So tomorrow I'm picking up an engine for my '30 Model A. What I know about it, it was still in the car (pulled today), the car hasn't been licensed since 1978, the car has had a hood on it, but the motor has lots of surface rust. It spins freely and the water was drained. I plan to take it apart and get it checked, but what else should I be on the look out for on an old motor? (1958)
Bring a battery and some gas and try to start it and then if it sounds good you still wont know till you pull it apart
Always good to look, but if the motor is original to the car and the car is a stocker, check the odometer.. if it turns over, it will run, but sitting that long a complete teardown, hot-tank and run brushes through the oil passages won't hurt. As long as it's apart, a new oil pump and timing set along with the gaskets is a good idea. And measure everything. Or just throw it in and run it, change the oil 4 or 5 times the first 1000 miles or so, and when it starts to stay pretty clean, live with it.
I've found that if you hit the engine-shops first, you might have better luck, by phone first then go see em. "StreetRodders" swap stock or even modified engines (perfectly good) for bigger shit all the time, some engine shops have leftovers sitting around they have no use for. Beats ones that have been outdoor winter homes for vermin. You could also check the classifieds in here... a good mill can be built for very little if you get all the parts from HAMBers.
Guiseart, this is a 392 Hemi and I've been scouring all the sources. But engine shops likely wouldn't let this one go. Thanks guys for the input. The odometer check is a good one I forgot about. I feel pretty good about this one and the guy I'm buying it from seems like a straight shooter.
If it's been sitting that long and still turns over freely, call it a good prospect and don't run it without a teardown. Is it worth ruining parts that aren't ruined yet by insisting on starting it first? One of my friends wiped out the crank and cam in a 330 DeSoto hemi by insisting on hearing it run before he pulled it out--the 40 years' worth of garbage in the oil pan sucked into the oil pump pickup and starved it for oil.
The early hemi's had high quality castings, if this engine is coming out of the numbers matching car then I would be suprised if the block and head castings have never been machined, and if the hood was protecting it from the elements it's probably a really solid start.
well shit, I didn't know you were looking for a HEMI... I just thought you were looking for a replacement. Junkyards aint gonna have no HEMI's, at least not in my neck of the woods.
Hemi! Check for cracking near the freeze plugs. If there is no cracks there & it turns over it's probably a good core. Don't try to start it w/o at least an oil change & running the oil pump for a while.
Even if it turns over, I wouldn't fire it until I'd at least check the overall condition of the engine. I've seen a few good engines ruined because the oil galleries were plugged or the oil pump stopped working. I'd pull the valve cover and the pan at a minimum. If everything looks clean, change the oil, plugs, points, etc. and give it a try while having a manual oil pressure guage hooked up. If its not clean inside, I'd do as has been suggested and hot tank the heads, clean the galleries and put a fresh gasket set on it. I wouldn't expect miracles from an engine that has been sitting for 50 year old engine that has been sitting for almost 30 years. The flathead in my '50 Ford had been sitting for 25 years when I got the car. I went through everything on top of the motor, pulled the pan and put in some Lucas oil treatment. She smoked a little and after a few miles she ran better. However, even now, two years later, she runs OK, but she's not a fresh rebuild so I treat her gently. I know that if I drove the car hard for any length time, I'd blow something. Since this is a very desireable engine, I'd definately go through it first myself. This ain't no scrap yard 350 or 302.
Hemis that sit like that usually have stuck pistons, suprising this one isn't. A little mystery oil, or something simular product. in the cylenders. Plus running up the oil pump, but the safest thing would be to do the overhaul, but that's big money.
Don't forget to grab every bracket, pulley, and bolt-on widget the guy has. Even stuff that looks tortured or just plain generic should come with you.
Thanks guys, just got back. It looks better than the crappy phone pics he sent me. Ain't no way I'm starting it. It's free, but the oil was caked up pretty bad. I'm psyched! And Long Island Vic, yeah no kidding about the $$$. But I've been working butt loads of over time and for the first time in my life, I got more money than time! Does that make me a gold chainer? And Guiseart, you're right, it wasn't a junk yard motor. I bought it off a guy that is building a FED, but didn't feel he could squeeze the ponies out of the Hemi he wanted. I saw the rails, cool as hell!
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