Re: 55 plymouth 230 cid L-head six question
[Re: Garranimal]
#584660
01/16/10 08:27 PM
01/16/10 08:27 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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Congrats on your score ![](/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbs.gif) . need some basic diagnostic tools. A compression test or a radiator pressure pump tool & pump it up to 15 psi when hot & see if it holds it or one of those kits where you take off the rad cap & suck up some air above the coolant level & see if it turns the special fluid from blue to yellow iirc or an emission testing station can put their probe in the rad top & see if the air above the coolant has combustion gasses in it which is the same thing that the kit with the blue fluid checks for, but from the (described) symptoms your (new) patient needs major surgery
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: 55 plymouth 230 cid L-head six question
[Re: dynamite]
#584666
01/17/10 11:19 AM
01/17/10 11:19 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,708 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,708
north of coder
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something runs in my [tiny] mind about a waterpump tube...... here it is : water distribution tube powerflow 6 "the water distribution tube should be replaced whenever the engine is completely overhauled. if the tube becomes rusted or corroded, overheating may occur due to failure of the water to circulate properly through the cylinder block." this is from my 55 fsm. this could possibly explain the original overheating problem, then the headgasket failed after. just a thought. ![](/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beer.gif)
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Re: 55 plymouth 230 cid L-head six question
[Re: Garranimal]
#584672
01/18/10 08:13 AM
01/18/10 08:13 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,675 Columbia, CT
moper
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,675
Columbia, CT
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You probably cracked the exh seat into a water jacket... If it had a bad one. Way cool ride BTW... I think I'd just find a complete good L6 and play with that or maybe swap in an early Hemi. but that's me...
Well, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know.
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Re: 55 plymouth 230 cid L-head six question
[Re: Garranimal]
#584674
01/20/10 08:24 PM
01/20/10 08:24 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,415 Connecticut
Ron_M
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,415
Connecticut
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Out of curiosity, is the 230 a bad engine? In the book We Were the Ramchargers, it mentions that Troy Simonsen had a 1950 Dodge Wayfarer with a hot 230 with an Isky Cam and 250 valves with the O.D. ground a bit. It also had a sidedraft carb package, using 7 inch tuned length from the plenum. Fluid Drive. Block(?) bored 1/8 th inch as well as the head. Jahn's pistons (custom) It appears that Chrysler had a lot of research into that engine and it was documented. The limiting factor was the siamesed intake ports. The motor later wound up in a 33 Plymouth and ran 14.8 at 90MPH! Is it feasible (today) to build or would it be astronomical and cost prohibitive?
Sounds like a really cool build and would be neat to see today.
Last edited by Ron_M; 01/20/10 08:25 PM.
Common sense is a flower that does not grow in everybody's garden
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Re: 55 plymouth 230 cid L-head six question
[Re: Ron_M]
#584675
01/20/10 09:34 PM
01/20/10 09:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664 IN
ahy
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664
IN
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Quote:
Out of curiosity, is the 230 a bad engine? In the book We Were the Ramchargers, it mentions that Troy Simonsen had a 1950 Dodge Wayfarer with a hot 230 with an Isky Cam and 250 valves with the O.D. ground a bit. It also had a sidedraft carb package, using 7 inch tuned length from the plenum. Fluid Drive. Block(?) bored 1/8 th inch as well as the head. Jahn's pistons (custom) It appears that Chrysler had a lot of research into that engine and it was documented. The limiting factor was the siamesed intake ports. The motor later wound up in a 33 Plymouth and ran 14.8 at 90MPH! Is it feasible (today) to build or would it be astronomical and cost prohibitive?
Sounds like a really cool build and would be neat to see today.
I run a 230 in a '46 Power Wagon. They are great engines for their time and original application. They are usually rated around 90 HP. As far as hot rodding there are some parts to get a little more power. Cams with somewhat increased duration ("3/4 cams") are available that give a little more mid range power. Twin carb kits are available but I don't know if they really help.
Beyond that I don't think it is worth it. Small ports, siamesed cylinders with limited sealing surface between pairs, very long light rods and the inherent breathing limitations of a flat head make serious hot rodding a bit futile.
I would fix it as a healthy stock style engine with a little more cam. If you want to go faster, repower with a more modern engine is a better bet.
Vintage Power Wagons in Fairfield IA carries most if not all the parts needed to fix, rebuild or mildly soup up the flatties. Some parts are new old stock, some are repop and some are used. If you add up all the parts for a complete rebuild, its pretty salty.
Good luck and great looking car.
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