update on V-12

4tford

4tford

Well-known member
Well I guess you all know the story. Seller is a 12 hour drive away and says he had a head off and machinist says it is a good block. Well pics show the story. Pistons are .040. Question is can the bad hole be sleeved and thereby save the block????
 
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This is terrible! I understand caveat emptor but it sounds like the guy outright lied to you. I'd be very angry and wanting a total refund plus extra for my wasted time and effort ...
 
I would hazard a guess that bore is fixable, I really think you should have a real good look over this engine. That bad hole may just be the first find. Sgonna be the devils own job getting that puppy in bits.
I think I may have "accidentally" dropped it in the sellers parts of shame.
He flat out lied!
Martin.
 
He did say to bring it back on my next trip through his area and he would refund. I would rather put some more $$$ into this if it can be sleeved. I did clean the top on one side and the deck does look good.
 
4tford said:
He did say to bring it back on my next trip through his area and he would refund. I would rather put some more $$$ into this if it can be sleeved. I did clean the top on one side and the deck does look good.
Click to expand...

Well that's good then if he's willing to offer a refund, though I'd be leery that he'd have moved between now and then :)!
 
We've all had it happen somewhere down the line. A deal like that made me a "See it before you buy it" guy. Don't know what you paid for it but there are bound to be much better ones out there. It might be fixed but "might be" can run into a bunch of money for nothing. Hate to see that.
 
That one bore may be the least of your problems. With all that water down the hatch, the crank, rods, cam, lifters and oil pump may be kaput. Getting thise valves and guides out will be a break and destroy operation, no way they can be used.
 
Bill so long as the cylinder is not broken @ the bottom where the new sleeve will need to register you will be okay to sleeve it . I would certainly magblock after you get it striped to be sure the hole in the cylinder is the extent of the bad damage . Be sure to get a "chrome moly" sleeve for that cylinder .
Cheers
Tony
 
Talked to the machine shop and they want me to pull the piston to see how far down the bore it goes. Hope to do that in the next day or so. If they feel it can be fixed reasonably then I will strip it down and carry on with a slow rebuild.
 
sorry to see that , This is the reason I can't afford to pay the prices some folks ask on e-bay, I realize sometimes sellers Just arent aware the characteristics of the failures that happen to these old engines and some buyers are not as experienced as well .I agreed to buy a used engine but first told the seller, I would pay his asking price if it passed inspection before I paid the balance ,the deal was if it passed I would pay for the mag. etc. If it failed he was to return my deposit and pay for th inspection ,
otherwise I would pay what I normally do and incur the risks, He agreed, the mains were cracked one cyl. split . The seller reluctantly refunded my money an threw in another block, the block he gave me was buildable even though it had the wrong main caps. I cant complain the engine was about 200 miles away.
some peoples definition of repairable is no matter what it costs, but that it is possible to repair it.
I have the phone number of a man that has a block he said he might sell , it is a bare block, I will see if he is seriouse about possibly parting with it if you may be interested.
fordestes
 
I've built a few of those V12s. Believe me,it's like the monkey pissing into the cash register . It runs into the money!!!
 
As a last resort it would be a cool static display for your shop or car shows. You don't see these everyday.

Lonnie
 
I spent some hours on the block today. Pan and oil pump out. Pan looks good, oil pump was not stuck and rotates freely. Was able to get the crank out without to much difficulty once I took the clutch and flywheel off and it looks good. One piston came out rather easily and the rest are stuck big time. I drilled holes in the piston in the damaged hole and was able to break it up and remove without damaging the rod. I believe it can be sleeved in the bad hole. Now a couple of questions. How much overbore will these take? Currently at .040 and would like to be able to go .080 to be sure all cyls are good. What, if any, parts from the V-8 will fit the V-12. Will the valves, springs, guides and lifters fit? Found that the outside of all the rod bearings had a shim. Is that normal?? Thanks Bill
 
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It should go .080. Valves and guides will interchange with the V8. You can also use the V8 springs and lifters . V12s had hydraulic lifters starting in 38, so to use the Ford lifters the cam will require to be ground for them which I would do on any V12 rebuild. Bearings should not have shims.
 
I have not pulled a valve yet but they appear to be regular lifters with mushroom valves. Will pull one tomorrow.
 
Are these V12 blocks made of better material than V8 blocks? I thought I read they had more nickle or something like that in the cast iron.
 
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