My friend recently purchased a barn find, a 1914 Roadster. It came with an engine that we shown to be a 1918. However, included with the sale was what we believe to be the original engine for it, as it dated to 1914 as well.
The engine was stuck and had been sitting in outside a barn for 50 years or so. However, since it could very well be the original engine for the car, we wanted to see what it would take to get it running and usable.
What we found inside the engine may surprise you. I took off the oil pan inspection cover first and saw that everything was covered in a layer of sludge, but was otherwise in good shape and rust-free.
We started to take the engine completely, and everywhere we looked, everything was found to be almost immaculate. The valves had at some point been replaced with one-piece valves. The valve seats were flawless as were the valves themselves. The valve guides showed almost no wear whatsoever. The ports on the block showed no hints of damage.
The pistons were free in the cylinders and the cylinders showed no more than .003" wear with a dial indicator. The babbitt on the rods was in fantastic shape. It was nice and shiny with no scores or wear marks of any kind. In fact, all the rods still had shims. The crank journals were shiny as a mirror, although covered in a layer of sludge. The main bearings were also immaculate.
I saw no reason as to why the engine was stuck. The only thing I could figure was that someone had taken too many shims out of the main bearings so they were too tight and the engine wouldn't turn, and for whatever reason, no one had bothered to fix it. I found two shims left under the rear main, but none under the first and second.
The transmission was also fantastic. The teeth on the gears were still sharp with no indications of wear at all. The triple gears were in perfect shape, and the bushings showed right around .003" clearance, certainly well within specs. The transmission drums were smooth as can be, with no cracks or anything at all. In fact, the bands still had plenty of lining left on them!
The ONLY thing we found that was shot was the magneto ring. All the wire was intact, but the insulation was bad, and the wire was bare in many places. The magnets were also weak, but not a single one was cracked.
In the end, it looks like we are going to have the magneto ring rewound and the magnets recharged. We just need to clean everything up, and this engine can go back together!
How fortunate you are!!!
My guess is that the engine was rebuilt, filled with some kind of gooky oil, then because it wouldn't turn, it was set aside.
Since then, the (period correct) oil turned to sludge, but it covered everything and protected it.
A good cleaning, proper shimming, a new or rebuilt mag ring, recharge the magnets, then...
All you'll have to do is duck and run when Mom or Wife sees the condition of the driveway!!
It just goes to show, don't judge a book by its cover, or an engine by its rust!
Do you have any photos of the rest of the car?
I think the important story here is that you have two young men really involved in the hobby and enjoying themselves....
Looks like the best kind of engine to start with. The engine I had in my 1915/16 center-door years ago was like that. Dirty and rusty outside with what looked like a fifty year old fresh rebuild inside. Boy that thing ran well. I was clocked a couple of times at 55mph and know I did that speed often. The car just wanted to go! And all I ever did was freshen it up a bit. It still had the cast iron pistons.
I also notice it looks like you have the heavy weight rods sitting there. Many T people will tell you to not use them. Most rebuilders will refuse to re-Babbitt them. But I have used a couple sets when the Babbitt was good and found they performed quite well. I have a good set on the shelf and fully intend to use them, probably soon.
Good luck, have fun,
drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Those guys show why I don't wear shorts when working on cars! Hone the cylinders, new rings and gaskets, lap the valves and go have fun!
Go Cameron !! I mean GO-JO Cameron....
So I was just a little messy!
Yes, gotta like it, grease everywhere, flip flops, shorts, no gloves, and someone's going to see the driveway later and flip!
Fortunately it's a museum, and they're used to this kind of stuff!
I love it! As I told my mom, you can't have fun without getting a little dirty.
I don't know which I like most.......the engine, the MESS or the smiles......
It's easy to take a motor apart.
The challenge is getting it back together again.
Between the two states their is a big basket.
I know from experience!
Your friend is very lucky. Have you separated the drums and inspected them?
Stephen
Stephen,
Yes I have. They look like they are almost NOS. The bushings are fantastic, and there isn't so much as a scratch to be found anywhere!
Craig,
You should have seen me when I drove when a drove a T for the first time, specifically, a '25 TT. My grin must have been from ear to ear!
Even well before then, while I was in grade school and other kids talked about sports cars and whatnot, I talked about Ts. It's no surprise that after my first drive in a T, I was officially hooked. Two years later, I had finally saved up enough to buy a '24 Touring Car, the same one that it is in my profile picture. I will forever be a T guy!
I've seen many T engines that look like that one. After you clean it up, you will be happier. Next time, try long pants!
Right on Cameron! Looks like your living the dream. Good to see young guy in the hobby.
Yes, I agree, I think you must be the first guy my age i've met on the forum. I'm 20 years old and in college too. I'm building my model T from parts (mismatch of mostly 25, and some 26). My engine was an old 1926 engine my grandfather had out back. You and your friend are certainly lucky! My engine was pretty rough. The babbit was slightly chipped on one, slight sear on another, and WORN on all. The whole engine looks like it was run into the ground, and there's a crack up top, and every mechanical part was heavily worn (except for the cylinders and pistons oddly, they were still well within specs). Luckily my local club worked on it and deemed it serviceable for now (ground down the rod caps and bearings to fit tight to the old crank shaft, new rings, recut/ground the valve seats, homed the cylinders, etc.). I cannot wait until I get back from school this summer to get the engine back together and in my car! Anyway, it's nice to meet someone else my age that enjoys T's as much as I do. I think I drive my roomates nut with all of the T talk I spit out
Matthew and Cameron (and friend),
I am sorry to report this is sometimes a lifelong affliction. I have been hooked on Ts and other early automobiles since I was three. It has been over 55 years now and I still can't get enough of them. I was that kid in high school.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Cameron,
How about some pictures of the car? We all want to see.
Ahhhhhh , . . . youth. Reminds me of me - about 4 decades ago. I found my 1914 engine in the ruins of an old homemade machine shop. It was set in concrete-couldn't drain the oil if you WANTED to. Was running overhead line shafts - some with round felloe 30 X 3s bolted to 4" sheeting onto which the belt ran. The casting date reads: 21914. ie February 19th. When I restored the engine and painted it I highlighted the date in white since the day and year reveals the year of the runabout. Now you boys find 3 Indian Head nickels, make 'em concave and use 'em as freeze plugs!
Are ya'll going to have the original double wrap field coil restored? I did and now produce a little over 30 volts at about 20 MPH. I guess you will because you'd have to acquire new magnets to use a single wrap. That man up in Chicago restored mine and said the double wraps give more voltage than the single wraps. I like your first picture of the upside-down engine with the crankcase removed and the hogshead kinda hanging out held on by the tranny band ears. HA!
Matthew......you mean your smile gets even BIGGER......
I loved T's my whole life but it wasn't until I was 59 years old I was finally in a position to get the FIRST one.....a local '20 Coupe I had thought about for several years.
You are lucky to be realizing a dream at your age.......and it's perfectly obvious you're loving it!
You never know.......you might get your buddy hooked too!