- Home
- About Us
- Join/Renew
- Member Benefits
- Member Pages
- Log In
- Help
- Museum Store
I got my Series 80 back together and successfully road-tested; alas! the jacket cover bolted onto the passenger side of the engine block started weeping. A poke with my fingernail released a torrent of hot coolant; upon removal I find that the bottom is heavily affected by corrosion where the offset above the bolts is formed and it is perforated in two spots.
Does anyone reproduce these? I might be able to patch it.
They’ve been reproduced a couple of times in stainless steel. I got the last one that the late Irv Blonder had in stock. That was about 1995… Perhaps someone has a left over SS reproduction that was never installed; suggest you advertise in the Emporium.
That 1995 purchase replaced a thick flat steel plate someone fabricated and installed. If I can find it, it will be available if you’re interested, and would be a serviceable piece until you find a correctly shaped stainless repro.
Not sure who made mine or if they are still available. It is made from brass and looks really nice polished. Bought the ’80 about two years ago and ithe cover was in a box that did not look old.
I cleaned the plate up: there was a buildup of corrosion along the top of the bend which forms the lower gasket flange. I knocked that off with a screwdriver and underneath was very active corrosion as evidenced by the very shiny surface underneath.
I plan to try sealing the two perforations with a wire welder and see what happens. Other than using modern engine coolant I am not certain what else can be done to prevent corrosion: perhaps a magnesium anode.
Hi Randy, I’ll look to see if I have an extra one. But having the ability to weld yours is the best way..
Is the baffle on the inside of the cover intact? or missing?
If you can find either magnesium or zinc to use as an anode, PLEASE get a lot of them so we can buy them for our
early cars.. I need at least 4 or 5 pieces that I can put on a wire and put in the top tank of the radiator. You can use pencil 2000/3000 with water as an anticorrosive agent, instead of antifreeze.
Greg
Hi, Greg. The baffle is there. It must be stainless steel as it is pristine.
Shouldn’t be a problem to find suitable anode material; is a particular shape needed or is round rod OK?
I admit I was surprised to see active corrosion damage going on as my engine was rebuilt circa 12 years ago and it has had glycol coolant since.
We use anodes for different things at work: engine cooling systems, pipeline, etc and they seem to be effective if maintained. Some on steel compressor cylinders are designed to leak coolant once depleted so we have incentive to change them ( as opposed to driving a pencil in the weep hole and calling it good).
For anodes of all shapes and sizes, try Jamestown Distributors in Rhode Island. They carry a full line of fasteners, fittings, paints used by the wood boat guys and their on line catalog has many useful things to keep our old cars in shape. I’ve been using them as a source for hard to find things for years, and their prices are fair.
Tom Barrett
You can also look up swamp cooler anode. Wal-Mart lists them, but it is probably regional.
I am bring some anode material to St. Louis to donate for the Silent Auction if anyone is interested.
A vendor I ran across provides magnesium anodes for boats under the trade name “Martyr””; what a great name!”
I understand there is supposed to be a sealing washer underneath the 40 mounting bolts (1/4 inch fine thread). My car did not have any yet none of the bolts was leaking coolant. I think perhaps they were installed with thread sealant. Olson’s have the required seals if needed. I don’t know how they are constructed: whether copper crush washers or the bonded sealing washers like I have on shelf. I will see how it goes.
The washers for the water jacket on the side of a PA straight 8 are comprised of two metal halves with a composite materiel in the middle that will ‘crush’ when the bolt is tightened.
The metal halves appear to be fairly soft so they will distort enough to provide a seal.
The washers may be the same for the earlier cars.
1/4-inch bolts and sealing washers for Series 80 & 81, 5/16-inch for 8-cylinder cars.
Over ten years ago I bought copper-“asbestos”” (substitute) washers in both sizes from Dave Murray of Washington. These are “”donut-like”” and may be available thru McMaster Carr or other suppliers. They’re not cheap..”
I looked in the 1929 illustrated parts manual, and the Series 80 parts manual.
The series 80 manual lists the manifold cover, gasket and 39 bolts. No washers.
The 1929 parts manual lists the manifold cover, gasket, bolts and washers.
The parts manuals are specific if a washer is to be a lock washer. They are listed as an L.Washer.
I disassembled quite a few original S.80/81 engines, and have never found a sealing washer, only occasionally a small diameter flat washer. Most of the time, there is just the short 1/4-28 bolt, no washer at all.
I think the sealing washers came into use for the 1929 straight 8 engines, and some earlier engines may have been fitted with them during repairs or maintenance [cleaning out the water jacket of rust/mud]
Greg Long
I purchased my sealing washers from Dave Murray.