Considering Repower of My Ford Lehman 120

[EddieS]

I have an 80 Lehman. I've had real good luck with Bomac out of Georgia. Knowledgeable, easy to work with.
Bomac Marine- Ford Lehman Engines Parts, Remanufacture and Service
Thanks
Ed

[somf]

Geoff, we where in a couple of anchorages with you! Where are you now? We are in El Salvador waiting to head back to Mexico. We should be in Zihaut by mid November. So this isn't off topic I have convinced myself that atleast some of my leak is from the valve cover. There are a couple of freeze plugs on the side of the block that have trapped oil that I noticed during the last oil check. Upon closer inspection it looks like the valve cover leaks around the back 1/3, it seems to do it very consistently so that it doesn't form a trail of oil in any one area but cleaning with a paper towel seems to find oil all over the head. I am sure this isn't the only source but it is contributing to the 1/2 quart per 24 hours running that ends up in the bilge.

[Geoff H.]

SOMF, good to see you here. I'd love to hear about your time in El Salvador. We are currently in Puerto Vallarta, having headed north from Manzanillo/Zihua/Barra, and are waiting to head south again, onward to Costa Rica and Panama, and then probably through canal East.
We were able to get our Lehman 120 in good order in Barra, after we had created a vacuum on the exhaust side and loaded a cylinder with seawater!! Ouch. My fault; I had run a long hose from the anti-siphon vale into a bucket which I also used to drain overflow from the water heater. Just a few ounces of water was enough to create the siphon of course. Not a very smart thing to do!!
Re: leaks, they seem impossible to completely stop, but a couple of helpful things I've done: I added a Racor Valve Cover breather/filter kit, designed to relieve pressure and catch blow-by and return it into the crankcase, replacing the worthless wire mesh air filter screen that Lehman had there. If nothing else it has definitely reduced odors in the engine room. A couple of years ago I had the upper end of the engine rebuilt. But in Barra we took a look at the little rubber seals in the rocker arm assembly, and they were broken and/or weak. The mechanic there (Jonco) replaced them with a better made seal from a different engine manufacture, and the most noticeable thing was an immediate cessation of the oily smoke that used to blow out of the oil fill cap when you opened it (while running) -- smoke was simply gone. That has to be a good thing.
I'm pretty sure I have seepage/leakage from the valve cover gasket also, and haven't been able to get rid of it, but the damned motor runs too well to toss it overboard.
Are you at anchor in El Salvador; what should we look for down there??!!

[somf]

Geoff, glad to hear the Lehman is running good! We are actually at the Marina in Bahia Del Sol, El Salvador. Mainly because I need a raw water pump for the Generator and sourceing parts here can be a problem. Anyway this is an estuary with a 7knt current both ways so most cruisers opt to take a mooring ball at $100us per month or stay at the Marina for $0.50us per foot per day. Check out the Rally that Bill and Jean of Mitakulu put on every year, a must if you are heading South in that time frame. Cruisers Rally to El Salvador Anyway we are waiting for a window to head North, hoping to leave here on Oct. 19th, then spend a few days in Chiapas. After that we want to hang out in Zihaut for a few weeks in November then on to La Cruz so let's keep in touch and maybe we will cross paths in the next few months. We would love to share our views on El Salvador and Costa Rica. And check our blog if you want to, Lauren does a nice job of documenting our travels. SV/SOMF Take care Jerry and Lauren

[somf]

Speaking of the VC gasket, I would like to replace mine. Does anyone know what model Ford the 120/135 Lehman was based on? My thought being that I might find one in MX if I am asking for a tractor part rather than a marine part. Otherwise I'll have to wait until I can order one from American Diesel.

[rtbates]

I'd find a mechanic that LOVES Ford Lehmans!

As an old professor once said, "nobody likes what they aren't good at"..

[Trinity Rose]

Originally Posted by Geoff H.

Jerry in San Blas,
I was not able to stop the leak. I did perform the reinstall of new oil pan gasket and neoprene seals where the two rails meet; but no joy on getting the leak to stop. Motor otherwise runs great. I'm currently making a very slow slog down coast of Mexico, currently in Puerto Vallarta.
Geoff cruising on "Un Mundo"

Geoff, Any updates on repairing oil leak? I have a SP135 Lehman and looking at main seal. I am currently in Mazatlan for the summer and planning spending next season again in Barra, but would love to fix oil leak. I want to take parts down to Mazatlan and have repaired if I could find leak.