Hi All,

I just put a deposit on a 312 (well hopefully it is, as it has a 4 bbl) and power train, I will pick everything up this week or next. The Rad and Tranny will eventually got to shops to get worked over, the engine I can do up to a point. What I would like to (at least in my mind) is clean it up, lube it up and see if I can fire it up to see what/if any life it has left in it. I still have a feeling that the heads will have to come off and go into the shop, then I can turn it over and look at the bearings, bores, crank etc.

What ideas do you all have for getting this engine cleaned and lubed up and possible fired up? It has not run since the 90's. Although, in the ad, a pic was taken of the oil on the dipstick-and it actually looked good. So I am hoping it is not seized. I am close enough to Hanford to drop the engine off to get reworked.  

Update, I just found my first post that is essentially the same thing. So I will follow that info. But, at least I am in the Y block game finally!




Mike
 

Hi Mike, I can tell you what I remember about my 55 which happened to have a 312 in it that wasn’t running. After towing it home I drained the oil, and coolant from radiator and block. I flushed coolant as best I could and refilled, it had the old oil filter canister and I replaced it with a spin on adapter. I removed the spark plugs and poured some marvel mystery oil into the cylinders, I was able to turn over the engine easily by rotating the fan, thrilled that it wasn’t seized. I think I also removed the valve covers and poured oil over the rockers just in case. I replaced the plugs, points, condenser plug and coil wires. I installed a new battery, primed the carburetor and It fired up. I drove it to a service station where the motor and trans were steam cleaned as well as could be done with the car on the ground.Good luck 🍀

1955 312 T-Bird Warwick, NY

I'm not a professional, so you may get different answers here.   If it were my engine, I wouldn't attempt to fire the engine.  I would try to turn it over by hand just to see if it's free.  After all this time, you don't know where it's been, what's been done to it and it's current condition.  I would disassemble the engine and inspect it carefully before I rebuilt it.   312s are getting hard to find.  Virgin 312s are even rarer.  Good luck. 

What are your plans for the engine, what is your budget, and what kind of storage conditions has the engine in question been subject to? There are a lot of different ways to go depending on the answers.

In questions like this in the past I've seen the keyboard mechanics run the gamut, some insist on nothing less than a complete engine disassembly all the way down to the subatomic granular level with total machine shop overhaul of every part, sparing no expense. (It's easy to spend other people's money) Others apparently just hook up a battery, fuel it from an old boat tank, and see if it will fire.

I tend to take a more middle approach in most things. Find out exactly what it is that you have. Make sure it is reasonably safe to fire before proceeding. If you decide to fire it, removing the oil pan and inspection first might be a good plan if the condition is otherwise suspect, I'd be a little worried first about barn critters or vermin setting up shop inside the engine depending how well or where the engine spent the last 30 years. I might even forego that - flexible inspection cameras are cheap now, they pair with smartphones - I'd take a peek down the intake, maybe the cylinders, and I think the oil pump screen might be visible via the oil pan drain plug area? See where I'm goin' with that?

Generally speaking if the engine turns freely, compression is good, valve rockers, pushrods &c are looking good, oil is flowing, I'd be in no hurry to spend all kinds of money on it (unless that's what you feel you must do for some reason).

If it turns out that the engine is in good shape, runs well, has good compression, has good oil pressure, I wouldn't be in any hurry to tear it apart.

On an engine that has been sitting for that long and not in a climate controlled environment, there are several things that need attention as mentioned in a couple of the posts.  The biggest problem will be rings rusting to the cylinder walls if ANY moisture got into the engine at any time, and if the rocker arms were not released to shut the valves.   The gaskets will have dried out and become brittle even when soaked in oil, the rubber valve stem seals will be brittle and break, possibly ruining the oil pump and starving the engine of any oil, the front timing cover seal will need replaced, the rear main seal/rope will need replaced, intake gasket will need replaced, valve cover gaskets, thermostat and gasket, water pump, and carb freshened as well as normal tune-up electrical items.  I recently went through this with a FE that had sat for nearly 30 years, and it needed every gasket/seal replaced as well as water pump and complete tune up.  Will it fire up, what is the purpose?  If it is a real 312, then take the time to go through it ONE time, and not ruin it.  JMO, Joe-JDC

JDC

I kind of figure it will happen something like this: Put it on the stand pull the valve covers oil the snot out of it and make sure everything moves. Rotate it and check the bearings. If everything looks good in the bottom end pull the heads and send them in for a rework. Replace all of the gaskets, pump, tune her up and see where that goes. This is the rough plan and I know how plans go and what assume stands for. 

It sat in a wrecking yard for 30 years so I am assuming it will probably need a total tear down as everything maybe frozen. But then again I may get lucky-who knows.......

Mike 

Since you don't know if it's a 312, I hope you didn't pay big money for it? The 4 Bbl is a clue..but could have been installed at any time & some 292 truck engines had 4 bbls.  It's difficult to ascertain without going to a bit of trouble. If the trans is off, check the crankshaft flange for the following;  There may be a cutout on the flange with one 5/16" dia. very short pin showing. If so, it's a 312.. If not or has more than one pin it's probably a 272-292. If not marked, then the  2nd thing is to pull the pan & check the Rod caps for the "ECZ" markings. If there it's a 312.. You can also link from here to John Mummert's site which lists the various block casting letters, which may be helpful..  


Paul

I am hoping as well that it is a 312. But right now I have nothing-or less than that in some respects. I am paying for to get everything: rad, engine, tranny and all of the linkages-of which I have none of that. I will find out on Sunday and if it turns out to be 292 then I will see about negotiating a lower price. 

Mike 

Ok, here are some pics of the engine. Carb-replaced at some point with a Ford something 4 bbl. No sludge in the valves galley, and the block is still full of antifreeze. I am going to be optimistic and hope the engine still has life left in it. Hey-one can hope. I will try and verify the 312 next weekend when I get a chance to pull the tranny off.



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I just verified the little Aspirin on the crank flange! She also rotates and the starter looks good to go.

Mike