Ah, ya got me thinking back some 30 years... Back then I did a valve job on several sidevalve (L-head) engines. As I remember, you would just remove the tappet covers on the side of the block and with a special L-Head valve spring compressor (looks like a giant tweezer), compress the valve springs until the keepers are removed and then each assembly would easily come apart. The valve is then extracted from the top of the engine , the springs are removed from the side cover cavity and away you go....
I even used the suction cup type hand valve twirlers,Prussian blue and grinding compound to resurface the valve seats.
When I was first learning to tinker with engines and rebuilding a one-lung Kohler back in the early 70s, my Dad dug out his valve-spring compressor like you describe. He told me you had to have a "regular" valve spring compressor for side-valve engines and couldn't use the "special kind for overhead valve engines." :-)
compress the valve springs until the keepers
That's my recollection too- you cannot get the springs out unless you lift the valves to get the stems up high enough to let the springs slide out. To install, you have to hold the compressed spring "stack" (with retainer and any shim needed) in place and drop the valve through it, stick the keepers on the stem (thick grease works great) and carefully release the spring comprssor so that the retainer captures the keepers.
Yep, that Kohler was the first and last time I ever did that job, too. With the advent of hardened valve seats and 3-angle valve jobs, grinding just kinda faded into the sunset.
On Sep 5, 12:16?am, Doug is then extracted compress the valve springs until the keepers
Doug and et al
And the keepers start their journey to the oil pan unless the oil drip passages/holes are blocked. Then the oil pan and probably the engine comes out for sure!
If the OP is going to keep this car it is time to pull the engine and get on with things.
yeah of course, i didn't read the Motor's manual until after I dropped the collet into the engine. It says plainly to put a rag over the holes.
......... you make it sound like flathead sixes are easily found nowadays.. I've only seen a couple so far for sale on the internet... none really seemed like anything to woohoo about. The best lead so far is a 218 from a truck in Baltimore, but that's a bit far for right now.
Just rebuild what you've got. The average corner machine shop that does
50 small-block Shivvies a week may not want to do it, but its still a routinely serviced engine. LOTS of old industrial equipment is still running around with Chrysler flathead power, not to mention collectors' cars.
You already have an engine. Just rebuild it. The parts are still available and you can find a local machine shop to do that kind of stuff.
A couple of thoughts for you from a guy that has old Chrysler products.
Find a mailing list for people with your era of car. For example I am a member of the Imperial Mailing List, c-body mailing list and Forward Look mailing list. Right now I'm sure it seems like you are the only one in the world doing what you are doing but there are lots of folks in to the same things and they can be an invaluable resource for finding parts and information. This is a great group but truthfully there probably aren't more than a handful of people here who have knowledge of this car.
Unless you are going to totally mod the car don't go screwing around and putting the wrong parts on it. As great as you think the car is right now one day you will want to sell it and get something else. The more "screwed-with" the car is the lower its value to a serious collector and they are the ones willing to pay good money for a car. (throw this advice out the window if you are going to mod the whole car). I just sold a '68 Newport convertible that was shipped out of the country. The new buyer paid good money for the car specifically because it was "correct" and hadn't been modified. All the parts are still out there but they are a whole lot harder to find than '57 Chevy parts
You are going to learn to have patience in this process! Seven years ago when I got my '59 Imperial I was horrible about wanting everything done NOW! After seven years with this Imperial I have totally been cured of this. The roadblocks are constant and it takes weeks to get stuff to get around the road blocks.
One of the greatest things about this type of old car is that there aren't that many, so people love to see them. Honestly my '59 is now mechanically in excellent shape but still ain't pretty. When I take the car to local cruise nights you see the people run right past the row on fifty thousand dollar '57 Chevys to look at my 5 thousand dollar '59 Imperial. It's a tremendous amount of fun. Every time I stop with it there is someone that wants to know about the car standing there when I return. Also great fun.
You are correct... I know you didn't need me to tell you this, but I realised it after reading your 'article'... lol The car has been sitting for nearly 30 years already, so i definitely shouldn't expect it to be a fast restoration.
I just need to get it going well enough (and safely enough) to ride around my 87 year old grand-dad ... he's really looking forward to riding in it again..
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.