From Tom in Michigan to John in Connecticut: '57 Pickup

Started the disassembly after work today and ran a compression test - results shown and tell the story, or at least most of it.

Question: safe to assume that one should untorque the head in the reverse sequence of tightening it?

Thanks, John

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Not Willys related but … I’ve never seen the end of a rainbow like this before. No dancing leprechauns or pot of gold … sadly. Had there been (the gold) and had I been able to get it from the wee men without them biffing me with atheir shillelaghs, it might have gone towards truck parts. But I still need to pull the head to see what let go.

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Not working on it yet because one of my brothers is visiting (we went to the New England Air Museum), but did get to engage in one of my favorite pastimes, buying tools. Like acquiring old Dinky Toys, the fact it came with its original box was extra cool.

John

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And then there were two …

Two KD-700 valve spring compressors, that is.

How so? On Tuesday a retired friend close by to me graciously let me pick through some tools he was disposing of. And there it was … what are the chances? Better yet, it had belonged to his late Dad, a Boston-area Cadillac and Pontiac master mechanic (before we migrated to the silly word “technician”).

Anyhow, if anyone wants one, lemme know. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get to pulling the (flat) head and see what’s going on in #2.

Best, John
 
I’ll post the others but here’s the money shot. Valves tired but not the culprit. “There’s a segment of #2 piston missing, Vern.”

I have more reading to do (or to revisit things I’ve already read). Specifically, what I’ll need to do to assess if this block would be a decent risk to invest in. I do have the SBF adapter I got from Greg and an appropriate cast iron FoMoCo bellhousing. Neither option fills me with glee but there’s some fun to be had.

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I followed the advice to heat the block … glad I did and wouldn’t have thought of it on my own. My propane heater is vertical - as opposed to a horizontal sausage-like salamander type- so I used to electric heat guns.

Only one head bolt was broken and that one - the very center location - and that had clearly been in that state for a long time. I haven’t attempted to remove it yet. The head gasket was beginning to fail right near there … it had become flaky and fragile.

John

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I’m wondering if these photos suggest the engine was overall running to lean? As in, color of the valves in 3, 4 & 5. It never smelled lean, quite the opposite, but it’s a rather stinky engine, exhaust-wise.

A bit of 2X4 and ye olde trusty bottle jack easily broke the seal betwixt head and block.

Detail of broken stud and corresponding area of head gasket shown.

I pulled the valves from #2. I’d say they’re pretty worn (contact areas with seats look almost concave) and guides have slop … not measured yet but when you can feel and see the obvious…

My belts-and braces sealing job on the tappet cover had remained oil tight but was of course not easily removed. If I fix this engine I’ll look for a better cover.

Next step, I suppose, will be to pull this engine and give it a real good looking over … on a beefy engine stand.

John.

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Actually #'s 3, 4 & 5 are the only ones coming up to temp. They look closer to normal. #2 piston has been without a top ring for a while.
 
Thanks Herk, much appreciated. #2 had shown about 15-% less compression since I first checked it before and after valve adjustment a year or so ago.

Here’s #2 cyl wall where the piston failed. Yes, I drove it another 5 miles after it happened.

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Hi John
I am sorry for your unfortunate luck , I am watching with GREAT interest on you progress.
Please keep us posted with pictures.

I also have a 226 and thus watching closely .

Thanks
 
No worries Randy, I don’t see this as bad luck. Getting into an accident while driving it … that would qualify.

The last two engines I got deep into were both spotless inside (Porsche 944 and 911 before that).
- much more modern, of course
- both had great oil change histories
- crankcase ventilation
- OHC
- modern pistons and rings, cylinder surfaces
- fuel injection and big ignition systems
- etc.

It’s not a valid comparison in any way, shape or form, of course! This one has served its time and would need a whole lot of cleaning before anything else was commenced.

John
 
Stakebed said:
I'd say it's time to ask Tom for your money back. :) :) ;)
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Tom is a prince of a guy and has kinda indicated that I’m doing some of things he might have had he kept working on it. Although if memory serves, Tom is a GM guy; I’d be happy to have a Chebby in it (versus idea of a FoMoCo unit) but don’t like the distributor position… at least in this application.

Funny that on DeTomaso Pantera, a Ford-sponsored car and fitted with a 351 Cleveland, the way the engine and ZF transaxle were mounted, that dizzy was up against the firewall.
 
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