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1953 Tucker Sno Cat 443 Mt Washington WMTW Channel 8 Restoration

Removed the timing gears. Plan is to replace them and the chain as a set. Note the oiler that pumps right on the chain.

Head removal went well. Hardware was loosened in reverse head torque pattern. All the bolts and studs will be replaced with new hardware.

Check out this OE block heater which must have been and option for super cold weather service life. It’s a head stud that went deep in the block water jacked and had a 110 plug hooked to it.

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NOS timing sprockets and new timing chain back in spec and timed correctly.

This vintage cosmoline is a great preservative but getting it off is akin old hardened red and tacky grease wrapped in fresh fly paper on the parts.

Mineral spirits and patience was the trick.

Boiled the lower sprocket in water to heat and expand allowing it to slip on the crank with gentle tap.

Here you don’t want to pound on the crank. Upper timing sprocket bolted up and torqued to 20 ft/lb
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Another plug for this Eastwood Gear Crank Engine Stand! Makes removing and reinstalling the valve keepers a pleasure.

First valve set lapped. Exhaust side has the more wear as expected. Slow process but can only help the engine performance which was quite good before disassembly considering.

Dressing of engine assembly lube for install.
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I was fortunate to absorb more experience and knowledge during the recent Serenade trip with the OG’s.

If you have been watching Little Basturd, I was amazed how well the flathead cleaned up head off and inquired while I had one of the OG’s captured in the wild! BTW best Uber Orange 🧡ride around if you get the opportunity! Front, back, or back, or trailer!

Princess said Master Blaster and Mystery Oil was the trick. At first I was thinking she meant PB Blaster and was a big Mad Max fan and misspoke.

After some research, turns out Pontoon Princess run Bartertown!
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First cylinder cleaned up nicely!

Onto cylinder 4 valves. Invested in a new clamp for installation. The old school one works great to break the keepers out and disassemble. Not much room to get the keepers back in.

New school one makes installing the keepers a breeze. Part# in the pictures.

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Big Thanks to Peter (230Pilot) for explaining to me the weird stud wasn’t a thermostat but instead an engine warmer which his 265 from Attitash NH right down the road from Mt Washington. Very cold service life at summit so keeping the engine warm was crucial.

Enter the Freeman Headbolt Heater! Cool design and history:http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.ind.027

#7547C will fit your Dodge/Chrysler in the 2nd or 3rd left side head-bolt from the front. Still some around.

Marty feels much warmer now!

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Chased the head bolt/stud holes out with some mystery/pb plaster then vacuumed and degreased vacuumed. Coolant system will be flushed when we are done.

All will get thread sealant upon install. Except for a few, your into the water jacket, intake, or exhaust chambers.

Valve lap job should be done by Friday. Cleaning up nicely!
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Little cleaning before dropping the pan. Patina still telling its story.

Lots of blue gasket and old gasket. JB Weld on the pan. Columbo says this pan has been off for a reseal. Rest looks untouched.

Pan will have to be replaced. Looks great in here.

Rear main seal up next.
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Few steps backwards to go forward. This 251 has the internal two piece neoprene rear main seal. Only way to change it is to take the main bearing caps off and lift the crank a bit.

So timing chain and cam sprocket need to come off. Timing cover support plate needs to come of because the front oil seal plate shares that gasket which should be changed anyway.

The front oil seal plate has two small pieces of o ring that sit in a grooved channel against the block to seal. What’s interesting is this isn’t part of the oil pan reseal process and are tough to find not included in most gasket kits.

Taking this seal plate off ruins the gasket on the timing cover support plate which is also the engine mount. It needs to be removed to re gasket. 1952 and prior flatheads had a two piece external rear main which might have been possible to swap and not required cap removal. My research shows this two piece internal was more durable design. Marty isn’t leaking but while in Rome!

So main caps need to come off, crank raised a little to remove and install new upper. Support plate will get a new gasket.

Felpro OS 915 C comes with the o ring material.

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251 is all cleaned up! Patina fits how this is all tying together with the story. Note the custom torch fabrication on the motor mount.

Crankshaft pulley seal wore a groove over Marty’s life so a speedy sleeve will be added prior install.

Time to start gathering from gathering parts from my go to suppliers at Vintage Power Wagons and Midwest Military. Excellent resources for your industrial flatheads.
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Had a plan to make the OE exhaust manifold work with the flange break, but found this crack upon inspection:(

Four bolt manifold flange but two bolt exhaust pipe flange. Crust matches but who knows the true story….
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OE timing cover crank oil seal had a gasket under it that is obsoleted with the modern replacement. Smooth install.

Rear main seal went smooth. I would not want to do this style without a rotating engine stand.

Main bearings in great shape. Must have been the Freeman block heater ROI.

Crank had to be lifted about an inch to swap the upper seal. The h seals of this style are obsolete but with a little modification this other style works. needed a little modification works. Permatex Ultra Black on the critical areas before install.

Assembly lube on the cap install then torqued to 85 ft/lbs.

New valve cover gaskets to top off the evening.

Shout out to Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts right here in Massachusetts. Great resource for parts.

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at this stage based on what i see id just bite the bullet and rebuild that thing properly, crank looks terrible, block deck is beat, all that sludge is trapping debris etc, at the very least hot tank, deck, hone rings bearings and a quick bump on the seats grind valves
 
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