200 I6 Noob Upgrades

[cjperry81]

I have a 66 with an stock 200 in it. I would venture to say its never been rebuilt. It runs decent but Im wanting to hop it up but make it streetable still. Can someone give me some suggestions on what I should upgrade on it on a budget? I am a noob when it comes to engines but I have some very able friends to help me. Should I tear the whole engine down because its so old. When I took the valve cover off the head and the valves looked aweful and was full of sludge and debris. Need some advice.

CP

 

[CZLN6]

HOwdy CP and Welcome:

You will find a wealth of resources at this Forum! So, what to do? Well, there is alot of satisfaction in taking the old and worn and resirecting it. You'd be amazed at what a good tune up, clean up and fresh fluids will do for an old engine. And, of course any level of performance enhancement is fun too. I guess my recommend is that you read and decide for yourself what's right for you. I'm with you though on the "Keep it streetable" criteria. So Read, Read, READ and enjoy! Your journey has just begun.

Adios, David

 

[MPGmustang]

Welcome CP,

Just like you I started a noob too, didn't know much about cars and engines, just enough to maintain. there are so many tricks and tips on this forum that the best way is what CZLN6 mentioned... read. but Never be afraid to post and ask questions, it's the best way to learn. a stock 200 had alot of pep off the line, it only lacks at high speeds UP a hill... it's great on flat ground. best thing is to get it running right and happy, a few things

1) Clean up the engine with Marvel Mystery Oil, just dump the whole bottle. and change oil and filter after no more than 1000 miles. this will get rid of gunk that you saw.
2) Set timing right, If you have a very stock system you'll have points under the distributor cap, they work great but you'll have to forgive my no-knowledge in that area, I like Pertrinix ignition, it's an addon and it's way easier to tune. set timing with a timing light to 8*-10* most like it there, make sure your vacum can is working properly on the distributor by "blowing" (don't suck) on the line, if it blows through Napa has the part mostly ready for $15.
3) Carb Idle is critical, try to aim for 700 rpm. if you need help Post what kind of carb you have, there should be some kind of marking on the side or front of the carb. and we can help ID the screws to adjust.

And Good Luck!!

 

[JackFish]

I wouldn't recommend a flush if it's that bad. A flush will loosen up chunks of debris that will try to circulate.
I'd pull the head and take it to a shop for cleaning inspection and possible rebuild.

 

[Asa]

part of the problem is, what's your definition of sludge and debris Vs my definition? that's where pictures come in handy
you could take the valve cover off and try and wipe up most of that stuff, you will break some of it up and it will circulate, but not as much as if you were to put in a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil

also, overfilling your crankcase can be bad, if you do go that route, i'd change the oil a lot sooner than 1000 miles, maybe around 500 or less
make sure you get the engine hot though

 

[falcon1963]

If you have that much sludge in the valve area, i wonder what the pan & oil pump screen look like.

If you loosen the sludge upstairs the is a good possibility that the oil pump screen will become clogged & you will loose oil pressure.

Either the previous owner or you did 10,000 mile oil changes & that is a death wish.

You can try to run a mixture of kerosine & ATF in the engine for a 30 minute run, then drain the junk out of the engine & change the oil & filter & then inspect the valve cover area & see what it looks like.

Either you just keep running the engine or pull it out & do a complete overhaul.

If you do pull it out take it to a machine shop & have them check it out.

Then go from there. How much do you want to spend to get the engine in tip shop shape??

Let your wallet be your guide.

 

[rbohm]

8) cp, you are getting some good advice here, but everyone is starting a bit far up the ladder. the very first thing you need to do is determine what kind of condition the engine is in. run a compression check, a vacuum check, read the plugs, etc. start at the very beginning. once you have determined that the engine is either basically sound or not, then move on to determining how much sludge is in the engine, and if you need to be aggressive in cleaning it out or not.

like evan(asa) said, what one person considers a lot of sludge, another might consider a minor amount. pictures help. after you determine how much sludge you have, you can then plan on how to clean it out. the first thing to do is change the oil and use a good synthetic with a cleaner additive like seafoam, and run the car for about 200 miles, and change the oil again, then look to see how much sludge is left at that point. i agree with not going to aggressive in cleaning out the engine as you may loosen up enough stuff to plug the pick up screen and lose an engine.

as for upgrades, the first one should be an electronic ignition system.

if the engine is in good overall condition, then i would get another head from the salvage yard, and send it to mike at classicinlines.com and have his people work their magic on it with a two barrel conversion, and mild porting. this will help you pick up probably 20-30hp, as well as picking up some efficiency, and sets up a good base for a cam swap later on.

 

[CobraSix]

I agree with rbohm,

Check your foundation first. Basics. Engine condition, carb, brakes, suspension. Get those all in good working order before power upgrades. However, that said, one of the first things I personally did was upgrade to an electronic ignition. If you are just learning, the Pertronix I unit is really easy to install and will instantly improve the running of the engine. It's also a relatively cheap option.

Also, welcome to FSP!

 

[Lazy JW]

.......

Check your foundation first. Basics...... brakes, suspension.......

Yup. It absolutely MUST be safe before all else; a 44 year old vehicle that has sludge in the engine probably needs some attention to the fundamentals. You stated that "It runs decent" so there is no great need to dig much further into the engine just yet; spend your first dollars on brakes, shocks, tires, and alignment (which includes replacing worn parts). Once that's all done, make a big order for performance parts at Classic Inlines

We especially don't want anyone to get hurt, and it also pains us to see a vintage Mustang get banged up.
Have fun, and WELCOME! to the forums.
Joe