Junk Engine Teardown

Tear down inspect and decide if the engine is worth messing with.
Episode 150 Manic Mechanic
We outline things to look out for when buying a junkyard engine. While we are using a 302, most of what we are showing will apply to any engine.
Thanks for watching and please encourage others to subscribe.
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www.patreon.com/gasolinemedia

[@robertclymer6948]

Hello Jeff! good info sir! My Dad was an aviation mechanic in WW2 and Korea in the Navy. They always internally cleaned the engines with Kerosene in the crankcase, running them for a couple of minutes and flushing. You can actually get oil pressure with the kerosene but don't run very long. Does a fantastic job getting the crud out. He never hurt an engine doing this. I have done this with old car engines too. Thanks for sharing. Blessings to you and the family! Cheers from Motown/Dearborn.

[@RealWorldGarage]

Yeah man, these old school techniques do work. I have one that belonged to my grandfather and he’s known for not changing the oil regularly. It was pretty slimy. It had a failed intake valve sucking up into the head due to a failed rocker arm lifter ( Nissan problem). Before I completely stopped driving it I poured seafoam in the oil and ran it for about a week. It made a big difference. When I pulled the head off all of the crud was soft and washing off, and it made the oil really dark. So when I put it back together, I ran it about a month. Then changed the oil again at about 800 miles. It all seems to be good now and runs like a top.

[@robertclymer6948]

@@RealWorldGarage Thanks for the comment and your experience with Seafoam in the oil. Many sing the praises of Seafoam in various applications. Nice to know this. Cheers!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Good to hear from you Robert!

[@clevelandmaker386]

@@AutoRestoMod Roadkill?......I ain't got that kind of MONEY!!! remember......we're building a 1959 Fairlane Galaxie Skyliner 500 on a Pinto budget!!!

[@jesseduke694]

Yes, the back side of the bearing should indicate weather it is original or otherwise. With date, size, & manufacturer.

[@leadxpoison9281]

That engine actually looks pretty good. I've seen them where you can barely even make out the rocker arms under the crud.

[@AutoRestoMod]

True that. I pulled a cover on a salvage yard 351 C 4V once and the junk was almost the shape of the valve cover.

[@awh5773]

pull the bearing off and look on the under side of it. should be a marking stamped on it

[@AutoRestoMod]

There is. The engine is a 1971 build, paired nicely with the 1972 Maverick it came out of.

[@awh5773]

@@AutoRestoMod i saw that later in the video, i got to stop writing stuff before i finish watching the video LOL. love your videos man

[@terrydolbow4299]

I think it's on the back of the main cap Barrels!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Could be.

[@davidpenney4171]

Interesting and informative video. Last month I learned an expensive lesson about the original nylon-coated aluminum timing chain cam sprockets. I had one self-destruct at 70mph, 74K- original-mile '68 Cougar 302. A shop owner in Wytheville VA replaced the chain with an all-steel double roller, pulled the pan for cleaning, but then had no compression on #7 and #8. After a $1200, 229-mile tow back home, I have both 3-month old Edelbrock E-street aluminum heads being rebuilt with 5 valves needing replacement. I've had a couple seasoned mechanics tell me how often these timing chains failed even decades ago.

[@AutoRestoMod]

May I eat to hear that for you . Good luck with the repair

[@reaper20015]

That motor is out of a Maverick.......hmmmmm, kind of explains the condition. I'll bet that motor was involved in quite a few speeding tickets and lots of random acts of silliness.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Dunno. the car had pretty low miles (or so I thought). But I would bet you are right.

[@sylvanshelton9884]

Hanging drywall ain't bad. It's the finishing that takes the time. But don't worry, I'm stealing everyone's phone and subscribing them. You all deserve it.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Woot!

[@jeffreysalzman1497]

You are inspiring me to tear down the 289 I have sitting in my garage.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Go for it.

[@jeffreysalzman1497]

@@AutoRestoMod I did and the cam shaft beatings were fried.

[@67Stang]

Thanks for sharing this. I am lucky that my engine is in good shape. But you never know how long that will last.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Great point!

[@MrPoppyDuck]

Ugh that engine was grimy inside. Some people just do not believe in regular oil changes. That is engine abuse. 😁

[@AutoRestoMod]

Indeed.

[@oakhurstaxe6392]

Can't wait to see the rebuild of that engine in 20 years!😆 In all seriousness, thanks for the great video.

[@AutoRestoMod]

You are welcome. Yes, we need to let it season a bit more...

[@et76039]

Enjoyed the video, and appreciate your thoroughness. Have my own late '68 302 that deserves a similar check; last run in a different century. Ditto on the regular oil changes. Back in the late '70s, I had to pull the head on my secondhand Pinto, due to a blown head gasket (my fault, for letting the coolant go low). At some point during this unscheduled maintenance, it seemed wise to check the top end oil flow. Bingo! Crud was clogging the oil ports of the cam lobes; definitely blamable on the previous owner.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Those oil changes are key. It keeps your engine healthier.

[@owenm5122]

Jeff. When you were talking about Andrew and his girlfriend, I thought I was going to hear a little of the song 🎶Fancy Like🎶😁

[@AutoRestoMod]

HAHAHAHHA That song has been lurking around here lately. Getting a little worried.

[@ajw6715]

I keep my engine stand well greased. Turns real easy.

[@AutoRestoMod]

LOL That one hasn't turned in 20 years. I realized that after I shot the episode.

[@red66chevy]

word of the day "smutz"

[@AutoRestoMod]

schmutz /SHmo͝ots/ nounINFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN dirt or a similar unpleasant substance. "these handy wipes are always close by for swiping schmutz off my shoes, or cleaning up coffee spills" I intentionally mispronounce it because it sounds funnier. LOVE that word.

[@somerandomguy1471]

The timing of this video! I currently am having issues with my 1972 302. Really want to just buy an ATK small block remanufacture, but got a high school budget so I'll have to save a bunch or maybe I'll have to call it quits with this project truck since I am leaving for college in 4 months.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Keep the dream alive! I too was a poor high school kid and managed to get a running 5.0 HO to put in my 1968 Cougar. You can still sometimes find deals locally that will be far cheaper than a new engine.

[@overbuiltautomotive1299]

great show i would start with a 351w and get heads from that outfit david visard recomends or white racing newport tn good prices mostly chevy but i remember seeing some ford stuff. budget 5 speed is the f150 mazda trans box but i am with u get a modern 6 speed if $

[@AutoRestoMod]

Yep.

[@crosswits1]

Ah Jeff, that was Ford's early attempt at variable valve timing

[@RealWorldGarage]

If I already owned this engine it would depend on cash strapped I was. I’d probably hit it with the flat shoestring and some polish. Install a high volume oil pump and limit the RPM to 5500. But for this example you are evaluating before purchase, so yeah, take a pass on this one, depending on how much they wanted for it.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Exactly. I got it for free. Actually I found a hundred dollar bill under the carpet on the car, so I got pained to take it.

[@RealWorldGarage]

@@AutoRestoMod 20yrs ago $100 was worth $100 still.

[@RealWorldGarage]

Thanks, Now I have a mental image of cam that I can’t clean out, I’m fresh out of mental Clorox.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Buck fifty at Dollar General. Right next to the Blinker Fluid and Duct tape.

[@porter444]

Jeff - as always, great video! I have an issue I'd like your feedback on (possibly a topic for a future video)... I have a 1966 F100 with a 352 FE. As anyone with that combination knows the oil pan drain plug location is in a terrible location, obscured by the cross member. Somewhere in the trucks life someone stripped/cross threaded the drain plug and I imagine it's been a dripper ever since. My question is about the best way to fix this issue. My first thought was to do something drastic and buy a new oil pan and relocate the drain location to the front of the pan where it would not be obscured by the cross member. Is it possible to remove the oil pan without pulling the motor? Thanks in advance for your feedback sir!

[@AutoRestoMod]

You'd have the best chance for doing that on an F100. Our truck has a passenger car pan and it makes oil changes a snap. Now that the pans are available, I'd defiantly do the switch

[@stevepearson7745]

Got a motorcraft filter on it. It's good! Fram, you need to run away

[@AutoRestoMod]

After seeing what I saw...that filter didn't have a prayer. LOL

[@terrydolbow4299]

I love me a good tare down!😂

[@AutoRestoMod]

Me too I just wish I had done this 19 years ago so I would not have gotten "Geraldoed"...

[@chrishorst6993]

Some times buying ARP is cheaper than buying original. My 5.0 in my 88 broke a Torque to Yield head bolt. I looked for original it was close to $100 at the time and $60 for ARP that I can use again

[@AutoRestoMod]

Good point!

[@paulp5775]

When installing the lnlet manifold on the SB Windsor, do you use thread sealer on the bolts around the water jackets ? Thanks

[@eaglebaldonetough4074]

Hi!You forgot to put some marks on side of main cap before dismantle.Lol

[@AutoRestoMod]

At that point I figured why. LOL

[@TheJoefussGarage]

Hey there Jeff, this was fun, it always is more fun, when its going to be someone else's problem, if it's a train wreck... What's it take, to get Andrew or whoever is responsible to update the scrolling Patreon list ? I'm on my third month, bankrolling this Automotive, daily affirmation show/club, with no love...!!!!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Ruroh! I will whip Andrew into shape Joseph! Looked at the list and now I realize he hasn't updated it...at all. LOL

[@timothyperreault3330]

I have roadkilled an engine before roadkill. Changed bearings ran it 4 years. Low oil psi at idle

[@AutoRestoMod]

Legend!

[@terrydolbow4299]

If you don't want it! I'll take it because it's 1970 like me!😀

[@AutoRestoMod]

We will be using it for a builder I think.

[@leadxpoison9281]

Call me crazy, but I love the smell of cracking open an old engine. I like the smell of tar, too, so maybe I am.

[@AutoRestoMod]

You and me both!

[@mycontinental3611]

I'm confused on why you say you are turning engine backwards.Looks to me you are turning it clockwise wich normal rotation on a Ford.Unless it's boat motor.Some are counter clockwise.

[@kenmiller7456]

What do you mean when you say grind the crank 10/10?

[@AutoRestoMod]

10 thousanths

[@tripledoublemedia9119]

2nd comment :))

[@AutoRestoMod]

Word.