Archive for the ‘FAQ’ Category

‘The following data is taken from a Buss Fuse brochure dated April, 1952

Air Circulating Fan, ”50 to ”52, SFE 20
Headlight, ”35 to ”41, SFE-20 or AGC-10
………..”42, SFE-30
………..”47 to ”49 KB1-M and KB3-M SFE-30
Heater, ”50 to ”52, SFE-20
Horn, ”39 to ”41, AGC-10
……”42 to ”49, SFE-30 or SFE-20
Miscellaneous Circuit, ”39 to ”41 SFE-20
Windshield Wiper, ”47 to ”49, SFE-20

Print PDF

Periods of inactivity can be extremely harmful to lead acid batteries. When placing a battery into storage, follow the recommendations below to insure that the battery remains healthy and ready for use.

NOTE: Storing, charging or operating batteries on concrete is perfectly OK. The most important things to avoid: Freezing. Avoid locations where freezing temperature is expected. Keeping battery at a high state of charge will also prevent freezing. Freezing results in irreparable damage to battery’s plates and container. [Freezing can happen between -19 F (40% charge) and -98 F (fully charged)]

Heat. Avoid direct exposure to heat sources, such as radiators or space heaters. Temperatures above 80? F accelerate the battery’s self-discharge characteristics. Step by step storage procedure: 1. Completely charge the battery before storing. 2. Store the battery in a cool, dry location, protected from the elements. 3. During storage, monitor the specific gravity (flooded) or voltage. Batteries in storage should be given a boost charge when they show a 70% charge or less. Completely charge the battery before re-activating.

For optimum performance, equalize the batteries (flooded) before putting them back into service. Refer to the Equalizing section for this procedure.

Q: Will a battery rapidly self discharge if placed on concrete?
A: No, placing a battery on concrete will not cause it to discharge any faster than any other surface.
Q: Can I store a battery indefinitely?
A: No, a battery will self-discharge slowly over time. Allowing a battery to sit in a discharged state will ultimately lead to severe positive grid corrosion and battery failure. An unused battery should never be allowed to sit over 6 months without a recharge.

VX-6 AUTOMOTIVE BATTERY ADDITIVE
No more ?dead batteries?
The biggest selling battery additive in America!
Can also be used on boats and motorcycles!

No matter how new or old your battery may be, it produces sulfation constantly?even when not in use. Sulfation (lead sulfate) is a regular chemical reaction that starts as a soft, spongy, greenish-white substance which later hardens. Often it can be seen on the outside of the battery around cable connections. Sulfation is the number one cause of battery failure and is the reason that 7 out of 10 batteries are thrown away ?dead??while they are still full of life, but checked for a free-flow outlet of energy. Battery additive dissolves sulfation in old batteries and prevents it from forming in both old and new batteries. That?s why even brand new batteries have added life when protected with VX-6. Note: Will not correct a shorted battery due to a physical condition caused by freezing or overcharging! VX-6 in your battery improves starts in any weather, in any temperature from -40? to +160? F. One package is sufficient for one 6- or 11-volt battery. Net wt. 3 fl. oz.

Print PDF

Axle Shift Only

To Downshift: Keep the accelerator down. Select slower ratio position. Release and depress accelerator pedal as quickly as possible or disengage and re-engage clutch as quickly as possible.

Note: Clutch method recommended for slower speeds.

To Up-shift: Keep accelerator down. Select a faster ratio position. Release accelerator pedal and pause until axle shifts.

Note: For smoother axle up-shifts at slow speeds declutch also.
Note: In all axle up-shifts, move the control switch to position first. When split shifting to a slower axle ratio, DO NOT move the control switch until just move the control switch until just before engaging the clutch.

Lockout Mechanism – Tandem Axles Only

1. Engage Lockout in low axle ratio only.

2. Engage lockout at slow speeds but never when wheels are spinning. 3. Axles should not be shifted with the lockout engaged.

SPLIT SHIFTING Combined Axle and Transmission Shift

To Downshift the axle to a slower ratio and up-shift or downshift the transmission and just before clutch is re-engaged move the control switch to a slower ratio shift the transmission position.

To Up-shift the axle and downshift or up-shift the transmission move the control switch to a faster ratio position and make the transmission shift in the usual manner.

Print PDF

Gear Ratios for the T- series transmissions.

T-34–6.21, 3.43, 1.81, 1.00, and .823, later T-434 (1970), then T-494 (about 1974)
T-35–7.17, 3.96, 2.36, 1.41, and 1.00, later T-435, then T-495
T-36–6.21, 3.43, 2.05, 1.225, and 1.00, later T-436, then T-496

Print PDF

International Truck 1957-59 Fordomatic.

International Truck — Automatic Drive (DG 3 Band) (1950-66)

Fordomatic, Mercomatic, Flashomatic, FMX (Cast Iron) (1951-81) Let the games begin.

In 1951 Ford entered the automatic arms race with the Fordomatic transmission. This was one of the most versatile family of transmissions to ever hit the market.

Beginning with the small case unit in 1951, this model mutated through the medium case unit (1955), the Flashomatic Borg Warner 8 unit (1957), the large case unit (1958), the Borg Warner 12 unit (1967) and FMX unit (1968) and survived all the way to 1981 when the FMX was discontinued.

This series of transmission was used by Ford, Ford Truck, Lincoln, Mercury, Rambler, Nash, Hudson, Dodge Truck, International Truck, Studebaker, Willy’s and Jaguar. This unit also found its way into airport tugs, fork lifts and various other industrial equipment.

The easiest way to determine which version you have is to measure the length of the main case. The small case units are 9 7/8″ long, medium case units are 10 1/4″ long, large case units to 1960 are 10 7/8″ long and large case PCA units from 1961-65 are 11 1/2″ long.

Another way to determine which unit you have is by the code on the tag on the driver’s side of the transmission. The code you are looking for will begin with either a 1 or a P. The early units to 1960 had no vacuum modulator.

Automatic Drive (DG 3 Band) (1950-66)

Also hitting the market in 1950 was the Automatic Drive. This unit was used by Jaguar, Studebaker, Hudson, Divco, Dodge Truck, International Truck, Twin Coach and for one year, Mercedes.

This cast iron unit was unique in the fact that it used three bands for operation. The oil pan was small (about 9″ x 10″) and held up by 10 bolts.

Print PDF

As most of our old trucks have king pins, I thought this article from Skinned Knuckles magazine was a treasure trove of how-to information. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  You can click on any of the images to view a larger image. My thanks again to Neil Maken, the editor of Skinned Knuckles, for providing permission for us to reprint it here for you folks.  If you get a chance, be sure to check out Skinned Knuckles magazine – the information is at the end of the article. — John (Jupes) Hansen.

—–

REPLACING (Front Wheel) KING PINS

On modern cars – that is from the 1920s or so up to contemporary – two types of suspensions were used: ball joints and king pins. Let’s limit this discussion to the king pins.

We have discussed in the past (June 2007, My Perspective – A Primer on Wheel Alignment) the fact that the wheels have to be oriented in a certain way with relation to the car’s frame, the road, the front end, and that there has to be a certain amount of flexibility in the orientation to allow for turns, road cresting and irregularity, tire wear, and a number of other variables. One of the front-end measurements that has to be allowed for is ‘camber’. Viewed from the front of the car, the wheels are not perfectly vertical. They are slightly offset. This is engineered into the design of the car for optimum performance. This off-vertical tilt is known as camber. (Your little red wagon, when you were a kid, didn’t have any camber to the wheels. They were perfectly vertical, but then again, your little red wagon wasn’t asked to perform the way an automobile is.)

The amount of tilt (in or out) is determined by the factory for each particular car. Most cars from the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s had a fixed degree of camber determined by the angle of the king pin. It was not a variable, and unless the axle was bent (pot holes were a major cause of bent axles) or otherwise damaged, the angle was set and then left alone. The ends of the front axle attaches to the wheels. A spindle (the part that holds the wheel) attaches to the axle by a steel rod that goes through this spindle, and through a hole in the end of the axle to keep the wheel at the correct angle to the axle. This steel rod is known as the king pin. The holes in the spindles are lined with an inner lining made of brass or bronze. This lining is known as the king pin bushing, and it prevents steel-on-steel wear between the spindle and king pin.

Not a whole lot of consideration is given to the king pins. For most of the life of the car they do their job efficiently, quietly, and give trouble-free service. But don’t be fooled. Those king pins are doing a lot of work. They are carrying the weight of the front of the car (including the engine), and are subject to an immense amount of torque and twisting from the movement of the car on the road. They are often the first part to feel the tremendous jolt of a wheel dropping into a pothole. Enough hard work and the king pin assemblies begin to suffer. First, the bushings, made of a softer material than the spindles or king pins begin to wear. And as they wear they allow the king pin to ‘wiggle’. And as it wiggles the wear becomes greater, and eventually the king pin itself is liable to begin to wear, get out of round, and can even crack and break. But as the king pins and bushings wear, even though they may not break, they allow the wheel to lose the set amount of inclination designed into the car. As the front end becomes loose, other parts can begin to wear and exacerbate the ‘sloppiness’ in the front end.

To check for looseness in the king pin, jack up the front end of the car and place it on jack stands (for safety). Grasp the tire at the very top and the very bottom and wiggle the wheel. If a looseness or movement is felt, enlist the aid of a friend to wiggle the wheel while you watch the spindle/axle connection. If you see any movement at the juncture of the spindle and axle, chances are the king pin (or bushing) is worn. It is not a very difficult job to change them, but before you start ripping things apart, be sure that replacement parts are available. Often a search through a Hollander’s Interchange Guide will help locate king pins from another application that might be easier to find than for your car. If you have a really rare or unusual marque, you may have to call on a machinist to make replacement bushings for you. Be sure that he has the old bushings to use as models so that he can match grease grooves, grease fitting holes, inside diameter and outside diameter.

What’s involved with changing king pins? Not much. Remove the tire/wheel to allow maximum working space. The king pins are protected from dust and dirt by caps at the top and bottom of the spindle. They have to be removed. Remove the grease fittings, remove the locking or retainer pin (held in place with a nut). Then the king pins themselves have to be driven out using a large drift or a piece of steel rod. Before you begin, make sure that there is adequate clearance above to allow the length of the king pin to come out of the top. If not, you may have to drive the pin out from the top so that it drops out the bottom. The bushings have to be removed, bearings removed, and spacers removed (make a notation of how many spacers were used at each joint, and be sure to replace them when reassembling). The axle and the spindles should be reamed to be certain that the holes are perfectly round. If not, you may experience premature wear of the king pins/bushings in the future. Reassemble in reverse, and you are set. Now let’s talk about specifics.

Jack the car up and place jack stands under the axle, well out of the way of the axle ends so they don’t interfere with your work. Remove the center nut and remove thewheel. The dust caps generally can be drilled and pried off. Remove the grease fittings (Zerk or Alemite) with an open end wrench. They should be cleaned and the old grease removed before reinstallation. There will be a nut that holds a tapered retaining pin and steering stop. Remove the retaining pin. Often the easiest way to get the old king pin out is to drive it out with a piece of steel rod, a bit smaller in diameter than the king pin itself. Examine the old king pin for obvious wear. This can tell you whether serious damage has occurred to the spindles.

At this point you may find it easiest to remove the spindle from the axle and work in a vise. As you remove the spindle make careful note of the placement of the thrust bearings and spacers. Be sure to write this information down so that upon reassembly you can put the correct number of spacers into the correct positions.

With the spindle off, you can generally use a socket to drive out the bushings. Try not to damage the bushings. You would like to examine them for wear patterns. There is one bushing in the upper spindle arm and one in the lower spindle arm. Thoroughly clean the spindles and spindle holes so that you can examine them for wear, for burrs or other signs of damage. Check with auto-repair friends for a reamer kit. It is not a common tool. It may make sense to rent a reamer kit. Bring the bushing with you to the tool rental store so that you get the correct one. Use a rat-tail file to remove burrs and light damage to the spindle.

Remove all metal filings. Sometimes, but not all of the time, the upper and lower bushings are of different sizes. Unless you have a hydraulic press, you would be well advised to take the spindles and the new bushings to a machine shop and have them pressed into place. This will assure that they go in straight and will not be damaged during installation. The machine shop can generally ream the bushings to that there is approximately 0.001″-0.015″ clearance between the king pin and the bushing (when fitted to the spindle). The king pin should just ‘grab’ when pushed through the dry bushings.

Be sure that the work area is clean so that you do not contaminate the new assembly during installation. Set the thrust bearing in place on the lower spindle, coat the parts with a little white grease, and slip the spindle over the axle. Before you go any further, examine the new king pin and the position of the locking notch. It may not be equidistant, and you do not want to install the new king pin upside down – see the picture of the kingpins on the bottom of this page. Note the notches are not in the center of the pin. Make sure that the locking notch in the new king pin aligns with the locking pin hole. Put a coating of grease on the new king pin and slip it into place. It should be a snug fit, but not too tight. Use a brass hammer or wooden mallet to tap it into place in the lower spindle. Make sure that the holes are aligned, and place the spacers (if any) into position. Make sure the locking notch on the pin is in the right position to line up with the locking pin hole. You can then drive the king pin the rest of the
way in. Put the retaining pin in place and put the lock washer and nut onto the thread hand-tight only at this point. Install the dust caps (they look like freeze plugs) in both the top and bottom of the spindle. Use a socket to align them and then to tap them into place securely. Replace the clean grease fitting retaining pin nut to about 55-to-65 foot pounds.

Replace the wheel (this is a good time to repack the front wheel bearings with grease {Restoration Supply Company stocks the automatic grease bearing press pictured below}) and you are done. S.K.

—–

This article originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Skinned Knuckles magazine. Skinned Knuckles is dedicated to the authentic restoration of cars and light trucks and to the preservation of vehicles from the brass era through the early 1970s. It is available by subscription. Articles are copyrighted and all rights reserved. Reprinting authorized by written permission of the publisher only.

Each month Skinned Knuckles is filled with articles and features on the restoration and maintenance of antique and classic automobiles. Many of the articles cover subjects found in no other publication. A one year, 12 issue subscription is only $26 (in the U.S.) Begin your own subscription right now by contacting Skinned Knuckles.

Skinned Knuckles may be reached on-line at www.skinnedknuckles.net. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 6983, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.

Print PDF

GRD-214 Bell Housing Removal

There are two line up pins between the motor block and the bell housing where they meet.One is just below the starter and the other on the passenger side.

You only have to drive them out of either the motor block or the bell housing to do your separation. the passenger side pin hit the flywheel before it cleared the engine block.  I used a hacksaw to cut about 1/8 inch off the pin to free the bell housing.

The bell housing will then lift straight up. The reason you have to go up is that there is a flange that forms part of the bell housing yet slides down in front of the fly wheel from the top.

Watch when you put these alignment pins back into the cast ears as so close to the edge of the flanges, which are easily broken.

Print PDF

Taking the Heat…

New stacked-plate coolers offer maximum protection against premature failure of automatic transmissions.

Today’s automatic transmissions must accomplish a monumental task. Consider that they must handle the torque from 450-cid and larger engines driving 8-ton RVs over mountain passes, and it’s a wonder that any transmission can sustain so much punishment.

Automatic transmissions were born in the 1940s with names such as Hydra-Matic, Dynaflow, Merc-O-Matic, PowerFlite and Jetaway that sound like something out of a Buck Rogers story. Today’s models, with Star Wars-like monikers 727, 4L80E, 47RH and E40D are similar to their predecessors, but the technology and precision that goes into the newest transmissions make the earlier models look like crude antiques. Because they are more complex, with extensive electronic controls, they require the utmost in care, maintenance, cooling and flow control.

An automatic transmission’s Achilles heel is heat; high fluid temperatures can bring a transmission to its knees in short order. When oil temperatures climb, the expected life span of the transmission plummets. According to information provided by General Motors Corporation, when average temperatures are near 175 degrees F, transmission life is expected to approach 100,000 miles. When you increase the average temperature to 355 degrees F, life expectancy is 160 miles!

GM recommends that the maximum transmission-fluid temperature (measured in the sump) for short durations shall be no greater than 285 degrees F. At 300 degrees F, research shows, metal parts inside the transmission begin to warp and distort, seals begin to melt, and fluid life is extremely short because of heavy oxidation.

Without the use of a good-quality gauge, it’s impossible to accurately monitor transmission-fluid temperature. Under heavy loads while towing, for example, the transmission will often “hunt” between direct and overdrive in an attempt to maintain the selected road speed. In addition, lockup-type torque converters cycle on and off. This continual back-and-forth shifting will send the tranny to an early grave. Although GM is the only company of the Big Three that warns against use of overdrive for towing, lock out overdrive on any brand if hunting between gears is observed.

That age-old question of where to install the pick-up for the gauge is debatable. I prefer the oil sump or pan, as it gives an accurate reading of overall transmission-heat level. However, installation can be a bit of a challenge for some do-it-your-selfers. The pan must be removed from the transmission, and a sensor fitting must be carefully located so that it will not contact internal transmission components. Drilling, brazing or welding may be required. The best time to install a gauge is when the transmission is getting a filter-and-fluid change.

With the gauge sending unit located in the converter outlet line, the readings obtained will be higher than a sump-mounted pick-up and will fluctuate greatly (100 degrees F or more), depending on load and speed. According to GM, the maximum peak temperature allowed at this location is 350 degrees F. If the temperature exceeds this level the vehicle should be stopped in a safe place, shifted to park or neutral, and run at a fast idle (1200 rpm) for several minutes until it cools down.

The advantage of locating the sender in the converter outlet line is ease of installation. An in-line gauge tee is generally all that’s needed. The disadvantage with this location is that you can’t determine sump temperature and monitor whether the transmission cooler is working effectively. The ideal setup would be to have sensors in both places with a selector switch at the gauge.

In flatland cruising with 75 degree F ambient temperature, normal sump readings should range between 190 and 210 degrees F. The highest temperatures will occur at slow speeds on grades with large throttle openings. A proper-size cooler should keep sump temperatures below 260 degrees F in the most severe conditions.

ADDING A COOLER
If your transmission is running hot, you should consider installing an auxiliary external cooler or upgrading the existing factory unit. Vehicles with automatic transmissions are equipped with a heat exchanger located in the radiator. Under normal circumstances this is adequate, but under the stress of heavy RVs, these internal heat exchangers may fall short.

Vehicle manufacturers are concerned that the addition of an auxiliary cooler may cause a flow restriction. Flow reductions can hamper lubrication, resulting in short transmission life. Transmission engineers are steadfast when discussing the subject of flow: Restrict flow through the cooling loop and you will have a failure? was a statement we hear repeatedly.

The latest technology utilizes stacked-plate construction. This method of cooler fabrication is similar to tube-and-fin radiators that are used for engine coolant. Stacked-plate coolers make a greater amount of cooling capacity available in a more compact package than with the older, single-tube and fin design, and flow rates can be as much as 15 times greater. Coolers are available from vehicle manufacturers through franchised dealers and after market firms, as well.

Some pre-1994 D-series Dodge Ram pickup trucks equipped with the Cummins diesel and automatic transmission have experienced high fluid temperatures under heavy load. Chrysler is addressing the problem with a super-heavy-duty cooler. Known to dealers as the NHD super-duty cooler kit, part no. 82400-994, it will fit all Dodge/Cummins automatics. This unit mounts on the frame rails near the transmission and uses 12 volt DC fans to provide airflow.

OVERCOOLING
In cold weather, excessive cooling can increase the fluid viscosity to a point where flow to vital transmission components is restricted. RVers who travel in both hot and cold weather may experience premature transmission trouble if they have installed a large auxiliary cooler.

Ford has recently issued information on overcooling that relates to F-series and E-series vehicles equipped with the E40D transmission. The company reports that during operation in cold (below 0 degrees F) weather, excessive cooling increases the transmission-fluid viscosity to a point where inadequate lubrication may occur. This is due to reduced flow through the fluid return line. Ford has a by-pass system installed on 7.3 liter diesels and 7.5 liter gas engines that preheats the transmission heat exchanger in the radiator before the engine thermostat opens. This ensures that adequate transmission fluid flow is established soon after the engine is started. Ford has issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 92-1A-4, dated January 26, 1992, which lists the correct heater by-pass parts and approve auxiliary coolers. This TSB is for 1989 and later Bronco, Econoline, F-series and motor home chassis with the E40D transmission.

Hayden manufactures a thermostat (part no. 163) that taps into the transmission’s cooler lines; it’s suitable for nearly every application. This device bypasses the cooler until temperature reaches 160 degrees F, when partial flow into the cooler is permitted. If you need cooling capacity for summer driving, but will also face the rigors of winter travel, you may wish to install such a device. As an alternative, bypass the add-on cooler in winter months when not towing.

Tekonsha Engineering markets the Defender SR (Self Regulating) series of coolers that are designed to handle heat as well as cold. The stacked-plate construction features large passageways in the bottom two plates, which provide full fluid flow under cold weather conditions. The rest of the plates have smaller passages that come into play when the fluid warms and will pass freely through the openings, according to the company.

P&E Industries Incorporated, builder of automatic transmission accessories, including remote filters, temperature monitors, coolers and synthetic fluid, takes a different view of overcooling. According to a spokesperson for the company, the solution lies in the fluid itself. Conventional ATF has a wide range of viscosity, but it can turn thick is sub-zero weather. For this reason P&E recommends synthetic ATF to do the job. Teamed with the company’s copper cooling units (which are claimed to do a better job of heat transfer than aluminum coolers), heat is rapidly removed when outside temperatures soar. When the weather turns cold, they viscosity and lubrication provided by synthetic fluid is reportedly not affected as much.

FLUID LEVEL AND CONDITION
High gross vehicle weights punish transmissions. A fluid and transmission filter change every 12,000 – 15,000 miles will help ensure reliability for RV duty. Refer to the owner’s manual for manufacturer’s recommendations on specific models.

Transmission-fluid level is not quite as easy to check as engine-oil level. The transmission must be at operating temperature (after driving about 10 miles at 50 degrees F or higher), with the shift selector in park and the engine idling. Pull the dipstick from its tube and wipe with a clean, lint-free cloth; replace it until it is fully seated. Remove it again and verify that the level is between the ADD and the FULL marks.

Correct fluid level is a necessity. Low fluid levels cause air to be drawn into the transmission’s hydraulic system, reducing the fluid pressure and volume, causing clutch slippage and erratic shifting. High fluid levels can cause foaming and aeration of the fluid, resulting in similar problems. The fluid will expand as the temperature increases, which, combined with foaming, can cause it to be forced out the vent or dipstick tube. This can cause fluid to boil out over hot engine parts, creating clouds of smoke and possibly fire.

All automatic-transmission fluid contains a red-colored dye, so it should appear to be reddish in color. The fluid should contain no visible particulate matter. A frothy milk-white or pinkish appearance is the indication of coolant in the fluid, usually caused by a leak in the radiator-mounted heat exchanger. Coolant contamination will wreak havoc in a transmission. Usually by the time it’s discovered, the damage has been done.

The appearance and odor of the fluid on the dipstick can be an indicator of the transmission’s condition. However, according to Chevrolet’s Motor Home Chassis Service Guide: These two tests are no longer satisfactory criteria for recommending a fluid drain and refill. With the Dexron II fluid, rapid loss of the red color and darkening of the new fluids are normal and do not affect their performance.

Ford’s Motorhome Chassis Service Guide states: Fluid used with the automatic transmission contains a detergent which retains in suspension particles generated during normal transmission use. This characteristic may result in a dark coloring of the fluid and does not of itself indicate malfunction or need for repair.

However, a dark-brown to black color may indicate trouble. Give the fluid on the dipstick a sniff test. If there is an odor similar to overheated brake linings or burned electrical wiring, overheating may have occurred. The transmission may seem to function normally, but damage may have been done. As a simple check, place a few drops on a clean tissue and look for any residue. If particles are evident on the paper, change the fluid and the filter. Change fluid anytime it is suspected to have been overheated or contaminated.

Keeping a handle on automatic-transmission cleanliness and temperature is the key to long life and smooth shifting performance.

Print PDF

Engine painting is not all that difficult. Here are some simple instructions that we have found to be the best match.  By John Ligon…

With regard to engine painting, I have had excellent results using the special family of high temperature acrylic engine enamels available at automotive finish distributors (*not* your local retail “hobby” stores featuring air fresheners and chrome gearshift knobs).

These are enamels intended for use where the anticipated temperatures are above the limits of exterior finishes, but  below those for really hot applications like exhaust manifolds.

Although they, like most automotive finishes today, are considered hazmats, rubber kitchen gloves, plastic goggles, and long sleeves are about all the protection you need if applying by brush outdoors.

And yes, with a good bristle brush, you can get a very presentable finish straight from the can with little or no reducer and with the bonus of no waste to over-spray.  And unlike spray applications, you can remove runs completely by brushing over In The Direction, or Perpendicular To, The Run. This means you work from top to bottom, catching boo-boos on the fly and then rotate the work piece so the majority of surfaces are horizontal during cure (helps minimize “stealth” drips behind your back when you go on to something else).

There is some blending involved: you do add a small amount of hardener, and the “pot life” of the resulting brew is about four hours.

Use solvent grade (cheapo) lacquer thinner for cleanup (but *never* for reducing!!!).

One-half pint is enough for about two engines.

Proper preparation is critical to getting the paint to stick and stay. I follow a multi-step approach:

• Engine degreaser and elbow grease
• (in general sequence: scraper, wire brush, laundry brush, toothbrush, scouring pad, sponge)
• Liquid kitchen soap (washes away residual grease and degreaser residue)
• Sodium phosphate (chemically cleans and conditions the metal surface)
  Metalprep (chemically alters the surface of steel and cast iron to inhibit rust and provides an important bonding agent)
• High temperature acrylic primer (smoothes out the rough spots and provides an additional bonding-to-finish-coat transition)

High temperature acrylic engine enamel:

Allow two weeks” curing time before rubbing out imperfections and final assembly; touch up installed engine with artist’s brush.

Although not quite deserving of top honors at Hershey or Pebble Beach, your engine will look far better than anything that ever came from the factory.

Print PDF

We will try to keep a list of the best matching paint colors here for you.

GRD engines: The closest color that I have found so far for the GRD is made for Ace Hardware.
It is in their “Rust Stop” line. Part number: 17138 and it is called “International Green”.

BLD engines: The other day, someone had mentioned that “Dupli-Color”, pn. DE 1608 G.M. BLUE would match the original engine color pretty closely.

If you know what paint colors/mfg./etc are real close for other trucks, please post the information in a comment below.

Print PDF