Seeking Guidance / Pistons, Exhaust, Seat Kit
Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:30 pm
Hi Everyone,
Mine is a '61 356B T5 Coupe.
Car sat for many years and we've been going through it system by system - thought we could get away with running it w/out removing engine and retrospectively, we should've done that. Engine developed a ticking noise while taking a few laps around the shop so we shut her down and pulled the engine. I say retrospectively because there was a LOT of mouse crap in the engine compartment and cabin so I should've known better . . .
We removed engine and disassembled it and found a huge amount of debris - acorns and even a mouse skeleton! This debris was on top of the cylinders on one side of the engine, so I'm sure had we kept driving the car we'd have overheated it anyway.
We disassembled the engine. The spark plug electrode tip in #4 cylinder was pushed together where there previously had been a gap - we found a tiny piece of metal debris that could've been a small washer that interfered in that area. Aside from that, everything looks pretty good - I have a lot of positive experience with my engine builder as he's always done top shelf work on my engine projects - he says the cylinders look good - they're not scored at all and we don't need to oversize rings. The previous owner had recorded compression and said it was running very good when he owned it.
As I'm cleaning parts (while crank and heads are at the machinist getting cleaned up.
I noticed one of the pistons is different than the rest - They're all Mahle and 3/4 have a H stamp with the numbers W021 and 1/4 has an F stamp and W031 - all the pistons look identical and they're in pretty decent shape as are the cylinders (also at the machine shop).
**************
Exhaust needs to be replaced - what is the best bang for the buck? I'm told to stay away from the Dansk system. I believe the existing exhaust is original but we had to cut a hole in it to remove mouse debris and we patched it up but I'm thinking a new exhaust is in the cards.
**********
Seat kits - both seats are shot and I'm interest in buying kits with new horsehair, springs and period correct seat covers - mice got into seats too.
Thank You!
Ken Tuvman
Minneapolis MN
Mine is a '61 356B T5 Coupe.
Car sat for many years and we've been going through it system by system - thought we could get away with running it w/out removing engine and retrospectively, we should've done that. Engine developed a ticking noise while taking a few laps around the shop so we shut her down and pulled the engine. I say retrospectively because there was a LOT of mouse crap in the engine compartment and cabin so I should've known better . . .
We removed engine and disassembled it and found a huge amount of debris - acorns and even a mouse skeleton! This debris was on top of the cylinders on one side of the engine, so I'm sure had we kept driving the car we'd have overheated it anyway.
We disassembled the engine. The spark plug electrode tip in #4 cylinder was pushed together where there previously had been a gap - we found a tiny piece of metal debris that could've been a small washer that interfered in that area. Aside from that, everything looks pretty good - I have a lot of positive experience with my engine builder as he's always done top shelf work on my engine projects - he says the cylinders look good - they're not scored at all and we don't need to oversize rings. The previous owner had recorded compression and said it was running very good when he owned it.
As I'm cleaning parts (while crank and heads are at the machinist getting cleaned up.
I noticed one of the pistons is different than the rest - They're all Mahle and 3/4 have a H stamp with the numbers W021 and 1/4 has an F stamp and W031 - all the pistons look identical and they're in pretty decent shape as are the cylinders (also at the machine shop).
**************
Exhaust needs to be replaced - what is the best bang for the buck? I'm told to stay away from the Dansk system. I believe the existing exhaust is original but we had to cut a hole in it to remove mouse debris and we patched it up but I'm thinking a new exhaust is in the cards.
**********
Seat kits - both seats are shot and I'm interest in buying kits with new horsehair, springs and period correct seat covers - mice got into seats too.
Thank You!
Ken Tuvman
Minneapolis MN