Folks,
I'm "into" my Crown y-block due to several issues: it's a "morphidite" put together previously by someone unknown to me before I got the car.

When originally trying to deal with a Ford "94" 2-bbl carb issue vs a '57 distributor [incompatible vacuum advance] I removed the intake manifold to re-paint and block-off the crossover exhaust. In doing that I found dry & rusty intake bolt threads on the left (drivers) side which made me really suspicious of lack of top-end oiling to that side [passenger (right) side intake manifold bolts were in the usual "oily" condition, which I considered "good". That led me to removing the left head to check for oil-path blockage (oil was O. K.), which led me to removal of a lot of really "wet" carbon build-up in the combustion chambers and on the piston tops (the carb was obviously running really rich).

And that led me to removing the right-side head also: So, now I need to replace heads, etc.

I have an old set of the original-style steel head gaskets (Victor 1176BS) and may want to use them with permatex aviation gasket cement in order to retain the proper quench as the pistons are all "in" by approx. 0.020" recess (originally, Ford had those thin steel gaskets sprayed with one coat of fresh aluminum paint both sides, let dry, and re-coat with "dry-to-tacky" then immediately install and torque heads while still "tacky"). I'm really hesitant to use the newer composite gaskets due to this issue; and I'm not in a position to zero-deck the block or replace rods, etc., to bring pistons up. Suggestions please.

In '57, Ford eliminated the oil trays under the rocker arm assembly "due to a technical change" according to a TSB (I don't know what that "change" was). My rockers are a "57 (or later) variety with 1.54 rockers and self-locking adjusters: when I first looked at them, the adjusters were extended quite a lot for proper valve lash; I'm thinking that the trays ought to be left-out when I re-assemble to bring the rocker geometry to a better place. Suggestions, comments???

Finally, I'm looking for a good cooling system cleaner for use after I get it running again; I used to use "du Pont #7 Heavy Duty Engine Cleaner" [with Oxalic acid],,but, can't find it anymore. Suggestions??

Thanks, JLB



55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top