A few more 308 questions please

[Deleted User]

The engine pinging and driveability is more what I was thinking you here guys talk about. Like you say a gasket poorly installed will blow out no matter what. l there are much better gaskets available now.,
Roger

faustmb

Richie, I have a 54 308 head but I haven't had time to inspect if yet. The engine hasn't run in a long time so I don't know much about it. Per the PO, ran when parked lol. I'll try to put it on the bench tonight.

Richie

Thanks Matt, no hurry. Will any year head work OK on my 55 block ??

Richie

Russell, what you said makes sense and as I said earlier I'm still learning what makes these 308's tick. I know from the old days high compression causes spark knock or ping (pre-ignition) that can burn pistons. Retarding your timing defeats the purpose, so next option is as you say premium fuel. For the most part around here premium is around $4.00 per gal. I would rather pay $3.14 for regular,(Being an old retired codger). I will be happy with a little boost in compression by way of taking just enough material off to make the head level. I like hearing about hopped up 308's and I may try building one of those down the road. The 308 I'm rebuilding now is going to be our cross country, go anywhere car. I appreciate your thoughts Russell and would like to hear more about your 308 build. Richie.

Richie

Roger, you are thinking about the same way I'm thinking. I just want a good dependable car. I really don't car if it is a little slow as long as it doesn't give me any problems 1000 miles from home. At a later date I would like to build a race type 308 and put it in my Pacemaker Brougham and have some fun with it. Richie.

RL Chilton

Richie-

If you mill your head, say .040 to .050, are you going to boost your compression? Sure you are. Is it going to be a noticeable difference? Probably not, and certainly not while "everyday-type-of-driving". Gotta remember that a flathead is not like an OHV engine, in that your combustion chamber is just so much larger on a flathead, hence the difficulty in really upping the compression.

Keep in mind there are more economical means of boosting HP, or just getting a little more oomph out of a basically stock engine. For example, dual exhaust is good for as much as 20HP right out of the box, so to speak. That's a significant boost for a little effort on your part, time-wise or money-wise.

Richie

The engine is out, finished taking it out about 7:30 this evening. Now the fun begins, I'll take it completely apart Monday and find out what cam is in it. It really looks like (don't laugh) it was bored .060 over and they put in .030 over pistons. Lots of room between the piston and wall. I'll measure the bore and pistons Monday. That L95 under the dist does mean it is a 55 block, Right?? Richie.

Richie

Good points Russell, I am just a little concerned about blowing head gaskets. From what I've read I thought it is an on going issue with head gaskets. My 51 P/M blew a head gasket last year and the 53 Hornet I'm working on now had a blown head gasket. I just heard a lot about blown headgaskets and believed it was a common problem. Maybe it's not that common any more with the newer head gaskets available today. Maybe I'm overly cautious and don't need to be !! Anyway, I'm going to enjoy building this engine and learn as much as possible while doing it. Thanks Russell. Richie.

Glowplug

Richie: Blown head gaskets are the result of many different factors. In the past the primary problem creating the failures was the materials used to manufacture the headgaskets. Couple this built in problem with headbolt torque inconsistancies and cooling problems contributed to the failures that faded memories and antidoctal stories bring out today. Today you are fortunate to have the opportunity to use a BEST gasket with your new engine. Couple this with proper assembly and your engine will be prepared for the reliable use you are envisoning. The sealing charcteristics of the new head gasket far out shines all previous attempts to over come the short comings of available materials. Wishing you well in your overhaul.

Richie

Oldfarmer, that is good news to my ears. Maybe I can "not" worry so much now. I thank you for commenting. Richie.

[Deleted User]

I would not worry about any pinging - Ive never had one of mine ping . Its realy hard to get a Hudson motor to ping. As far as the worry about a blown gasket on the head -as stated the better gaskets make a differance. And make sure to use new grade #8 washers under the head bolts. I think the washers are as impartant as the bolts.
And if it does ever blow a gasket Richie its not like a V-8 . It just a flat piece of metal you unbolt and re-install. You dont mess with the exhaust or manifold or any of that stuff,
Roger

Richie

Roger, I was always concerned about pinging in the old days, nothing good came from pinging. You are right about Hudsons not pinging, the more I thought about it, I realized none of mine ever pinged. I read somewhere that in the old days the mechanics would put a car in third gear at 10 or 12 mph and floor it, if it didn't ping, advance the timing until it did ping and then back off a tad. I think the Hudson engines must have been just about bullet proof back in the day. Richie.

[Deleted User]

How do you think they got away with the "Drivemaster" setup wich started the car out in 2nd gear ? Lots of low end Umph,
Roger

Richie

Yup, Roger, my 51 ugly Pacemaker has supermatic drive and it never has pinged. I tried the supermatic drive once when I first got the car and it actually worked, what a scary thing it is though. I have since taken some of it off to make working on the engine a bit easier. Richie.

[Deleted User]

Ill give you that , it is in the way of a few things . Quite a feat of engineering though if you think about it. They took a manual transmission and made it shift itself -and work the clutch !
Basicly a semi-automatic
Roger