Disassembly CHAPTER 3

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Ronald Taylor
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Disassembly The order of disassembly is not crucial, but top down is a good way to go. Mike begins with the easy-to-remove external accessories.

Use a Sharpie marker to write the pertinent information on the bag; it is easy to forget what came from where days and weeks later.

Turned around, it didn t look so bad. Mike anticipated that it would be a relatively easy teardown. Nevertheless, there were a few difficult parts.

1 Disassembly The order of disassembly is not crucial, but top down is a good way to go. Mike begins with the easy-to-remove external accessories. Remember to photograph the steps of disassembly because a record of the procedure can help with assembly. I love Ziploc bags for keeping parts, especially bolts, together. Use a Sharpie marker to write the pertinent information on the bag; it is easy to forget what came from where days and weeks later. As you follow the procedure, you end up with a block, a crank, and a few small parts in one pile and another much larger pile of scrap. It is the lore of the flathead. Turned around, it didn t look so bad. Mike anticipated that it would be a relatively easy teardown. Nevertheless, there were a few difficult parts. Note the position of the stock oil filter mounted on top of the driver-side cylinder head. This oil filter became a problem, as did a couple of valves. Mike s chosen rebuild candidate, a BA, was already out of the vehicle and lying in a corner of the yard, looking pretty sad. It was already missing the transmission as well as carburetor and air filter, but in their place was a handy D-ring for lifting. If the filter on your engine is stock, a clamp should hold the filter assembly in place. Use a screwdriver to remove it. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY 7

This engine also didn t have a carb, but yours likely has one.

6 To remove the generator, begin by removing the wires going to the back of the generator.

If the carb does not spring loose easily, give it a gentle tap with a rubber hammer, then lift it clear of the studs.

belt (if there is one) can be removed. With the belt out of the way, the generator can be lifted off and put aside.

The fittings are typically easy to loosen, but if you encounter difficulty, use penetrating fluid.

Retain the pump; it will probably be serviceable with a rebuild.

2 This engine also didn t have a carb, but yours likely has one. To remove it, use an open-ended wrench to disconnect the fuel line where it enters the carburetor. 6 To remove the generator, begin by removing the wires going to the back of the generator. 5 Remove the three nuts and washers that secure the base of the carb to the intake manifold. If the carb does not spring loose easily, give it a gentle tap with a rubber hammer, then lift it clear of the studs. 7 Loosen the /6-inch nut that holds the generator support bracket and slide the generator down slightly so that the belt (if there is one) can be removed. With the belt out of the way, the generator can be lifted off and put aside. Fuel Pump, Starter and Accessories Remove the fuel line from the fuel pump and the carb. The fittings are typically easy to loosen, but if you encounter difficulty, use penetrating fluid. When the bolts securing the pump to the housing are removed, you should be able to easily break the gasket seal. Retain the pump; it will probably be serviceable with a rebuild. Remove the two cap screws that secure the fuel pump and lift it free. A gentle tap with a rubber hammer might be needed to loosen it. Note the amount of gunk inside this float bowl; it s not an encouraging sign but is typical. Using a /-inch wrench, remove the two nuts holding the fuel pump adapter to the block. 8 FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

DISASSEMBLY After breaking the fuel pump adapter loose, lift the pushrod out through the intake manifold. Bag and label these parts together.

motor, be careful not to pull the body apart. Typically, the top bolt steadies the starter motor by means of a bracket connected to the oil pan.

Pull the motor out and put it aside. 5 Several types of fan mounts were used. Typically, the fans are held on with a couple of cap screws.

6 If your engine is stock, it might retain the original plug wire conduits, held to the intake manifold with cap screws.

Remove the wires from the plugs first; then remove them from the distributor. Put the pair of assemblies aside for later reference.

Unless they are loose, give each plug indentation a liberal squirt of penetrating oil; you don t want to break off a plug in the head.

3 DISASSEMBLY After breaking the fuel pump adapter loose, lift the pushrod out through the intake manifold. Bag and label these parts together. The two cap screws that hold the starter motor to the flywheel housing actually hold the starter motor together, so if you intend to reuse the motor, be careful not to pull the body apart. Typically, the top bolt steadies the starter motor by means of a bracket connected to the oil pan. Remove that cap screw completely and tilt the motor up and in toward the block to free the Bendix drive from the flywheel. Pull the motor out and put it aside. 5 Several types of fan mounts were used. Typically, the fans are held on with a couple of cap screws. This engine did not have a fan, but here you can see the cap screws that hold the fan to the pulley. 6 If your engine is stock, it might retain the original plug wire conduits, held to the intake manifold with cap screws. If you want to reuse the conduits or the plug wires, number the wires with masking tape or wire numbering clips. Remove the wires from the plugs first; then remove them from the distributor. Put the pair of assemblies aside for later reference. 7 Your engine most likely has -mm plugs. Unless they are loose, give each plug indentation a liberal squirt of penetrating oil; you don t want to break off a plug in the head. If a plug is stubborn, leave it to soak and come back to it later. 8 The road draft tube or crankcase vent tube (breather) runs from the front of the intake manifold down the front of the engine. It must be levered out of the intake because it blocks one of the intake bolts. Put this tube aside for cleaning; you re going to need it. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY 9

9 Remove the coil wire from the distributor and unbolt the coil bracket from the head.

Despite its worn-out exterior appearance, this distributor contained a new rotor and condenser and a

0 Stock distributors are becoming rare, and MSD units are sometimes out of production, so be careful

Start by removing the vacuum line, the distributor hold-down, and the /-inch bolt that holds the

It looks as though somebody rebuilt the distributor and then abandoned the project.

4 9 Remove the coil wire from the distributor and unbolt the coil bracket from the head. Put them aside for now. Despite its worn-out exterior appearance, this distributor contained a new rotor and condenser and a nice set of points. 0 Stock distributors are becoming rare, and MSD units are sometimes out of production, so be careful when removing the distributor. Unless yours is damaged, it is probably fine for future use. Start by removing the vacuum line, the distributor hold-down, and the /-inch bolt that holds the distributor in place. This one was already broken off. Inside, the cap was brand new and almost unused. It was perfect for a rat rod because the cap was good inside but had a nice patina on the outside. It looks as though somebody rebuilt the distributor and then abandoned the project. Intake Manifold, Water Pumps and Timing Cover To remove the intake manifold, use a 9/6-inch socket and wrench. Remove the 0 cap screws that hold the manifold to the block. A tap with a hammer should spring it loose. Lift out the intake gasket and watch for flying debris as it flicks up. You might find all sorts of creatures residing under there. 0 FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

DISASSEMBLY With the intake manifold removed, you can see years of oil sludge buildup and plenty of rust in the ports.

One of the screws is hidden inside the pump inlet opening and may be difficult to recognize and remove due to rust buildup. A liberal coating of penetrating oil will help you locate it.

5 With the water pump removed, you can see plenty of rust buildup inside the block. This is typical for an engine of this age.

If your engine has not been touched in years, the bolts could be stuck. The first step is to heat the bolts. After they cool, apply penetrating oil around the head and let it soak in.

Use a pry bar in the distributor shaft hole to separate it from the block. The oil seal is split around the crank, so the cover lifts out of the way.

5 DISASSEMBLY With the intake manifold removed, you can see years of oil sludge buildup and plenty of rust in the ports. The water pumps are located on the front of the block and are held in place with four /8 x 6 cap screws. One of the screws is hidden inside the pump inlet opening and may be difficult to recognize and remove due to rust buildup. A liberal coating of penetrating oil will help you locate it. Clean up that bolt as best you can before removing it; you don t want to round it off. When all four screws are removed, tap the pumps free and remove them. 5 With the water pump removed, you can see plenty of rust buildup inside the block. This is typical for an engine of this age. Cylinder Heads Early engines used studs and nuts to secure the cylinder heads. Later (99 95) engines used 7/6 x bolts. Both types can be difficult to remove. If your engine has not been touched in years, the bolts could be stuck. The first step is to heat the bolts. After they cool, apply penetrating oil around the head and let it soak in. Do not be impatient; patience will ultimately save you a lot of work. 6 The timing cover comes off easily by removing the 5/6 x 8 bolts that hold it to the block. Use a pry bar in the distributor shaft hole to separate it from the block. The oil seal is split around the crank, so the cover lifts out of the way. Put this aside; you are probably going to reuse it. When the penetrating fluid has had time to do its work, try the bolts again. An impact wrench might be helpful here, but be careful not to round off the bolt heads. If a bolt head breaks off, it s not a disaster. Just move on to the next bolt. If you have stubborn bolts, try the heating and penetrating oil process again. Once you have removed all the bolts, assess the situation. If you have rounded heads, you have two 7 With the timing cover removed, you can easily see the cam gear and, of course, rust. recourses: You can drill into the bolt and use an extractor tool to remove it, or you can slice off the head with a side-cutting tool and worry about the stud left in the block later. Again, once you have removed the head of the bolt, apply penetrating oil into the bolt hole and leave it to do its work. When all the bolts and bolt heads have been removed, the head can be lifted free of the block. If the engine has been sitting and if some of the FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

bolts are stuck, the head might need a gentle tap with a plastic mallet. The bolts and/or studs stuck in the block can be left for the time being.

Once you have removed the cylinder heads, you will have a reasonable idea of the rotating assembly s condition.

If everything is locked up, you might have some heavy work ahead of you.

Even the experts fail sometimes. Mike tried everything, but there s no way this vintage Fenton head will come off. Oh well: yard art.

head bolts that secure it. The oil pan is usually pretty easy to remove.

6 bolts are stuck, the head might need a gentle tap with a plastic mallet. The bolts and/or studs stuck in the block can be left for the time being. With all the head bolts finally loose, we are ready to pull the head for the much-anticipated look inside. Once you have removed the cylinder heads, you will have a reasonable idea of the rotating assembly s condition. It s likely not great, especially if the engine has been sitting for many years and does not turn over easily, if at all. If everything is locked up, you might have some heavy work ahead of you. Welcome to a typical flathead after years of standing: water-filled bores and stalactites growing out of the cylinder walls. Even the experts fail sometimes. Mike tried everything, but there s no way this vintage Fenton head will come off. Oh well: yard art. Oil Filter, Pan and Pump In this case, the stock cylinderhead-mounted oil filter bracket was severely bent, making it impossible to reach the head bolts that secure it. The oil pan is usually pretty easy to remove. Years of sludge buildup around the shaft can make the pump stubborn to remove. When you remove the oil line from the rear of the block, you might encounter some stubbornness here, so use plenty of penetrating fluid so you don t break off the fitting. The bracket is heavy-gauge steel and took some beating before Mike could put a wrench on the bolts. Eventually, it moved. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

DISASSEMBLY The other cylinder bank was worse, with excessive carbon and rust buildup.

This old engine was home to one of the biggest black widow spiders any of us had seen.

Six cap screws secure the exhaust manifolds to the block.

As is often the case, they can be difficult to remove.

These broke loose easily with the impact wrench.

You can tap it loose with a mallet or, if necessary, lever it away from the block.

7 DISASSEMBLY The other cylinder bank was worse, with excessive carbon and rust buildup. These pistons are fun to remove. This old engine was home to one of the biggest black widow spiders any of us had seen. A bite from a female with a red spot on her stomach can be very dangerous. Six cap screws secure the exhaust manifolds to the block. The front pair of screws is 7/6 x and the rear four are /8 x 6. As is often the case, they can be difficult to remove. Coat them liberally with penetrating oil and allow them to soak before you attempt to remove them. These broke loose easily with the impact wrench. 5 Work your way around the oil pan, removing the cap screws. You can tap it loose with a mallet or, if necessary, lever it away from the block. Be careful not to damage the pan because you will most likely reuse it. Also, watch out for the cast-aluminum elbow for the dipstick, as those can be hard to come by. 6 It s not unusual for a flathead, which typically has no oil filter, to be full of sludge. Mike said that this engine was average; he has seen many that were much worse and not many that were better. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

7 Remove the lock wire and cap screws from the oil pump mounting flange (if your engine is so

8 If your pump is stubborn, tap it gently with a hammer to free it.

Bearing Caps Early engines had the main bearing cap bolts wired, but ours just had locking

It s good to see original Ford main bearings, which might indicate that the crank has not

It s not so good to see this bent rod in another engine being disassembled.

8 7 Remove the lock wire and cap screws from the oil pump mounting flange (if your engine is so equipped) and then remove the pump assembly from the cylinder block. 8 If your pump is stubborn, tap it gently with a hammer to free it. Ours took more than a gentle tap to remove. Bearing Caps Early engines had the main bearing cap bolts wired, but ours just had locking washers on the rear and center caps. They were easily removed with the impact wrench. It s good to see original Ford main bearings, which might indicate that the crank has not been subject to a regrind. But you can never be certain until you measure the journals. It s not so good to see this bent rod in another engine being disassembled. In many cases, if a street or mild rebuild is your intention, the stock Ford rods are more than adequate. Mike began dismantling the rotating assembly by removing the pressed-steel locking devices (known as pallocks) and then the nuts. If your engine has been rebuilt, it might have locking nuts or the nuts might be wired. Either way, remove the locking device first. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

DISASSEMBLY Rods and Pistons Mike prefers to drive the pistons out of the bores with a long iron drift and a big hammer.

If you re trying to save the parts, you ll have to be gentler. Start by cleaning out the tops of the bores with a ridge reamer.

You could spend more time pre-cleaning the bore, but in Mike s opinion, it s not worth the trouble, because he rebores the

Unless somebody has monkeyed with the engine in the past, the rods and caps should be assembled as matched and numbered pairs.

5 Use a brass drift to hammer off the crankshaft pulley.

9 DISASSEMBLY Rods and Pistons Mike prefers to drive the pistons out of the bores with a long iron drift and a big hammer. He doesn t typically reuse the pistons or the rods, so he s not trying to save the parts. If you re trying to save the parts, you ll have to be gentler. Start by cleaning out the tops of the bores with a ridge reamer. If you don t have one, use a wire brush and scraper to remove the carbon buildup. A good soaking with penetrating oil helps. The piston broke, but it s out. This one took some hammering, and the top popped out of the piston before the piston cleared the bore. You could spend more time pre-cleaning the bore, but in Mike s opinion, it s not worth the trouble, because he rebores the block anyway. Unless somebody has monkeyed with the engine in the past, the rods and caps should be assembled as matched and numbered pairs. If you decide that you want to reuse the existing assemblies, they are easy to keep together. 5 Use a brass drift to hammer off the crankshaft pulley. The pulley is on tight and has quite a long shaft, so you might have to heat the pulley with a propane torch to facilitate removal. After all the rods and pistons have been removed, lift out the crank. Be careful of your back; the crank weighs 6.5 pounds. 6 As the pulley begins to move, reposition the drift to the end of the pulley boss and keep hammering. It takes some effort, but there really is no easier way, unless you have access to a suitable puller. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY 5

7 Carefully remove the rear oil slinger. It is a fairly delicate, pot metal casting that is not easily replaced (new or used).

8 Remove the lock wire and the cap screws that secure the oil pump drive cover to the back of the cylinder block.

If you can t locate one, you can improvise with a homemade puller made from a socket head, a bolt, and a stack of washers.

They are robust parts and usually work in a street or mild performance rebuild. New ones are available should yours be chewed up.

You need one or two special tools, which can be purchased or rented from Van Pelt Sales.

Soaking all the valve parts in penetrating oil well in advance often helps with disassembly.

10 7 Carefully remove the rear oil slinger. It is a fairly delicate, pot metal casting that is not easily replaced (new or used). Put it aside and take care of it. 8 Remove the lock wire and the cap screws that secure the oil pump drive cover to the back of the cylinder block. You can then remove the cover, gasket, and oil pump idler gear from the block. 9 You need a slide hammer to remove the oil pump idler gear. If you can t locate one, you can improvise with a homemade puller made from a socket head, a bolt, and a stack of washers. Place a screwdriver under each of the stamped steel oil baffles and pry them out. Put them aside, as you will need them. 0 Bag these gears. They are robust parts and usually work in a street or mild performance rebuild. New ones are available should yours be chewed up. Valve Assembly Removing the valve assemblies might be one of the trickiest jobs you encounter during disassembly. You need one or two special tools, which can be purchased or rented from Van Pelt Sales. Removal can be difficult because years of dirty engine oil may have baked the guides into the block. Soaking all the valve parts in penetrating oil well in advance often helps with disassembly. Begin by removing the valveguide retainers (also called horseshoe clips or C-clips because of their shape). You ll need a special tool that hooks into the hole in the retainer. After hooking the hole, hammer the other end of the tool until the retainer comes free. If you do not have the tool, use any prying tool that fits the hole. Remove all 6 retainers before proceeding. One of the C-clips in our engine broke, and its removal became a minor problem. 6 FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

DISASSEMBLY To remove the valves, Mike uses a pickle fork.

You hope that the head of the valve pops up when pressure is applied to the pickle fork.

Once the valve head is clear of the deck surface, another pickle fork is inserted under the valve head until

Some valve assemblies come loose easily; others don t. Here, one of the valveseats has popped loose.

5 The head of this valve popped off under pressure from the pickle fork.

6 Remove the lifters; they should just push out into the oil gallery, but, this being a flathead, they are

11 DISASSEMBLY To remove the valves, Mike uses a pickle fork. He inserts the fork under the valvespring, between the valvespring retainer and the lifter. You hope that the head of the valve pops up when pressure is applied to the pickle fork. A sharp hammer blow woke up our stuck valves. Once the valve head is clear of the deck surface, another pickle fork is inserted under the valve head until the valveguide assembly pops out of the block. Don t stand in front of the valves, because they can fly out. Some valve assemblies come loose easily; others don t. Here, one of the valveseats has popped loose. Mike replaces all of the seats during the rebuild so it s actually irrelevant. 5 The head of this valve popped off under pressure from the pickle fork. It s not a disaster though, as the top portion of the valve can be cut off and the stem can be removed. 6 Remove the lifters; they should just push out into the oil gallery, but, this being a flathead, they are most likely stuck, so the liberal use of penetrating oil is recommended. Then, the cam should just slide out. If the engine you are dismantling is stock, the lifters are probably stock and nonadjustable. There s no need to keep them because numerous aftermarket adjustable lifters are available. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY 7

flathead, so don t be alarmed. It all comes clean.

Here, an air-operated spring compressor is called into action.

If you don t have access to an air-assisted compressor, try a manual

12 7 The valley of death. Yes, there s a lot of debris in there, but this is not atypical for a flathead, so don t be alarmed. It all comes clean. 8 Some valve assemblies are just stubborn. Here, an air-operated spring compressor is called into action. It worked on one valve. If you don t have access to an air-assisted compressor, try a manual compressor. 9 The other valve was impossible to remove, so the stem had to be severed with a side-cutting tool. Always wear protective clothing and goggles when using this tool. Old glasses are okay, but sparks can burn plastic lenses. 8 FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

DISASSEMBLY 0 Once the cutting tool had done its work, the valveguide was pushed up enough so

A steel drift and a heavy hammer are needed if the guide is really stuck.

Because you will certainly be replacing the bearings and probably the camshaft, there s no

The cam gear is held onto the camshaft with four bolts secured by a large, squarish lock ring.

camshaft. Save the screws because they are special.

13 DISASSEMBLY 0 Once the cutting tool had done its work, the valveguide was pushed up enough so that Mike could slice off the head of the valve. The guide is driven down into the gallery. A steel drift and a heavy hammer are needed if the guide is really stuck. With the valvetrain removed, the camshaft was wiggled out of the block. Because you will certainly be replacing the bearings and probably the camshaft, there s no real need to be careful. The cam gear is held onto the camshaft with four bolts secured by a large, squarish lock ring. Fold back the retaining tabs and undo the four cap screws holding the gear wheel to the camshaft. Save the screws because they are special. The oil gallery plug has a slotted head, but typically it s not undone easily and an impact driver is needed. There s no reason to keep this plug; Mike recommends a socket-head drain plug that is easier to remove. FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY 9

6 The lifters can be hammered out with a long steel drift bar.

5 A special cam tool is typically needed to remove the cam bearings.

Basically, you drive the front bearing into the block, move the slider into the

Finally, as shown here, you drive out the third bearing.

matter of removing the bolts that secure it to the back of the block.

14 6 The lifters can be hammered out with a long steel drift bar. As you are unlikely to be reusing them, there is no need to be gentle. 5 A special cam tool is typically needed to remove the cam bearings. The tool is available from Van Pelt Sales. Basically, you drive the front bearing into the block, move the slider into the front bearing bore, and drive out the second bearing. Finally, as shown here, you drive out the third bearing. Bellhousing and Clutch Assembly Removing the bellhousing is usually a simple matter of removing the bolts that secure it to the back of the block. With the bellhousing removed, you can access the six bolts that hold the clutch cover to the flywheel. Usually, the four bolts that secure the flywheel are wired, but in this case they were not. They are easily loosened with an impact wrench. The flywheel needs a whack from a hammer to remove it from the end of the crankshaft. 0 FORD FLATHEAD ENGINES: HOW TO REBUILD & MODIFY

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