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58-60 Square Birds - READ ONLY

39 messages,  Last post on Mar 18, 2002 at 5:54 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Thunderbird, Coupe, Convertible

Messages Page 4 of 4

#30 of 39 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Mar 17, 2002 (11:17 am)

There's really nothing you can do about this. ATF is just a very high detergent oil that isn't a very good engine lubricant. Some "old timers" were, sad to say, crackpots. They aren't all imbued with wisdom, believe me (speaking as one near-old timer myself).
 
I don't wanna catch you pouring anything into your carburetor but gas
 
If you jury rig a PVC system you are just going to foul your air cleaner and your spark plugs. The engine cannot process that level of blow-by.
 
I'd say flush the engine with cheap oil, do some quick filter changes, and replace the valve stem seals and see what happens. Even pulling the heads and doing valve guides may help considerably. It's not a very hard job on a car like yours.
 

#31 of 39 Keep the 352 ! by isellhondas

Mar 17, 2002 (12:00 pm)

I would hate to see you Micky Mouse up the car by installing a different engine like that 390.
 
Oh...I know, others here will disagree with me.
 
I think the idea of changing the oil several times is a good one. Also, try a can of Rislone. This stuff really works and this comes from a guy who usually does not believe in oil additives.
 
Changing the valve guides isn't a real complex or expensive repair and you just might have a big difference.
 
And...60,000 miles was getting to be overhaul time back in the "old days". Might be time for a rebore too.

#32 of 39 by speedshift

Mar 17, 2002 (8:44 pm)

I think the "old-timers" poured stuff like ATF down the carb to blow out the carbon in the combustion chambers. Don't know if it works but I bet it kills every mosquito within fifty feet--fierce amounts of smoke will come out the tailpipes.

#33 of 39 suggestions by jerrym3

Mar 18, 2002 (6:34 am)

Sounds more and more that I'll just drive it the way it is until it's time to dump it. (I will try the Rislone.)
 
 In my younger days, I had no problem changing manual trans (57 Chev 3 speed) and rear ends, and doing brake jobs in my driveway; no more. So, I'm not about to tackle removing the heads, and, like I said, the blue smoke from the valve guide problem only lasts for the first half mile or so. (I still don't mind doing simple stuff like changing radiators, water pumps, carbs, doing tuneups, etc.)
 
The 58 is an amazing car to work on, with the hood opening from the front. The motor sits so far forward from the firewall, you can actually see most of the bell housing from up top. But, when you need to do radiator or front engine work, it's easier to take the hood off than try and work around it.
 
The plate that I was referring to sits between the carb and the manifold, so it's downstream of the air filter. (It's an identical setup to the PCV system on my 64 Galaxie convert.) But, as noted, it could still foul the plugs if the blowby is bad enough.
 
Seems like a pretty simple thing to try out, though. If it doesn't work. I can always throw in a new set of plugs.
 
But, do I really need the PCV valve?
 
Been kicking around the idea of selling one of them anyway. The convt has some nasty NEast rust underneath, but still runs/looks fine, even with 205,000 miles (about 110,000 on the motor). Owned it since 1969. It's like part of the family, now.
 
It'll be a tough choice.

#34 of 39 You don't have to pull the heads... by isellhondas

Mar 18, 2002 (9:20 am)

A shop will use compressed air to hold the valves in place whne they change the valve stem seals.
 
Not that difficult unless you lose air pressure in the middle of the job and the valve falls.
 
If this happens, the mechanic will turn the air blue with swear words that make a Drill Sergeant look like a choir boy....
 
As far as ATF...I once watched an old timer free up a sticking lifter by pouring a can down the carb. In this case, it worked!
 
Talk about SMOKE !!!

#35 of 39 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Mar 18, 2002 (10:34 am)

For the life of me I don't know how oil in the fuel system is going to get to a valve lifter, but I'm open to being educated on this one!
 
In the crankcase, it might work, as ATF is very high detergent.
 
I once stopped some NUT from pouring borax into the intake air horn of a Mercedes diesel. He was going to "seat the rings". I really regret having intervened in hindsight. It could have been amusing.
 
Yeah, put some valve stem seals in that T-Bird. It's worth the effort in this case I think.

#36 of 39 yeah, but.... by jerrym3

Mar 18, 2002 (1:05 pm)

The valve seals sounds like a fairly inexpensive fix for the blue smoke when I start the car, and I'd get it done in a heartbeat if that were my only problem. But it still leaves me with the bigger issue: the blowby.
 
What's a ballpark figure for an engine rebuild-$2,000?

#37 of 39 Shifty... by isellhondas

Mar 18, 2002 (2:20 pm)

I don't know either, I do remember the lifter stopped clicking. He may have poured half of it in the oil?
 
Can you imagine how brittle those stem seals must be after 43 years!
 
The blowby? Well, I think a good machine shop would probably charge you around that 2000.00 number if you bring them the engine. I've been out of the loop for awhile and could be off.
 
Probably needs a rebore etc...
 
Sounds like the car may be worth the money and effortif the body is sound.

#38 of 39 Compressed air.... by rea98d

Mar 18, 2002 (4:58 pm)

Just wrap a rubber band around the top of the valve. That way, if you loose air pressure, the rubber band keeps the valve from falling down into the cylinder.
 
Of course, there's always the rope-through-the-spark-plug-hole trick.

#39 of 39 cheap rebore by speedshift

Mar 18, 2002 (5:54 pm)

Pour borax through the carb .

Messages Page 4 of 4

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