Thread: T120 flathead Dodge

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Hi Gang,
Anybody know the firing order and plug and point gaps for a early '50'sT120 Dodge flathead motor
we just hauled it into my shop in a big snow storm tonight
The flathead is powering a 2 drum boat haul out winch with heavy duty drums and brakes
there is a lot of 3/4"steel line on both drums


It has been sitting for at least 10 years with out running but it was in a shed out of the weather still has antifreeze and oil so it looks good as long as a valve isn't stuck open

motor spins free by hand but has no airfilter on

I think we can reuse the old copper asbestos headgasket if we can't find one if the head has to come off

I'm going to go through the carb and distributor tomorrow

any specs you guys might have would be a big help
thanks
hank

breaker gap.020 cam angle 35-38 firing order 153624 .O on the damper at 450-500 rpm thats 49-50 timing on 51-52 is the second line before .O head torque is 65-70

Thanks Pat
that will be a big help
.027 or so for the plugs sound about right?
hank

Originally Posted by TOW'D

Thanks Pat
that will be a big help
.027 or so for the plugs sound about right?
hank

hank it .035 on the gap i have the old motors book that go way back my mother buys them any time she see them at the thrift stores moms are great

maybe I should have put this in the Flathead section

Today I got the oil changed and topped up the rad and had the motor running
firing on O at 500rpm
cleaned up the dist and used a scotts bright pad on the contacts-
(no points file) .020 gap
idles just fine but every once in a while it backfires through the carb -
It doesn't want to rev up

The Carb looked clean and I soaked it over night >- pump squarts gas like it should

I think there is a valve sticking
If I hook up an adapter to the spark plug hole and blow in shop air

I'd have to turn the motor over to TDC on that cylinder to put the air in to see if the valve was closing
Does that sounds right ::doesn't it?

I see that there is lots of room under the manifolds and the lifter cover has two thumb screws on each
they look like they are made to remove and adjust the valves without having to remove the manifolds--those manifold nuts look rusty and if I don't have to remove them so much the better.

I should be able to remove the covers and see if the lifters/valves all go up and down
I want to see if the oil is in there.

This is a 6volt machine I'm running 12 thru with a ford resistor ballast starting on 12 spins it nice

If I can get it running without pulling the head that would be a +
I don't have any manuals with the engine

I'd like to get some specs on the valve gap
thanks for the help
hank

ok i would think i would run a compression test i would take the tins off to look in at the lash .008 intake .010 ex hot check the cam angle 35-38 look at the weights and springs in the distributor

I did a compression test today cold and came up with 75psi on all
Looks like the head will stay bolted down

I didn't pull the valve covers off but
pulled the distributor off and apart

the weights and springs look almost brand new and clean
a little sticky but it does move the dist. cam lobes when I twist them
I'm goint to pull it apart and light lube it

the vacuum pot is full of gas and doesn't work( lucky it didn't blow up

THE points were burnt and blue and the condensor was loose in the clamp

I'm thinking on getting a set of Pertronix electronics points replacement
and a new rotor and cap.

I phoned around and found bud that had a old Motors Manual with the 230ci L head motor in it and see that there is a 251ci flathead from '57 on
since this is industrial unit it must be the 251ci

thanks for the help Pat
hank

This industrial motor is 6volt positive ground??
I've been starting it on 12 volts neg ground
I thought if you switch the terminals on a dc motor it would run backwards
yet this spins the right way (I guess as it runs)
I'm going to build a mount for a Delco alternator and loose the 6v generator

will I waste the starter running on 12 volts?

any thoughts about pos or neg ground in this case
thanks
hank

i think it will be ok the starters are heaver for 6v than 12v but you may want to check with a rebuilder