How many miles

Much depends on the quality of the rebuild--
I got 40K out of rings and a valve job on my 46---how much longer I don't know because I sold it, a 39 we had with 32K had a rebuild 3K before and it had burned valves and smoked due to not being cleaned before assembly -- poor workmanship,

I would expect a proper rebuild with todays oils,original bypass filter, proper care, run at proper operating temp and fuel mixture to get well over 100K

Running too rich, short trips that don't get the oil to temperature, running too cool, not cleaned properly after machining, not maintaining the air filter properly, poor machining, low quality parts, not balanced etc and you can have it apart again in less than 10K
 
The running to cool is an issue. Can't believe the number of folks that seem to think it is good thing to run a flathead to cool. I agree with Kurt, short trips and running to cool will shorten the engine life.
 
When I was in School in the 60s we watched a film Ford put out on the new 289 engines. They ran a number of them on a test track for 100k miles, 24hrs a day, only stopping for maintenance. At the end they took the engines apart and checked them, all the parts checked within factory tolerances for new parts.
By contrast I had a new 73 Ford station wagon and my wife would not walk anywhere. Most of the places she went were within two or three blocks. Than engine needed a complete rebuild at around 30k.
So, yep it all depends on the type of miles.
 
239,000 miles total. Just had bearings replaced after 53,000 miles since last done. But, I do a lot of road trips climbing the highest mountains and up and down the lower ones. I'm pretty sure the engine would have gone further if it had just been driven on the plains or along the coast as most are.
 
I have 130,000 REAL miles on my 39 convertible with no engine problems at all. The only problems I have had was vapor lock with this new gas but have learned to over come that. This is a NOS engine I installed 30 years ago and drove on two day 1,200 mile trips at speeds between 65 and 75 MPH on 10 hour days numerous times. I use a 3:78 rear with a Columbia overdrive. The key to long engine life is good oil, I used Castrol hard drive 20/50 since start up and change a couple times a year. Plus good cooling. I use Skips water pumps and Bob Sheman's thermostats and it runs right between 178 and 182 at all time, even in 95 degree outside temperatures. The engine is still quiet, powerful and don't use any oil. G.M. Engine picture is over 30 years ago when I installed it.
 

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Old Henry said:
239,000 miles total. Just had bearings replaced after 53,000 miles since last done. But, I do a lot of road trips climbing the highest mountains and up and down the lower ones. I'm pretty sure the engine would have gone further if it had just been driven on the plains or along the coast as most are.
Click to expand...

I hope you had it rebuilt with the "MH-rated" bearings ("Mountains and Hills) this time. DD
 
The high flow Stant thermostats that I use are rated at 170°, 10° higher than my operator's manual recommends, but that's the only temperature they come in. In the winter the engine is staying right around 165°. Close enough for me and plenty hot for the heater to roast us out. And, the high flow thermostats let water flow in the summer to cool at higher temperatures the same as no thermostats at all. Here are the details: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113979
 
I had 75,000 miles on the engine in my '37 Pickup...a 29A block. Drove the **** out of it. Never let me down. Would have lasted another 75,000 miles.
 
My '37 fordor has 61,400 miles on it. I have all of the receipts for work on the car and none indicate any engine work other than normal maintenance. I bought the car 4 years ago and have driven it about 4,000 miles. The engine runs great and the car cruises nicely at 65 mph but I seldom drive it over 55. It smokes some and uses about a quart of oil in 300 miles. The spark plugs look good so I haven't changed them. The oil pressure is low when warm, about 10 on the gauge. The compression is right at 90 on all 8 cylinders. I thought about overhauling the engine but now plan to just keep driving it. I''m a few years older than the car and need overhauling more than it does.
 
I've got 144,000 miles on my '47 Convertible, the engine has developed a knock so, I've put her away for now. I plan on dropping the pan and checking the bearings. We swapped bearings on Mike's '41 Coupe from underneath, didn't have to pull the Flathead... Hopefully we'll be able to do the same thing with the '47.
 
V8COOPMAN said:
I hope you had it rebuilt with the "MH-rated" bearings ("Mountains and Hills) this time. DD
Click to expand...

Some of the numbers on that post also sound a bit exaggerated to me as I recall reading about two engine failures that required more than just bearings :rolleyes:
 
Seems that my 39 Deluxe is relatively low mileage compared to some here. It is something over 72,000 if I recall . I don't know at what point it had the new Ford "rebuilt" engine installed in 1952. Cars probably had a hard life in the early days with poor roads, mud and snow, cold starts with no pre heating. Overheating in the summer on dusty dirt roads.
 
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