Rebuilding transmission, what should I check on engine while its out

[bmklawt]

So I will be rebuilding the transmission on my 1927 Touring this winter, its shot, what should I be checking on the engine while it is out, the engine runs great and starts the first time every time, what should I look for to decide if it can be refurbished or if it needs to be rebuilt. The car has a bad vibration but I can't be positive its the engine, there are other things wrong with the car that may contribute to the vibration.
I will be installing new drums and gears and having the crankshaft balanced, I'll be static balancing what I can but the crank will be dynamically balance, what parts should be attached to the crank when it is balanced, would like recommendation where I can send the crank also, someone close to Grand Rapids MI would be nice but I don't mind shipping it cross country.

As always your help is much appreciated,
Bruce

[babychadwick]

As a general rule anything that is bolted to the crank should be balanced with the crank. Individual rotating parts should be balanced and items like triple gears weighed so they are the same weight.

Having said that I recently relined the bands in my speedster and as it has been in the family I took a look at the drums and was shocked. Massive rust spots as well as play. I know this car has been driven hard and the trans hasn't been touched in decades. When it was original parts were used so the rust spots etc are from using original parts. This car and tranny have been used hard before I got the car (90mph etc) and I know the best available when built was simply a couple of knife scales and a dynamic balance.

Depending what you plan on using the car for a good rebuild should outlast you.

And now for my opinion as everyone here seems to have one . . .Retain the ford clutch, don't upgrade. If you are using a small drum brake insure that the portion the clutch plates ride on is smooth without ridges. Originals tend to be worn and require a little filing.

Remember Ford never properly balanced flywheels.

[Scott_Conger]

Model Ts are inherintly unbalanced without a counterbalanced crank. Balancing the rotating mass of the flywheel on the crank will help though.

The key question is this: at what rpm or road speed/gear are you feeling the unbalance? I ask this because the T is a very low reving engine. More than 6 MPH in low if you're on the flat and you're spending too much time in low. At 6-7 MPH a shift to high is in order and from there, 28-32 MPH should be fairly shake-free at an easy cruise. When starting up from a stop sign, if you're still in low gear by the middle of the intersection, you've generally waited too long to shift. I suspect with the very limited experience you have you are vastly over reving the engine for everything from starting to roll, to when to shift into high. The shift to high is accomplished by a smooth and swift removal of the foot from low gear accompanied by a brief closure and reopening of the throttle during the foot release. You're not spastically "popping" the clutch but a smooth lifting of the foot in about a second or second and a half, and you should be in high gear. The engine should never speed up or "rev" during this shift. At all. FWIW, a T in good shape will be able to be eased into fully locked-up low gear at a mere idle. Any reving or drama at this point is counter-productive in trying to grab the low drum with the band. It is entirely a different thing than driving a modern manual transmission car. The lower the engine speed is, the easier it is on you and the transmission to lock up low (foot all the way down).

My advice is not given as criticism, only that you've had your hands full with the transmission and have self-described as struggling to drive this car. I will tell you right now that based on what I see at large tours a very significant portion of T owners really do not drive their cars all that well and the way they drive them indicates a lack of understanding of how the transmission operates. Once taught wrong, bad habits will rarely if ever be broken and trying to teach yourself puts you at an even worse disadvantage. I do sincerely hope you will be able to meet with someone who can really drive a T competently and forward those techniques to you early on in your enjoyment of the hobby. Once you attend a tour with a good number of people, you are going to see some who move fore or aft with maximum noise, drama and confusion, with little movement to show for it, and there will be those who glide all but silently away under nearly any condition. THAT's the guy you want to have teach you. Not the noise and mayhem guy.

With these thoughts in mind and practicing, I'd be interested in hearing just how badly out of balance the engine really is. It may not be bad at all.

[Kerry]

What you should be checking before anything is done, "Your Wallet" even though the engine seems to be running fine and has got to the stage the trans needs re-building, everything else will be just well worn out!

[babychadwick]

everything else will be just well worn out!

Or broken in, glass half full.

[bmklawt]

I have high hopes the engine doesn't need much but fully understand I may need new everything.
The vibration is mostly annoying and may not be the engine, I'm going to take this down to the frame, it appears the last owner put this together without researching the proper way to do it, there a mix of nuts and bolts the body appears higher on one side, the body or radiator is to high the hood doesn't line up at all. there are no wood blocks in the frame at the motor mounts, I think I read there should be, one of the mounts has been welded back on, just a bunch of little stuff.

[DHort]

Check to make sure every nut and bolt is tight.