1957 country sedan build

[1930artdeco]

I am hoping it is just the seals as well. I don?t have a way to get her running just yet as the carb is toast and there is no muffler.

Mike

[mustang6984]

To avoid the annoyance of having to take it all apart while in the car...I think I'd just do the heads now. And while they are at the shop...I'd replace the rear main. THEN when it goes in to the engine bay...it stays in the engine bay. Just me...

[Rancher]

This is a tough call.
Looking at the engine pic I keep thinking "it's got to be good."
Yes, one day it'd be nice to "blueprint" the 312, but maybe for now it's within days of being usable as is?
Then again, a nice fresh complete Y-Block like that, hate to lose it over being in a rush.

Too bad the yard didn't know a backstory.

Do only the top job and then find later it has a broken/stuck ring?

Pull the pan and not check the bearings while that close?

In for a penny in for a pound. If it can be used as-is, great. If it needs any internal work at all it may as well be a complete rebuild now. Probably be less painful to face the need for a total rebuild right away, rather than 1/3 of a rebuild at a time.

I'm back to recommending some run time.
I'm not sure what the neighbor (exhaust noise) and tooling situation is but a test run would be so valuable.

There's gotta be a carburetor that's workable enough for a test run  around somewhere? I probably have one, but logistics.

A good carburetor isn't necessary if you can test run with propane as fuel. Use the carburetor as just a throttle body and meter propane via a 20lb BBQ cylinder fitted with hose and valve. LP is an all around better test run fuel anyway.

Exhaust and mufflers would be nice, however, not mandatory.

So much could be learned from a test run... Exhaust smoke? Maybe #2 picks up? Confirm hot oil pressure. See just how bad the main drip is?

[hiball3985]

Unfortunately with those numbers you probably have stuck or broken rings. At this point I would pull the heads and look at the valves, if they aren't burned it will tell you it's the rings.

[gasman826]

put air pressure to the spark plug hole and you can hear if intake valve, exhaust valve or rings

[1930artdeco]

There is no carb on her right now as I bent one of the little brass tubes lifting it-so it took it off. The throttles are frozen anyways. But I could hear it suck air and then the sound would go away and come back.

Either way when she goes on the stand I am going to check all of the bearings, probably replace the rear main seal and have the heads redone. If she requires a rering then I would do it the as well. This all assumes the bearings are good. Thanks for the ideas and help.

Mike

[Rancher]

There's plenty else to do, let the soak begin.

I vote that today the engine is tipped so that one bank's bores are vertical, then flooded with the fav-o-rite potion.

Now the next 5 pages can expound on the choice of  potion.   

[1930artdeco]

Since I will be getting a new gas tank, what are people using to replace their fuel line? Steel, niCopp, what?

Thanks,

Mike

[Ford Blue blood]

I'm a steel kind of guy but niCopp is being used widely in the industry.  I will say it is much easier to get tight flares with the stuff, that, and it is very easy to bend and fit.  The niCopp is alleged to be much more corrosion resistant.

Bottom line, use what you think will be the best for you.  Both are acceptable and will function well.

[RICH MUISE]

Yep, NiCopp.........sooo much easier. Both fuel and brakes lines. May be cheaper online, but your locals should have it also, in 25 ft rolls.

[1930artdeco]

Awesome! I was hoping I could use it as I have be a bit creative on the routing. Now for armor I am using screen door springs on the brake lines. What should use for insulation on the fuel line? I will armor it up with springs as well-do t want any holes punched in it.

Thanks,

Mike

[RICH MUISE]

Here's a tip.......I used the single screw hole ss line clamps when I did mine. What saved a bunch of time, particularly in awkward places was a set of combination drill and taps from Harbor Freight. They're stubby, so most of the time no center punching is necessary. Just slow the speed down when it goes thru and feed the tap portion on in, then reverse to exit. Drill and tap one operation. They worked great and the set is cheap. I think I went with 10-32
https://www.harborfreight.com/sae-drill-tap-deburr-bit-set-95528.html

[1930artdeco]

Thanks for the tip Rich.

In my quest to reduce weight on the hoist/stand, and the fact that the heads are probably toast, they are coming off. So.....what tool do I use to get them off? I am not going to try and find the special tool from the manual. Do I need a regular head puller? The bolts all came off easily-along with a valve cover stud-most were covered in oil but two appeared to have water droplets on them.

Thanks,

Mike

[Rancher]

Just a lever to "gently" break the head loose.
Pry someplace that won't mar gasket surfaces.
Sometimes just reaching into a port is plenty.

There's probably a bolt left behind if the head won't begin to separate easily from the block; easy to overlook one.

[mustang6984]

OR...once you are sure that Rancher's scenario is not the issue...take a VERY BIG heavy hammer...and a block of wood (2x4 about 4 - 6 inches long) and smack it firmly and with vigor. They'll come loose...the head gasket will keep them from falling off since it is most likely married to both the head and block. But it will come loose.