If its been sitting that Long it is possible U have some stuck Valves or maybe even Pushrods that have fallen out. Take off the Rocker Covers and check that all Pushrods are in place. Fire it up and make sure all Valves are operating properly.Bringing something back to Life after 10 Years is going to try your Patience Sometimes. Stick with it.

  

Have you checked the gas tank for debris?  You could have crap in the tank that shits off the fuel supply at the outlet.  Once the engine shuts off, the debris settles back int the tank until the pumps starts to pull fuel out


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Tedward.  This is coming from someone who is o-l-d, deliberate and calculating.  I  have not always been this way.  Most of Murphy's Law I've personally experienced. 

Being patient I've found to be GooD advice.  Personally, I wouldn't have even tried to run your engine without dropping the tank for clean-out and cleaning out the fuel lines.  All old neoprene fuel lines and the fuel pump diaphragm are suspect to internal deterioration that can cause problems.  And then there's the components in the carburetor that can be affected by sitting for time with fuel evaporating and leaving residue deposits.  Ugh!

I'd suggest that you weigh HOW and WHERE the vehicle with the engine you've acquired has been stored for this extended time period. 

This may not be what you'd like to do, but consider taking the engine apart enough to lubricate parts so that damage is not done to cylinders, piston rings, lifter bores, rocker arm shafts, or valve guides in trying to getting it running for use.

My experience is that haste does not buy you much.  IF I were buying the vehicle from you, I'd want to know IF the engine crankshaft can be manually rotated through two rotations.  I'd be happier obtaining the vehicle without it having been run for fear that more damage would be caused by running it after it has sat for such an extended period.

'57 Fords had first letters in VIN code that identified the engine . . .
A  -  223 cubic inch 6 cylinder
B  -  272 y-block
C  -  292 y-block
D  -  312 y-block with a single 4 barrel carb
E  -  312 y-block equipped with two Holley 4000 carburetors
F  -  312 y-block supercharged with a single Holley 4000 carburetor

I suspect that your vehicle data plate has a C that you are reading as a G

In trying to verify if your vehicle has its original engine (without checking the rear crank flange, the cylinder bore, or the crank main caps) look to see IF it has the
- G heads (all 272, 292, & 312 without the supercharger used them;  ECZ-G casting markings on the heads suggest they may be original application)
- engine block casting number ECZ 6015-C (all 292 and 312 '57 blocks used this casting number;  this would suggest the engine may be original application)

Your approach in reviving your '57 is not wrong, it just is not what has worked well for me with engines I was planning to keep for my own use or rebuild.

Best Wishes!


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Thanks NoShortcuts for the advice. The car was stored in a garage in Spokane, Washington. It was my father in laws. My wife's brother had the gas tank and pump were replaced with ones. I replaced the filter between the pump and carburetor. It ran OK and then it went down hill running poorly. I replaced the plug wires, distributor cap and cleaned the plugs that didn't help. Rebuilt the carb yesterday and that didn't help. The timing advance is working. Dwell is at 26 degrees. Timing is at 12 degrees with a stuck distributor. I'm getting a spark to each cylinder. The spark is yellow, is that good? I will check to see if all the valves are working.

Tedward

noshortcuts Posted -

"Being patient I've found to be GooD advice.  Personally, I wouldn't have even tried to run your engine without dropping the tank for clean-out and cleaning out the fuel lines.  All old neoprene fuel lines and the fuel pump diaphragm are suspect to internal deterioration that can cause problems.  And then there's the components in the carburetor that can be affected by sitting for time with fuel evaporating and leaving residue deposits.  Ugh!"

You know something? That's some of the best advice I have ever come across ...

____________________________

No.

pull both rocker covers and see if the pushrods are in place.an engine that has been sitting can stick valves.check your vacumn as well

i didnt see the second page.

I would think you need to replace the points and the condenser with quality units. Just my two cents. Once that distributor is free, I would suggest pulling it out completely, check for wear, check the vacuum advance, and replace the points and condenser. Then install on #1 TDC and time accordingly. If you have good, clean fuel getting to the carb, and you just rebuilt your carb, the easiest check on limiting the RPM increase of your engine would be the fuel delivery and the spark (and volume/timing of same). Compression may not be what you need it to be, but even with less than optimal compression you should not be "cutting out" as you say.

The main reason I am thinking ignition components is because of your word "erratically".



Daniel Jessup

Loveland, Ohio

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Ok, I checked the push rods and valves and they all work. Out of curiosity I hooked up the timing light to number one plug wire and watched the flashes and noticed that it would miss one occasionally, did the same with #2,#3,#4 wires and noticed the same behavior. I'm guessing I need to replace the points, rotor, and condenser next?

Tedward