59A Engine disassembly surprise!

M

MikeTaylor

Junior Member
Began with the left head and, lo & behold, a relieved block! Oops - this is going to going to put a crimp in my CR projections. Oh well, onward & upward they say. Got the other head and valves out after a lot of prying & cussin' then called it a day. Woke up the next morning to a multitude of 72 year old muscles screaming, "What the hell were you thinking yesterday."

After a hot shower, some serious stretching and 3 cups of java, it was back to the shop. The bottom end was a lot easier and disclosed the reason for 50 miles to a qt. of oil, shot rings, and no oil pressure, shot cam bushings. Nothing unexpected. Loaded it up in the pickup for a trip to the machine shop for a bath and magnafluxing (fingers crossed) :)

If all goes well, next to a different shop for sonic testing (fingers crossed again) and then Rumbleseat's (RIP buddy) water passages rust removal treatments. (UUG) :mad:
 
Relieving an engine block can produce high oil consumption if not properly done. Last year, a customer brought in a very nice '57 T-Bird that would hardly run. He bought it via the Internet, sight unseen. When we got into the engine, and pulled the heads, we found some idiot had relieved the block so far that the top piston ring was exposed. The only remedy was a new engine. He was furious, but had no recourse to the seller in California.
 
supereal said:
Relieving an engine block can produce high oil consumption if not properly done. Last year, a customer brought in a very nice '57 T-Bird that would hardly run. He bought it via the Internet, sight unseen. When we got into the engine, and pulled the heads, we found some idiot had relieved the block so far that the top piston ring was exposed. The only remedy was a new engine. He was furious, but had no recourse to the seller in California.
Click to expand...
Why would you relive an OHV engine, don't think I have ever seen that? What engine, a 312?
 
supereal said:
Relieving an engine block can produce high oil consumption if not properly done. Last year, a customer brought in a very nice '57 T-Bird that would hardly run. He bought it via the Internet, sight unseen. When we got into the engine, and pulled the heads, we found some idiot had relieved the block so far that the top piston ring was exposed. The only remedy was a new engine. He was furious, but had no recourse to the seller in California.
Click to expand...

Supereal........Surely you must have taken pictures of that RELIEVED 1957 T-bird block to post here for those of us scratchin' our butts, trying to picture how that's possible. DD
 
Well, unless supereal means the block was decked far enough to expose the ring then.....well, I don't get it.



......In other news, MikeTaylor, If a high compression, high low-end torque motor is your plan then don't compromise. Consider selling your block magged and pressure tested with receipts at a premium with a money-back guarantee to the seller. There are other blocks out there that will satisfy your planned build.

Lonnie
 
JM 35 - Goes in a '48 Tudor.
Supereal - This is a factory relief. From what I've read, it was done to truck engines to help keep blocks from cracking in high stress usage.
Binx - For what I'm planning, this should be fine. 8.0-8.5 CR is easily workable with AL heads and 125-135 HP should keep it rolling nicely on the interstates with a Mitchell OD to keep the RPM's down where the natural torque is.

Thanks all for your comments - keep em coming, they're always welcomed!
 
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