Barn Find Start Up Preparation

[Tom Quigley]

Just bought a 1954 Ford F100 pickup. It has not run for many years. Oil looks blakd and tired. Engine turns over, water pump frozen. Engine is 272 OH V8. Vehicle is largely undisturbed, wood in bed rotted. Some rust and broken windshield. Best place for parts?

What measures are required for a start up?
What flush is best for the cooling system?
What flush technique for engine (kerosene, light weight oil, filter etc.)?
What to be done with brakes (pedal goes to floor)?

My priority seem to be engine, cooling system, brakes, oil changes all around (trans and diff), greasing then cosmetics.

 

[bobss396]

For starting it, I would recommend changing the oil and filter... if so equipped... but pre-oil/ prime the engine after you do the oil change. I use a dummy distributor body and a 1/2 electric drill. Anything less and you risk wiping out the bearings.

Replace the water pump or it'll over heat quickly. I wouldn't flush the system until it was brought up to temperature first. You could undo the radiator hoses and flush the top out the bottom with water just to wash anything loose out. Take a look at the freeze plugs, they may already be rusted through.

I would run a 10W-30 oil to get it going, you want something that flows right away. I'm not huge on flushing old engines but a 1/2 quart of ATF or Marvel added to the oil is never a bad thing. Do this after its running a while and you're ready to dump the oil again.

Brakes, the master and wheel cylinders are most likely shot, also the brake hoses. I would change those right away and take a look at the steel lines. You'll likely need new brake shoes, front oil seals, hardware and have to assess the drums.

Expect most engine gaskets to start to leak as it runs more. Rear axle seals also dry out. Of course the fan belt has got to go, heater and radiator hoses too.

This will get expensive, I'll add that the carb will most likely need a rebuild, all new distributor guts, wires, and cap. I'd get a fuel pump too. The gas tank may be gummed up or dry. In my Ford, it was dry and when I took out the sender, the brass float turned to dust. I bought a new tank and sending unit.

 

[dmsfrr]

Yes on the above ^^^

I'll add that at some point before going too far under the hood, do a compression test on the engine.
You might find the reason it was parked and that would be good to know before buying a boat load of new parts to fit the current engine.

 

[bobss396]

Good idea, do the bare minimum, run it off a gas can, scrape the crud off the points and so on. Guaranteed to be a couple of stuck valves in it, may pay to pop the valve covers off and see if the engine will at least turn by hand. A bit of Marvel into the spark plug holes. A dry cylinder will scuff the pistons and also won't make enough compression for it to be able to start.

 

[Ole Don]

To check for stuck valves, remove the rocker covers and press each valve down with a hammer handle. If you find a stuck valve, oil it well, do NOT turn the hammer around and beat on it. Give it time and spray it with something every day.

 

[dmsfrr]

Just bought a 1954 Ford F100 pickup. ... Engine is 272 OH V8. ...

Did the seller tell you it was a 272, or have you confirmed it?
Double check which engine is in the truck. It can make a difference on some parts you will need.

'54 light trucks with a y-block normally came with a 239.
A 272 (or whatever) could have been swapped in.
If it's still the 239 many of the 272 and up parts aren't the same. (water pump, fuel pump, ....)

Check your engine block casting number at these links...
http://www.ford-y-block.com/Block identification.htm
http://www.y-block.info/casting/blocks.html

The block number is next to the base of the distributor, or just above the oil filter, or near the generator, depending on the year and casting foundry.
.

 

[Tom Quigley]

Thank you for the thoughtful contribution. The engine is actually a 239, so i got that wrong. Will try to report successes as it progresses. TQ

 

[dmsfrr]

Thank you for the thoughtful contribution. The engine is actually a 239, so i got that wrong. Will try to report successes as it progresses. TQ

why it matters, for your consideration....

The 239's are very hard if not impossible to get some internal engine parts for. Replacement cam's and cam bearings come to mind.
Generally they aren't worth trying to rebuild, so if the current engine has big problems a later 272/292 could be swapped in. They are much easier to get parts for and find, sometimes in running bolt-in condition.

If you can get the 239 running easily use it until it quits, while you're looking for another engine.
.

 

[willowbilly3]

Water pumps seem to be hard to find, even for the 272/292 pickups. I guess you can use the smaller shaft car one if you get all the pulleys and fan.

One of my favorite things to do is bring old engines back to life. On an engine that isn't stuck, the very first thing I do (if the oil looks ok) is to try and fire it by spraying Berryman's B-12 carb clean down the carb. It's much less volatile than starting fluid and you can actually keep an engine running on it for several seconds if you want. If I can light a fire that way and don't hear bad noises, then I continue and get the fuel system cleaned up so it will run on a can. About half the time I have to file the points to get spark.
AFAIK, the Berryman's is one of the few carb cleaner aerosols that is still combustible, most aren't. I buy it by the case

 

[dmsfrr]

... water pump frozen. ....

Note the different overall size for water pumps.
The 239's are the smaller one, 272 and up use the larger size.
As willowbilly3 mentioned, 'car' and 'truck' water pumps usually have a different size pump shaft also.
.