Resurrecting 292 T-Engine?

Anteek29

Anteek29

Well-known member
I am preparing to bring my T-Bird engine back to life after 24 years in storage.
Yes, I know the proper protocols but I seek guidance about squirting oil
into the cylinders once I have removed the plugs and then turn the engine
slowly to bring up oil pressure.
Thing is, I really want to spray oil in there for complete coverage - not just
simply pour the recommended 2 tablespoons of MMO in there.
Suggestions?
Alan
 
(my 1st thought)
You might use an aerosol spray can of penetrating oil that comes with a short tube and direct the spray into the cylinder with a convenient length of clean small hose (vacuum line?) as an extension for the can-supplied tube.
Without the spark plugs, if you can, crank the starter until you get some oil up to the rocker arms. Even with the engine running and both valve covers off that's an easy way to check for oiling, and it isn't as messy as you might think. The oil passages thru the heads out to the rocker arms are about the first things that get plugged up.
 
Alan you may want to pull the distributor so you can spin the oil pump with a 1/4" socket before turning it over so the bearings aren't 'dry'.
 
I like that idea a lot, and suggest using some good tape around the socket to hold it to the extension so it doesn't come off inside the engine.
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If you don't mind a little mess on the floor, just use a rubber hose and small funnel to completely fill the cylinders with oil. Use engine oil like 0W-30 from Wal-Mart. This light oil will flow down past the rings quicker, yet leave an oil film for better lubrication than MMO or penetrating oil. Let sit a few days and most of it will find its way through the ring gaps. Then rotate the engine by hand to push any excess out. Just before putting the plugs back in, hit the starter to blow the rest out (pack rags around the spark plug holes to catch the oil).
Two areas that often get overlooked are the wrist pins and the camshaft lobes. If this concerns you, block off the crankcase filter/breather on the side of the block and fill the crankcase completely with engine oil, as much as you can pour down the filler tube. Rotate the engine by hand so the oil can work its way into the wrist pin bushings and coat the lobes and lifters. This will also lube the front and rear main seals. Drain back down to the proper level before starting. Pour some oil over the rocker arms, too.
 
Frankly, after 24 years, I'd pull it, disassemble and replace at least seals and gaskets. You may get it running, but most likely end up fighting with leaking seals, gaskets, petrified valve stem seals, stuck rings, etc. JMHO
 
When I got my Bird it was stuck and somebody had tried to squirt something in the cylinders, because when I took it apart it had two of those little red straws in the cylinders! If you try to squirt something in with those, make sure you don't squirt them in too!
 
The Seafoam fogging oil has merit. Heavy spray into cylinders, then turn crankshaft 1/2 and apply another heavy round.
 
streetdreams said:
Frankly, after 24 years, I'd pull it, disassemble and replace at least seals and gaskets. You may get it running, but most likely end up fighting with leaking seals, gaskets, petrified valve stem seals, stuck rings, etc. JMHO
Click to expand...

I'll agree that this is something you'll probably need to do sooner than you'd prefer. It was a 30+ year old engine even before the last 24 years.

If you do get it running first you'll be able to find some obvious problems (or rule some out) and that gives you a slight head start on the 'things to fix' list for a tear-down/re-do.

40 Deluxe said:
.......block off the crankcase filter/breather on the side of the block and.......
Click to expand...
FYI: The '55/'57 T-Birds already have that hole blocked. They didn't use a breather canister on the front driver side of the block, likely due to conflict with the frame cross-member and steering linkage. Their road draft tube was off the top rear of the valley pan.
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