VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 28 engine rebuild

Can someone tell me the specs of the journals on a stock 28 camshaft?

Can someone tell me the specs on the journals on a stock 28 camshaft ?

Here's a page from a '28 Specifications document that I have.

Cheers, Dean

. From Doug Bell's "Early Chevrolet History": Bore = 3-11/16", Stroke = 4", 171 Cu In displacement. Front main = 2-3/4 X 1-1/2", Center main = 2" X 1-31/32, rear = 3-1/8 X 2", Con Rods = 2-1/8 X 1-1/2, Cam bearings: Front = 2-9/16 X 1-5/16, Center = 2" X 1-11/16, Rear = 1-7/8 X 1-1/4. All Valves = 1-1/2". .
. I hope this halps, Lou .

My block is at the machine shop. While I am waiting for that, I have been working on some of the external engine. I’ve decided to record my progress on YouTube. Check out my video on my distributor rebuild. Let me know what you think.
Thanks
Jim

Excellent Video on YouTube Jim. This is going to help me enormously. Thank you. Keep them coming. I have subscribed to your channel.

Thanks Andy! I’m glad I could help. I’ve got a short video coming up about the oil pump. I hope it will be useful.
Jim.

Hi everyone. I’m still waiting for the block to come back from the machine shop. I have been working on some of the smaller engine parts. Here is a video of me testing the oil pump. Let me know what you think, either here or on YouTube. Thanks.

Cool video Jim,
I can't wait to see it again in Summer re-runs.

Mike

Looks good!

Just FYI, one of my two junk yard motor blocks had signs of being froze sometime in its 93 year past. It could be repaired for about $600 but I had another that checked good. Have your guy crack check and pressure test the block. Also one rod is 9 grams out of balance so we are trying another. Thanks for that Rustoholic. Phish

Here’s another video. It goes over rebuilding the head. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

I’m still waiting for the machine shop to finish my block. Is it normal for a shop to take months to bore out 4 cylinders? At any rate, progress on my project has been good. Here is my latest video. It goes over the generator. Enjoy.

Months? I had my six done in a week.

I finally got the block back. The crank and cam are back in. Here is a video of the starter restoration.

Looking good, Jim! Your videos are clear, concise, and informative.

Fun stuff! Cheers, Dean

Thanks, Dean! I’m learning a lot and having fun. Thanks for watching.

Here is how I restored my water pump. I’m curious to know if I put the packing in correctly. Please let me know. Thanks.
Jim

I don't know if there is a right way and wrong way to put in the packing. I chose to put it in the nut before assembling the water pump.

I put the nut on loosely so as not to drag too much. Later, when I finally fired up Lurch's engine, it leaked a little so at that point I only tightened the nut enough to stop the leaking. After driving around a while, the pump started leaking again so I tightened up the nut a little more and that took care of it.

One thing that you did not mention in your video was whether you drilled a hole in the front bushing so that oil from the little reservoir can drip down and lubricate the pump shaft as it spins in that front bushing. Every time I go for a drive, I pull the dipstick out of the engine, DO NOT wipe off the end of the stick, and let a couple of drops of engine oil (10W-30) drip into that oil reservoir that is under the fan pulley of the water pump.

Here's a link to the part of my engine build where I show the hole in the front bushing and also how I put the packing in: Rebuilding a '28 water pump for Lurch

Cheers, Dean

Dean, I responded to your comment on YouTube, but thought I should respond here too, incase some one is following this thread. I did not drill a hole in the front bushing because the original did not have one. But now that you mention it, it seems like a good idea. I need to flip the fan mounting plate; so I will will drill it when I take that part off as well as the pulley.

I have a question. When putting the bottom flywheel cover on, is a gasket necessary?
Thanks
Jim

As long as you use a sintered bronze bearing (Oilite) or equivalent there is no need to drill the hole. Yes I know we commonly call them bushings but technically they are bearings. Any oil added to the depression will seep through the passages to the shaft/bearing (bushing) interface. If you use put a drop or two of oil on the shaft at the bearing everytime you check the engine oil level (at least daily) then there is no need to put oil in the depression.

Howdy,

I made my comment about drilling the hole in the front bearing based on my belief that the replacement bearing in the rebuild kit that I used in Lurch's rebuild was brass.

I just called the Filling Station and confirmed that the bearings in rebuild kits they sell for these water pumps are made from brass. They said that bronze bearings are not available from their supplier of the rebuild kits.

Soooo, ya gotta drill the hole to enable oil to lubricate the front bearing.

Good discussion.

Ever onward, Dean

Thanks guys for the information. It is very helpful and I will try to mention it in my next video. I’m sure others will find it helpful as well.
What about the bottom flywheel cover, should I use a gasket?

I did not use a gasket for the bottom flywheel cover. But I already knew that there would be oil dripping there! ;-)

Cheers, Dean

I purchased 2 1928's this year I am loving this thread and videos!!