V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

[badman]

Yep. Its definitely alive!
The danger mouse has managed to get the abandoned V4 Ford Essex engine to run after a fair bit of freeing up of rusted parts and some serious cleaning.
Luckily it wasn't seized.
As soon as i clean the twin weber choke the secnd baffle and fuel jet will work and i should be able to get the revs and the volume up nicely.

View the video at the following link:
http://www.tribidium.com/matt/red-boats.html

Meanwhile i have been busy working on a vehicle and will have to get back to the boat which has now got new electrics and solenoids.
Where's the paint!

 

[Bondo]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Ayuh,... It Runs alright...

Have you made any headway with the water-cooled Manifolds,..??

 

[badman]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

i wanted to get the engine going first so there was less chance of wasting my time on the manifolds.
now the rngine runs i will give it a tune up and commence the manifolds. luckily they are mild steel and i am at the workshop tomorrow so i might even start them.
Certainly looking forward to seeing a freshly fabricated set.
any mods on your tub? have you had to repair anything since we last spoke?

 

[WizeOne]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Good job badman! Did you ever pull and clean up the tilt motor yet?

Also do remember my advice and never run that leg straight down to stop. Always bump it down til it reaches the bottom, that way you won't ever spit the worm drive shaft out into the briney deep.

 

[Bondo]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

any mods on your tub?

Nope,... I hope to dig it out from under the Snowbank soon though.....

 

[badman]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Thanks.
Certainly had hoped that the engine was not seized.
Since shooting the video... yesterday... i have removed the water pump for replacement as it is seized.
Cleaned out the block and head water jacket.
removed the carbuereter and baffles/pins and cleaned.
replaced the old dynamo with a reasonably powerful alternator and fabricated a new bracket and mod'd the existing tensioner bar.
Changed the oil and oil filter.
Brought cylinder compression up from 30psi on the poorest cylinder to 130 psi to match the others... (some of which are almost 145psi).

After running the engine last night twice for 3 minutes with a cool down period in between i ran it again this morning and really opened it up.
WOW! what a sound. Local farmer heard it accross two fields...
And to think the full throttle jet and baffle isn't even in use yet... that's when the engine has an active cooling system.

I haven't serviced the stern drive yet... i remember your advice and am looking forward to methodically working through any user servicable areas with grease at hand.

The main thing i have done with the boat is replace it's loom / relays and remove the mouse nest from the fuel tank... check fuel tank for integrity (still 1/3 full after 7 years! and begin the removal of the bow mounted fuel tank for servicing.

Hull glide is on my list of treatments for the boat as it's under water level sheen is somewhat dirty / rough at the moment.

Can i just say... SNOW?!! how much snow? we had ice and snow here which brought the country to a stand still... always amusing when you own a 4x4 with 33 inch off-road tires... and luckily there wasn't a drop of water in the boat engine to freeze and cause damage! Still tucked up in the dusty barn.

How much snow did you guys get over there? and your lowest temperatures were?

Where are you guys planning to head to on your pring boating runs? just a pootle about or off to a fave location?

Happy spring y'all!

 

[Bondo]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

How much snow did you guys get over there? and your lowest temperatures were?

Where are you guys planning to head to on your pring boating runs? just a pootle about or off to a fave location?

Ayuh,.... We're Well over 100" so far this year,... lowest temps were -40,odd?,.. F? of course...

Google up the location listed in my posts,...
Northeast Lake Ontario is My fishing grounds,... Walleye My favorite to catch,+ to Eat...

Glad to hear you're still workin' on it,...
Wiseone,+ Chief are the Aces here for those ole Stringer Drives....

When you get her Runnin',... It's gonna be a Truely Unique barge,... No Doubts there....

 

[chiefalen]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

The drive is going to be the toughest part if i remember correctly it's all fugazied up with hoses bypassing the water channels in the drive, i was wondering why they did the bypass that way.

If you would like help with that part please post the drive pics here. Just easier for me to not have to jump all around looking for the pics.

You will need in the least a water pump kit with housing about 60 American dollars, and i would bet the upper could stand a reseal, and maybe the tilt housing.

Thats the problem with starting new threads with every step you take, i can't keep up, may i suggest you leave it all in one thread and keep posting to that thread.

Now to a manual, did you ever get one?

I have the seloc omc stern drives electric shift and cable shift on the spline # 3400 1964-86. And i believe they may have it here at this site.

If not many sites sell it and i have seen used ones on ebay.

Good luck !

 

[chiefalen]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Ok found the picture of the drive with the pipe coming out of the trunion, i believe the did bypass it that way, usually there was a kit one could buy that would allow you to put water to the drive thru that tunion.

i am at page 10-1 of the seloc manual and here is what they say about how to tell what year and so forth of the drive.

Type 1, used from 64' to 67' 88 hp to 90 hp and some 120 hp drives.

Type 2 unit uses four bolts on the exhaust housing cover. and the one i believe in your picture. Larger unit ,without shims in the power train, installed from 64-67.

Type 3 has 5 bolts on the exhaust housing cover.

How many bolts on the very top of the drive ?

So i THINK someone is taking the water up from the water pump thru the drive to the metal pipe thru the transom to a hose and then to the t-stat.

This is a important point because the water also cools the drive, and the exhaust is important also, look below.

I would have to see the inside of the transom, the intermediate, from the inside, to understand why it was done that way, now being a v4 was there 2 manifolds going to risers and then to the exhaust ports and the intermediate was bringing together the water and exhaust out thru the drive. Just like any other omc v 6-8 motor?

Or did they fugazy the exhaust also?

 

[badman]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

G'Day.
Thanks for the reply.
yes i can see the sense in continuing a thread rather than starting a new one. Will try to do that. Might even past the new thread under the old one and continue on from there if ican find out how to view my old threads... am sure its there somewhere.

I am bringing the boat over from the barn to my workshop this week so it can be worked on in a controlled environment.
I will take some clearer pictures and closeups and we can work through this interesting out drive and setup.
Would it be best to post images here or to my website and make a link where they can all be viewed together?

I have replaced the pulley driven water pump on the engine and have cleared out salt residue and rubbish from the engine water jacket. Core plugs are being done on tueday.

The flow of water seems to be in through the stern drive and up through the top to the water cooled manifolds.
out of those where it is brought together inside a brass combiner and into the engine. out of the engine and out through the transom.
I think.
When the boat is in the workshop i will be able to test this and also see if there are any other places the ater should be cooling the out drive.

The new water pump went in on thursday and it has all new hoses so now the twin su weber carb is back on i can fire it up again and test the water flow direction.
http://www.tribidium.com/matt/boatpics.html

cheers!

 

[chiefalen]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

I see how they got around the coupler problem with that fugazied up motor.

Rather interesting, to get around the lack of a bell housing adapter, because the oem one would not fit the motor they chose to install it would have to be extended the coupler some how.

The water then comes in the pipe from the drive thru the motor and out where, that hole on the port side via another pipe?

I see the tilt motor yes would have to be there anyway because there is no way around the location on the drive so they came up with a way to mount it to a piece of wood?

That explains the solenoids being mounted on the port side on wood also, no getting around having to mount them there also.

Just don't see where the water goes back to the drive and out ?

 

[Bondo]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

and continue on from there if ican find out how to view my old threads... am sure its there somewhere.
or to my website and make a link where they can all be viewed together?

Ayuh,...

Either click on Your name, or go to your user control panel to dig up Yourold posts...

Posting a link to your pictures works...

 

[chiefalen]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

I have to go to a party today leaving in a few minutes wifes side go figure.

I will study the pics when i get back, hopefully wizeone and howard will study them also, Bond o ain't no slouch when it comes to stringers also.

Will post when i have looked at the pics closer. wish i could see behind that plate in the boat.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

I am scratching my head, i think i understand what they did to make it work, they could not bolt up a adapter housing/ bell housing cause there is not one that would fit, to make this motor work they rigged a piece of wood in it's place.

Now i have to ask you the pipe from the drive thru the transom connected to a long hose that was connected to the t-stat?

Then the water ran thru the motor to a custom set of manifolds? Then how out the transom to the drive ?

Did you ever pull the plate on the back that has the intermediate drive. Because somehow the water must be brought thru that and out the drive.

You do know merc would never be able to be put together this way cause it would have exploded in 5 minutes at wot. No water would be cooling the drive, this drive the water was brought up thru the drive and deverted at the only place it could have been actually ingenius. Who ever did this knew the drive knew the motor. The water actually was doing the job for the drive, and i see the engine mounted water pump, probably no vanes left on it cause it was a auto one, and if used in saltwater would never last.

What was the saving grace using this drive is the oversized impeller in the drive, it pushs alot more water then a merc impeller.

So i think it should have run at a normal temp say under 170- 180 even if the engine mounted water pump went.

Again a rare find, never have i seen one like it.

You didn't check the drive oils and to see if it shifts, don't have to run to shift just dc electric to see if the coils in the drive are still working.

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Hey Badman, I did a google search and found this video on youtube as well as a place that has parts, maybe you have seen it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV0xSn1y8pU
there is a part 2 video as well. Love that thru hull exhaust!!
Kudos to your ambitious project
Please keep posting!
Regards
Rob

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Ayuh,... It Runs alright...

Have you made any headway with the water-cooled Manifolds,..??

LOL now I've heard kids running with open headers, but this takes the cake OPEN HEADS I'm runnin open heads yea! sure can hear the clackity clack of the valves, cool get the camera right in there I want to see those valves working. Thanks for the sound video.

 

[badman]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Yeah, i saw that video and i emailed them. They live up north and allowed me to use the vid on my boat stuff page. I removed it when i got mine going.
Incidentally i will be adding a new video tomorrow as i am doing core plugs and subsequently will be able to open the engine up.

I have taken some more pictures of the OMC outdrive and the engine mounting plate.
They can be found on my website as usual... Click to zoom etc.
http://www.tribidium.com/matt/boatpics.html

I am open for some input on how to tidy up the exterior of the drive... Am thinking to use the sand blaster or steam pressure washer to remove the old paint but am not too sure what to coat it with.
If it was a land rover i would use red oxide primer with a few layers of plasticoat topcoat but as its marine...?

Also can anyone recommend a floor paint for the boat and a paint for the engine bay floor?

Thanks for viewing and for your input everyone.

 

[badman]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

You didn't check the drive oils and to see if it shifts, don't have to run to shift just dc electric to see if the coils in the drive are still working.

Yep, one of the first things i did was replace the wiring in the loom for the tilt and the gears.
The gears work fine (dc current controlling magnets i beleive) and i now have it working off the throttle lever forward and reverse etc. as it is supposed to.

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

Hey Badman,
This guys thread is a must see for paint tips
He did a great job.
I know for sure that oxide primer is correct on aluminum.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=1949734#post1949734
Rob

 

[rodbolt]

Re: V4 Ford Essex engine actually runs

dude
gotta admire a man with a project.
hopefully one day ill break bad and buy another box so I can look at more of the pics. right now they lock my box up.
lord knows I have done my share of projects knowing its a money loser but I just gotta see it run .
kinda like having kids as a retirement plan.
ya know it aint gonna work but ya gotta do it anyways.
that essex motor project is gonna be cool no matter how it ends.
myself, I am gonna involve myself into my daughters 83 C-10 chevy.
was gonna do an old 350 but recently got my grubbys on a complete running pair of 330 HP volvo MPI 7.4L motors
one of which may find itself back in a GM product .
good luck and keep posting about that project