300+ rebuild

[Joey Mack]

Not sure what to say at this point..  Other than your Mack dealer sucks...  The info is out there.  Hell, my parts books seem to be better..  anyway, your kicking A$$!

[Freightrain]

The first dealer was lost when ordering the kit. 

Second dealer actually looked and found parts using an old R model parts book.  It is where I typically buy from.  The south dealer was where I used to deal with 20 yrs ago when I lived down that way.

[Freightrain]

Here's a question for the masses.

I want to cut open my oil bath air filter and convert to paper element.

11" dia x 13" tall would work if I can locate something of the sort.  Little cut/paste and I think it will be fine.  Getting tired of all the oil in the intake tubes.

[davehummell]

When I installed the newer engine in my B I bought the dry type air cleaner that was a copy of the original oil bath I ordered it from Watts 

[Freightrain]

Last time I looked it was NLA.

Had thought of trying to retro for a newer SS air cleaner if I could find one that was close to size. Going to try to refit mine first.

Need to search a Donaldson? filter that may fit.

[mechohaulic]

2 hours ago, Freightrain said:

More progress.

Timing cover is cleaned and new seal installed.

Oh, ya, I don't have a gasket for it either.  Wtf?  Nickel and diming me to freaking death.

Into chassis cleaning.  Bump stops.

Spindle arm:

Removed the air steering parts, which included spindle arm being changed back to original parts that I kept.

I started washing the grease and oil off the frame.  I hope to chip away at it over the next month so I can bomb it black again.  The frame is still black in many areas once you get the gunk off.

 

do you plan on changing the dogs in the flywheel ? not sure if they are still available. have taken them out  and turned them 180. usually one side is worn. P I A to reset them square. the new centerplate works as a tool  for getting a smooth slide.

[Freightrain]

Contemplating it.  Will investigate further after cleaning it up more.

[Freightrain]

Final wash up for liners.  Checked bores again.

Getting .0015/.002 shrink.  Book calls for .001slip to .001 shrink if I am understanding the nomenclature.  I think I will get my electric space heater out under the block before dropping liners(dry ice).  Hope to get myself a touch more clearance Clarence.  Will keep a hammer and block of wood handy.

 

Got the mains all pulled down.

Did the yellow dot  ✅ just to remind myself that I checked it twice already.  👍

Hope to get liners in at the end of the week.

Need to get more gaskets also so I can close up some holes.

[Joey Mack]

Looking great,   I love that you wrote measurements on the deck. ive been doing that for many years, i also do some art work on paper, and on cardboard sheets.  Its a bit anal, but i dont scratch my head trying to remember what the measurement was....  

[Geoff Weeks]

One guy suggested to me:

get a 150-200 watt incandescent light bulb and drop it in the hole for ~30 min or so to warm the bore. Makes a big difference. warm the bore, chill the liner.  

[BottleHauler84]

On 1/3/2026 at 5:17 PM, Freightrain said:

More progress.

Timing cover is cleaned and new seal installed.

Oh, ya, I don't have a gasket for it either.  Wtf?  Nickel and diming me to freaking death.

Into chassis cleaning.  Bump stops.

Spindle arm:

Removed the air steering parts, which included spindle arm being changed back to original parts that I kept.

I started washing the grease and oil off the frame.  I hope to chip away at it over the next month so I can bomb it black again.  The frame is still black in many areas once you get the gunk off.

 

Larry, I have a question. 

Seeing how you're upgrading transmissions and probably going to a new driveline,  does a the newer style flat flywheel from an E7 with the bigger center to use a 15.5" EZ pedal clutch and eliminatingthe dog style deep dish flywheellike yours? 

I haven't personally done that but i heard its an option for an E6. Your flywheel looks great, I was just curious if anyone knew if thats an option.

[Freightrain]

2 hours ago, Joey Mack said:

Looking great,   I love that you wrote measurements on the deck. ive been doing that for many years, i also do some art work on paper, and on cardboard sheets.  Its a bit anal, but i dont scratch my head trying to remember what the measurement was....  

A takeoff from friends engine shop, he writes on everything as he measures it.  Block, heads, intake, etc.  Being around him for nearly 40 yrs it rubbed off.

 

As for flywheel, my new friend that pulls with the old R model offered me a larger clutch.  I didn't really get into it with him but I guess he runs a 15.5 behind his "237" pulling engine.  I will ask him about it as I'm sure he is well versed.  Being I am not making big power, I will stick with the 14".

[Freightrain]

1 hour ago, Geoff Weeks said:

One guy suggested to me:

get a 150-200 watt incandescent light bulb and drop it in the hole for ~30 min or so to warm the bore. Makes a big difference. warm the bore, chill the liner.  

Good thought but with 6 liners I don't want to be all day doing it.  Hard to find big incandescent bulbs anymore,  I do have a 250w halogen work lamp and those put off heat.

I may get my small rosebud torch head out and warm it up.  Can do that in a few minutes for each cylinder.  Current temp of block is only 47* as that is what I keep garage set if not working in it.  Forced air won't warm it fast enough to do any good with a big chunk of iron.

[BottleHauler84]

56 minutes ago, Freightrain said:

 

As for flywheel, my new friend that pulls with the old R model offered me a larger clutch.  I didn't really get into it with him but I guess he runs a 15.5 behind his "237" pulling engine.  I will ask him about it as I'm sure he is well versed.  Being I am not making big power, I will stick with the 14".

I gotcha.  It was just something I was curious about.  Several years ago we did it on a Bigcam. We took a flat flywheel from an n14 and did the 15.5 EZ pedal 2050. Someone said you can do it on an E6 from an E7, but I had never did it so I was curious.  

I appreciate any info on that if you find out.

[Joey Mack]

I have put an E-7 flywheel and 15.5 " clutch on an E-6 a couple times

[Geoff Weeks]

10 hours ago, Freightrain said:

Good thought but with 6 liners I don't want to be all day doing it.  Hard to find big incandescent bulbs anymore,  I do have a 250w halogen work lamp and those put off heat.

I may get my small rosebud torch head out and warm it up.  Can do that in a few minutes for each cylinder.  Current temp of block is only 47* as that is what I keep garage set if not working in it.  Forced air won't warm it fast enough to do any good with a big chunk of iron.

Yeah, it can slow you down a bit, but I had a chest cooler with dry ice that could only hold one liner at a time. So wait the 20 min or so with the light bulb and pull the liner out of the dry ice, drop the next one in, and move the light bulb and install the 1st. Doesn't really slow you down much. The key with the light bulb is it is "even heat" in the block.

 

9 hours ago, BottleHauler84 said:

I gotcha.  It was just something I was curious about.  Several years ago we did it on a Bigcam. We took a flat flywheel from an n14 and did the 15.5 EZ pedal 2050. Someone said you can do it on an E6 from an E7, but I had never did it so I was curious.  

I appreciate any info on that if you find out.

All I ran were 14" organic clutches and never had one not hold, even on "turned up" 400's pushing better than 450hp in heavy haul. They were only rated for 1100 ft/lbs.  I used only angle spring clutches, which have a consistent plate load as they wear.

Depends on the operator more than the "rating".

[BottleHauler84]

2 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

 

All I ran were 14" organic clutches and never had one not hold, even on "turned up" 400's pushing better than 450hp in heavy haul. They were only rated for 1100 ft/lbs.  I used only angle spring clutches, which have a consistent plate load as they wear.

Depends on the operator more than the "rating".

Right. I should mention we were doing this with trucks we were sled pulling with.  I also was mentioning this as more of an update to get away from the deep dish flywheel and lug setup more than anything else. Not necessarily rating.

Yes the 14" organic definitely hold up fine in the lower horsepower applications and definitely depends on operator.  No doubt about that.

[Geoff Weeks]

I had one engine with 15.5" clutch, that I changed to 14 when it was out due to the poor "rebiult" clutch that was installed. They had encased the disk damper springs in rubber? some were already broken when they injected the rubber!

 Other than being a pain to install, my other reason for not using them is it is even harder to come by organic disks for 15.5 than it is for 14. Even so most will be a "special order" anyway. Shops only like to install ceramic puck clutches. It was all the shops I worked at would install. 

Do any of you remember the "carbolic" clutch lining? was supposed to hold like ceramic puck, but be as easy as organic on the plates. I may have the name wrong but remember see build sheets at the jobber warehouse, then never saw anything about them again.

For a long time I used a "clutch shop" to supply my clutches, that is all they did was rebuild and/or sell new clutches. Then they went out of business, as I guess most just call the jobber and say "send a new clutch". 

[terry]

Yeah the old fashioned clutch and brake reline shops a pretty much a thing of the past, where they could reline about anything you could come up with.  terry

[Freightrain]

1 hour ago, Geoff Weeks said:

I had one engine with 15.5" clutch, that I changed to 14 when it was out due to the poor "rebiult" clutch that was installed. They had encased the disk damper springs in rubber? some were already broken when they injected the rubber!

 Other than being a pain to install, my other reason for not using them is it is even harder to come by organic disks for 15.5 than it is for 14. Even so most will be a "special order" anyway. Shops only like to install ceramic puck clutches. It was all the shops I worked at would install. 

Do any of you remember the "carbolic" clutch lining? was supposed to hold like ceramic puck, but be as easy as organic on the plates. I may have the name wrong but remember see build sheets at the jobber warehouse, then never saw anything about them again.

For a long time I used a "clutch shop" to supply my clutches, that is all they did was rebuild and/or sell new clutches. Then they went out of business, as I guess most just call the jobber and say "send a new clutch". 

DW clutch in Maryland did mine that last time.  Still haven't determined what failed this past fall on my trip home from PA.  They were fast and very inexpensive.  I have the old metallic clutch that was behind the 300, but I don't see a reason to pay shipping two ways.  I will just order a new Eaton.

I ordered the rebuild with that Carbolic lining.  Yes, it was listed as a step between organic and metallic.  Did well for the last 8 yrs.  I will pull the plate off and see how it was when it warms up a bit outside.

[BottleHauler84]

Yep. Clutches,  brakes, tires and oils have come a long ways.

As far as Clutches go, the only thing I ever really see go bad on the ceramic button clutches is the hub damper springs eventually just wear out and break. The clutches facing material and plate surfaces hold up extremely well and dont really ever seem to wear out unless really abused. The Eaton EZ pedal clutches are hard to beat. 

[Geoff Weeks]

Ceramic clutches tend to be "grabby" which may be fine most of the time, but not when positioning a heavy load. 

 May be it is just the ceramic clutches I saw were all being replaced, but I see heavy wear on the flywheel and PP(s). 

I have pulled organic clutches to do a rear main, with high miles and the wear surfaces look great. There is night and day in wear between an organic and ceramic puck.  No question, a ceramic puck will take more abuse than an organic, but if not abused, the organic will go the life of the engine (1M+ miles), unless the damper springs or cover fails, but those are the same parts used on a ceramic puck clutch as well, lining doesn't enter into it.

[BottleHauler84]

1 hour ago, Geoff Weeks said:

Ceramic clutches tend to be "grabby" which may be fine most of the time, but not when positioning a heavy load. 

 May be it is just the ceramic clutches I saw were all being replaced, but I see heavy wear on the flywheel and PP(s). 

I have pulled organic clutches to do a rear main, with high miles and the wear surfaces look great. There is night and day in wear between an organic and ceramic puck.  No question, a ceramic puck will take more abuse than an organic, but if not abused, the organic will go the life of the engine (1M+ miles), unless the damper springs or cover fails, but those are the same parts used on a ceramic puck clutch as well, lining doesn't enter into it.

Interesting. 

I will say in the older trucks I've run the organic clutches did seem to have a smoother engagement/disengagement. The newer Eaton ceramic clutches from 2017 on with the newer proprietary materials on the pads of the discs seem to replicate the same smoothness on engagement/disengagement that of an organic material clutch.

[BottleHauler84]

I pulled the clutch on my Kenworth in May of 2025 due to not disengagement and a rear main leak. Clutch had 740,000 on it basically 8 years. Had alot of life left, but the pilot bearing was literally gone. Pieces of it were lodging and causing disengageing issues with my clutch.  It was a shame too, because i know that clutch would have went a good bit longer if the pilot bearing hadn't gave up.

[Geoff Weeks]

Have to admit, that is one of the best looking flywheels with puck clutch I have seen. Disks have some "floppy" damper springs. 

I used to have a source for buying disks separate from the whole clutch, but that dried up a few years ago.