Starting issue/procedure

Juan

1. Because of "condensation" that happens inside of the engine --- I would
drain the contents of The Oil Pan and replace it with the lowest costing
30 Weight Oil that I can find.

2. Some times The Rings do like the location they have been in. For this
I would use a pressured Air Hose and remove any crude that may be lurking
around The Spark Plug Area --- before I remove The Spark Plugs.

2a. Pour some type of light oil ( Automatic Transmission Fluid ) into the
cavity and let it be there a day before you try to rotate the engine.

2b. Using body strength or a hand wrench rock/ rotate the crank shaft at
least two revelation's ( after #2a is complete ).

If all is well I would replace The Plugs and listen to it purrrr.

ps
The Water Hoses may be a little tired.

Yes, the valves and the rings stick. Be very careful about turning it so as not to break things. Pull the plugs and the valve cover off the side of the engine and while turning the engine (by hand) make sure all the valves are going up and down. You can see if one or more valves is stuck. Valves with lots of clearance are probably stuck open to some extent.

How long has it been since it last ran?

Have a nice day
Steve

Thanks for the replies! I thought the car had been sitting 5,6,7 years...I called the previous owner, a friend of the families, and it has been 19 years. Doesn't seem that long ago that I seen him driving it. Jesus time flies. I had drained the oil, the gas, and changed the plugs, and tried to start it. That's when I noticed the compression (lack of) sound. That's when I posted this topic. Hopefully I didn't damage anything(?). So last night i pulled the plugs, and put some marvel mystery oil in each cylinder. This morning, I was able to turn the the engine by hand pretty easily because the plugs are still out. So.....

Is the inspection cover on the side of the intake manifold? I don't see it on the drivers side, but the car is up against the garage wall on the passenger side so I cant see that side of the engine yet, but I will move it if I have to.

Turning the motor over by hand.... How will I know if everything is ok? Its always turned over, just wouldn't start. Or am I doing this to free the rings from the pistons?

Where are the valves compared to spark plug location? Probably a stupid question but flat heads are new to me. I will read up on them.

Ok now a fun question.... What can be done to these flatheads to make a little more power? Are there cams, intakes, headers, things like that for them?

Thanks for the replies guys. I really appreciate it.

Juan

Juan, I would do a compression check to see exactly what you are dealing with. If you don't have a gauge you might be able to get a loaner from a local parts place. Auto Zone and O' Reilly's loan tools etc.. That will tell you if there is a problem with just some cylinders or if all have low compression. It is easier to do a compression check than to remove the covers to see if it is stuck valves.

Juan

Rotating the engine by hand is some what easy ( as long as one can reach )
because a new spec'd engine is below 7.1 Compression Ratio.

If the Compression Check as said above is not "fruit-ful" .... then:

To get to The Valve Tappet Cover:

1. Have a set of New Valve Tappet Cover Gasket's ( The same size of gasket's
are also on The Dodge Truck WM's used in 1966 with The 251 Cubed Engine ).

2. Move the vehicle so that you have "working room access" to the front Right.
*
Thank of Safety and your Insurance Adjustor )
*

2a. Remove The Front Right Wheel ...

2b. Remove The Front Right Inner Panel ...

3. Below The Manifolds is The Valve Tappet Cover's ( x2 ).

Enhancing Power
This is what dreams are and why good money is spent. When folks see ya
Motoring Along ( at a steady 50 MPH ) --- they know you are not in The 300M league.

The lowest costing way is to un-bolt your engine and to replace it with a
after WWII to 1954 De Soto or Chrysler "Car" Six.

Rodger and Gabby

Again thanks for the replies. I truly appreciate it. I'll be borrowing a friends compression test gauge tonight and seeing whats going on. As far as enhancing power, I'm keeping this car all original. To me, that's the beauty of it. Maybe some bolt on power, carb, better distributor, things like that. Id like to dress up the engine compartment too.... That's down the road. I should probably get it running first.

Hi folks...Here are the compression levels from front to back :

75 - 125 - 0 - 75 - 0 - 150.

So I'm assuming those 2 cylinders with zero are valves sticking. My plan is to put some more marvel mystery oil in those to cylinders, and let it sit for a few days and see what happens I guess. Does this sound ok? It sat overnight with the first batch of marvel mystery oil. Maybe a few days will break the valves free? Thanks for the help as always.

Juan

Juan

Here is some Engine Data for you.

Your ( 3 3/8" Bore x 4 1/4" Stroke ) 228.1 Cubed Engine was used by De Soto
from 1937 to 1941.

The first series had 170 Pounds of Torque by 1200 RPM's and the last series is
178 Pounds of Torque by 1200 RPM's ( this is what you should have in
your 1941 Custom ).

The length of The Engine Head is 25 inches ( folks who do not measure get
a wrong item when they look at a 23 inch long Dodge or Plymouth engine
because "they look the same" ).

In 1942 they over bored The Cylinders to use a 3 7/16" Piston. These pistons
are the same ones used in every Chrysler and De Soto Six until the end of The
1954 Car Production year.

Your 4 1/4" Crank Shaft was used from 1937 to the end of The 1949 production Year. This means one can over bore your Engine Block to accept the 3 7/16"
Piston and have 236 Cubes with 195 Pounds of Torque ( if they need a over bore ).

All of us that have this era of engine are in a "Engineering Tech - Time Warp".
There are no Distributor's, Intake Manifolds, Carburetor's, Exhaust Manifold's,
Head's or other items that can enhance the power other than a over bore or
a swap of a longer Stroke of a Crank Shaft ( and it's matching Rod's ).

The Generator Pulley Diameter came in four ways. What you have and one of
the larger Diameter's. The Larger Diameter Generator Pulley will not Enhance
The Power enough to spend funds over $15 for it ( if you can find one ). It will
only aide in using a lessor amount of fuel - while at steady Hwy Speeds - as you cross The State of Kansas.

Pulling Power
This is one thing that your Drive Train can do. Your car will pull its own weight
and maintain it's Hwy Speed as you are doing this.

Rodger & Gabby

Hello everybody.... I still don't have compression in numbers 3 and 5 cylinders, after a week and a half of trying, then putting marvel mystery oil, and repeating every 4 or 5 days. So I want to take the head off, so I can see the tops of the valves and try to free them up.

Does anyone know if there is a torque sequence and how many foot pounds?

I realize I can take off the inspection covers on the side of the engine to see the valves, but with the car not running, and that side of the car up against the garage wall, and another project going on in the other side of my 2 car garage, I figured Id try accessing the valves from the top of the engine first.

Thanks again!