤭😆🔥💥😱😅
Alexander Reimer I love your enthusiasm!
I dont see why you need to port and relieve a blown engine as the purpose of supercharging is to force the air in anyway. It would give some advantage I guess . In a naturally
aspirated engine the porting would have a much more profound effect. My next question revolves around relieving the block ...If you ever find a set of ardun heads could one use them on a block that has been relieved? At any rate I admire your commitment to old school techniques plus the ardun heads are scarcer than hens teeth
Ken Williams com
Well think about it the purpose of a blown engine is to get massive amounts of air in as faST as it will go if it is relieved the air and fuel speed of entry will increase.
Old school, modern tools.
👍
I'm surprised no one makes the blocks new.
pretty sure that would be sacrilege
Todd, I am just about to do the same thing, I was going to use carbide bur bits but after seeing this...
Could tell me where did you get the stones from? What size and material did you use? Did you end up only needing one to complete the entire power slot?
LearningAlways Grainger was my source on the stones. Yes I only used one to do the whole job. I would get two to be safe. They where like 3 or 4 dollars each.
todd clyne Do you have the part number of the one that lasted? There are so many to choose from.
LearningAlways I'll find it and post it on here. Give me a day or two.
LearningAlways This is what I used to do the relief. From Granger listed under Mounted Points the shape is A31 part number 4F771. As I said it only took one to do the whole job. Maybe get two to be safe. I used a variable speed router set on the slowest setting. I'll be posting a video on doing the block porting soon. Hope this helps you.
todd clyne That is fantastic! I really appreciate you sharing that information!
Rekiving the block does nothing to do with improving the power and economy of a flathead. Having flow benched dozens of these I find the only thing it accomplished is make the block thinner ans reduce compression. Gramps PS did allot of them in the early days.
I think a lot of flathead builders out there would disagree with you.
I have had flat heads for years
There all cracked....
I have learned that now. I was a little worried at first.
Me to...