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E-113 Aeronca Engine - Important Information
(Last updated 03/27/05)

Here are some highlights and special notes of items found and not found in the engine overhaul manual.

1. Point in time for thrust bearing installation.  (This is for tapered shaft only.  See bullet 10 below for information on converting to a splined shaft.) On page 42 of the manual (Section 3, Item F) it is pointed out that it is important to accurately determine the crankshaft end play. If you don't have a depth micrometer you should take their suggestion of measuring the end play using the feeler gauge method, as specified on page 42.  (I prefer this method over the depth micrometer method. -Tom)  This requires the installation of the thrust bearing at this time.  However, on page 63 (Assembly) it assumes the thrust bearing is not yet installed. This can be a source of confusion.  In fact, it is OK to leave the thrust bearing installed after you've checked the end play.  It is OK to install the crankshaft with the thrust bearing already installed in the case rather than installing the thrust bearing after the crankshaft is installed, as stated on page 63.
   
2. Front plate felt dust seal.  Page 63, Section 4, paragraph eight. "It may be necessary to replace the felt oil retainer in the front plate" This is only a dust seal, not an oil seal. The only way the front thrust bearing ever gets any oil after assembly is from a fine mist that goes down the crankcase crankshaft tunnel where it contacts the thrust bearing that is shielded on the frontside. This mist starts out as oil that squirts out under pressure at the connecting rod to crankshaft connection. A lot of this oil flies up and oils the main bearings. Some oil then passes through the front main bearing in the from of a mist that travels down the tunnel to the thrust bearing. See Figure 5 in the manual. Oil poured in the oil filler hole on the top of the crankcase can not get to the front thrust bearing, except as just outlined. It is highly unlikely that this dust seal would ever have to be replaced.
   
3. Breather attachment.  Page 67, sixth paragraph of item D, section four. The breather body should be attached to the back plate before the gear cover is attached. The reason why you want to do this, is because the mounting nuts for the breather body are difficult to reach without a special wrench if the gear cover is in place.
   
4. Oil guage float installation. Page-67 Last paragraph of item D section four. You can not install the oil float to the float rod as directed, because at the top of the page you were directed to install the oil strainer screen. This prevents you from reaching the oil float rod to attach the cork float. The oil float rod and cork should be assembled in the sump cavity of the engine along with the oil gauge cover, immediately after the crankshaft is installed. This is also the best time to install the oil strainer screen, and the oil sump cover with new gasket.
   
5. Oil pressure valve.  It is much easier to insert the oil pressure valve return tube into the hole inside the crankcase if done before installing the pistons.  The reason being you will want to put your hand inside the crankcase to guide the oil overflow tube into the outlet hole at the front of the crankcase cavity.   When the pistons are installed, you cannot easily reach inside the crankcase.
   
   Also, Page 63, Section 4, fifth paragraph. Be sure the body of the oil pressure valve with the return tube is screwed at least part way into the backplate when the backplate is attached.
   
6. Cylinder base oil seal. Page 31. Section 3, Item F, paragraph 4. "A 1/16" Rubber band slipped over the skirt of the cylinder is a very satisfactory oil seal." Not a good idea. Use todays invention of the "O" ring.
   
7. Camshaft cover set screw.  Page 39, Section 2, Item C, last paragraph. The camshaft cover on the front of the engine is locked in place from the bottom with an Allen head set screw. This screw location is not readily visible and often forgotten.
   
8. Oil inlet spindle.  Page 43, Section 3, Item I, first paragraph. Don’t forget the oil inlet spindle has a left hand thread.
9. Two manifold U center sections available.  There are two slightly different intake manifold "U" center sections used on the A, B, and C, E-113 series Aeronca engines. Both are OK to use. If you have the latest design that has the mounting and support bosses cast integral with center section, which was designed specifically for the E-113 C engine, (part 455-A) you should mount this part before mounting the oil pump. The oil pump in turn must have pump oil outlet ell (part AN790-6) screwed in, to within a quarter turn of its final position, at the time the oil pump is mounted. The reason for this is that you can not screw the ell into the pump if the "U" section is in place, because it hits on the "U" section. If you don't mount the "U" center section first you will not be able to slide it into place over the mounting studs, because the stud locations will not let the "U" section slide past the oil outlet ell. Which, for the reason I mentioned before, must be on the pump when the pump is mounted. You might say, why not just remove "U" section mounting studs and solve the problem that way? This would solve the assembly problem, but at the same time may cause oil seepage around the mounting studs, unless you use locktite when screwing the studs back in, because the mounting stud holes are drilled into the oil sump cavity. See the photo of "U" intake manifold and oil pump with the oil outlet ell mounted, for further pictorial clarification of the paragraph above.
   
10. Installing a splined crankshaft:

    1. The large nut that holds the splinned hub in the thrust plate and it’s bearing is a LEFT hand thread. After removing the locking ring from around the nut, the nut can be removed with a spanner wrench. It will be very tight. You may have to resort to a large pipe wrench, as marks on the nut may indicate has previously been done.

    2. Always fit and attach the splined hub assembly to the crankcase prior to the insertion of the crankshaft and connecting rod assembly.

    3. Because the crankshaft and rod assembly can only be inserted into the crankcase in the BDC position it requires the TDC mark on the splined hub to be down, and not up where we are used to having it when setting valve and ignition timing.
       

11. Correct tool.  Always use a 14mm 1/2" socket on your torque wrench when loosening and tightening the connecting rod nuts to their approximate 30 FT LBS torque (plus or minus a pound). A 9/16" socket is close but because you often find these nuts over torqued, the nuts will soon be rounded if you use a 9/16" socket or box wrench. Before using the 14mm socet, carefully grind the open end just enough to let the socket clear the rod cap and fit down to the maximum over the nut.
    
12. The NA-S2 carburetor was used on engines other than the Aeronca E-113 series engines. Each of the other engines had their own specifications. The following are the correct specifications for the Aeronca engines. All sizes are given in twist drill numbers unless otherwise indicated.

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