All Small Six "Extra" 200 cid I6 engine

[twodogs]

I was given a 200 cid I6 engine - yay for me! The block is a D8, and the head is E0. I looked it over and the engine was in the process of being rebuilt. It has a .030 overbore and looking down the spark plug openings, it's clear the new Sealed Power pistons have never been fired. I pulled the oil pan and saw that the previous owner had installed a new rod bearing set (.010 undersized). The cam still has globs of assembly grease sitting on the lobes. The pictures show just how I received it. It doesn't have any pushrods, or the rocker assembly and valve cover.

Some of you may remember that I just reinstalled my '74 200 cid I6 back into my Bronco. During that removal I replaced the rod bearings, timing chain, water pump, and a few other things. I haven't worked on the top end other than to replace a head gasket. The rig doesn't burn any oil and it has 110,00 original miles on it.

My question is what would you do with the "extra" engine? Would you finish rebuilding it and keep it as a spare? Would you finish it and sell it? Sell it as it sits? Or other possibilities that I haven't thought of? Prior to receiving this engine, I had always assumed I would just rebuild my '74 200 whenever the time came. My Bronco is pretty much all original so I would think having the original engine would be a plus if I ever sold it.

This is indeed a good conundrum to have.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, I would spray the whole thing with WD 40 and store it in a garbage bag.
Now you have spare engine in case you need it, or pass on to a another Ford Six fan.
If you decide to improve the performance with cylinder head work you can leave your original stock.
Nice block heater. Good luck

 

[bubba22349]

Congratulations that’s a real nice 200! Well if you are wanting any extra performance for your Bronco this new 200 seems to be the direction someone was heading. It does have the best in a factory large log head, and fresh pistons maybe an aftermarket cam. Certainly is worth something to another if you don’t want to use it yourself. Best of luck.

 

[powerband]

Excellent -almost complete ! , IF you have the space, stetting it up on a run-stand is more fun than a engine stand. I do have two 250 blocks , one is OEM from my 74 Maverick, other is donated V8 swap. They're in contractor plastic garbage bags standing on end on furniture dollys.


Run stand helps tweak/proof carb work and distribs' and more.

.

have fun

 

[bmbm40]

Keep it if you have room always good to have a spare engine. Getting harder to find these sixes.

 

[twodogs]

Thanks for the counsel everyone. I'm going to keep it for the time being (WD40 application soon), and I'm even thinking of finishing the rebuild....just because. Keeping it should have been my first thoughts since parts and engines aren't easy to come by.

Question. The overbore was easy to figure out, as were the new rod bearings. Before going further on the rebuild, would it be worth pulling the cam since I have no idea what was put in there? I assume one needs that piece of information in order to determine which rocker assembly to get. Any other things I should note at this stage so that I can make a well-informed rebuild? Thanks much.

 

[bubba22349]

Depends but if you pull the head so you can see everthing and measure the piston to block deck height, bore size, and combustion chamber CC's this would give the info neede to know the Copression Ratio. And yes you could also pull the cam to check for manufacturers markings and degree it to. If you pull the cam keep all the lifters in their proper order so that the go back on the same cam lobe. Best of luck

 

[twodogs]

Depends but if you pull the head so you can see everthing and measure the piston to block deck height, bore size, and combustion chamber CC's this would give the info neede to know the Copression Ratio. And yes you could also pull the cam to check for manufacturers markings and degree it to. If you pull the cam keep all the lifters in their proper order so that the go back on the Sam cam lobe. Best of luck

Thanks for that info. I've read nearly everywhere that it's important to have a plan on your rebuild (naturally). Would it be worth dropping the block off at an engine builder to get all the measurements? I ask that because I have a hard time seeing how to move forward with a plan without knowing what the previous owner did so far. I don't have all the tools and knowledge that many of you have, so I thought that would at least get me started with baseline information.

 

[twodogs]

Thanks for that info. I've read nearly everywhere that it's important to have a plan on your rebuild (naturally). Would it be worth dropping the block off at an engine builder to get all the measurements? I ask that because I have a hard time seeing how to move forward with a plan without knowing what the previous owner did so far. I don't have all the tools and knowledge that many of you have, so I thought that would at least get me started with baseline information.

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, to learn more about engine re-building and machine shop work get this excellent book by Tom Monroe. How to rebuild Small Block Ford Engines.
A lot of tips and measurement techniques apply to your engines. He shows how to measure bore and crankshaft wear and taper.
I would not bring the parts to a machine shop unless you are getting ready to do some work. I would get a cheap digital caliper for under $50 and a feeler gauge. With these two tools and some plasti-gauge you can check most everything if you learn what to look for.
The bore is easy to measure as long as there is no ridge. If the piston or bearing sizes were changed the new parts will be stamped something like
.010, .020. .030. etc.
Good luck

 

[bubba22349]

Well about the most important thing would be to know what CC's of the heads Combustion chambers measure, its not a hard job and there are ways to do it inexpensively. If your more comfortable with a local shop doing it that's ok to if they have that service. On the block though your going to easily see what's been done once the head is off and or you can also post some pictures here were we can help you verify things, again if you'd be more comfortable with a shop doing it that's also fine. Ask them a time frame on getting that info for you.

Generally we will know pretty much what the bore size of the stock or a bored out cylinder measures just by looking for a marking on the tops of the over sized Pistons such as .020, .030 (this is about the most common on first rebuilds) .040 etc. Rod and Main bearing oversizes are also marked when the crankshaft has been reground under size Std. Or no markings are factory standard size, oversizes are .10, .020, .030, ect. The camshaft if it's an aftermarket type will have a grind or catalog number on the rear of the last cam bearing journal, you can probally really come close to figuring it out by decreeing the cam as it's installed currently. This isn't a hard job but requires a few tools to measure it check out the below video link that does a good job showing how it's done, site member Ehco 1955 did a whole series of vedios showing the rebuild of his 1965 Mustang 200 rebuild into a mild performance engine is a good place to start to learn what's involved in a stock or mild engine build up. That only leaves the piston to block deck height we could estamate this or it could be measured only thing is to make sure it's at TDC this could be done with the cam degreeing operation to. Best of luck

Part 1 of Ehco1955's 200 engine rebuild

Echo1955 Cam Degreeing Video

 

[twodogs]

Hi, to learn more about engine re-building and machine shop work get this excellent book by Tom Monroe. How to rebuild Small Block Ford Engines.
A lot of tips and measurement techniques apply to your engines. He shows how to measure bore and crankshaft wear and taper.
I would not bring the parts to a machine shop unless you are getting ready to do some work. I would get a cheap digital caliper for under $50 and a feeler gauge. With these two tools and some plasti-gauge you can check most everything if you learn what to look for.
The bore is easy to measure as long as there is no ridge. If the piston or bearing sizes were changed the new parts will be stamped something like
.010, .020. .030. etc.
Good luck

Thank for the info! I had Monroe's book on my "need list" and your note reminded me to order it. Wandering into machine shops has me thinking that everyone must have high-tech tools everywhere. I've got calipers for reloading, feeler gauges, plenty of wrenches, and a retired lifestyle, so perhaps I've got more at my disposal than I imagined. I've read the Performance Handbook, as well as this site, so I'll do some more reading with Monroe's book. With the recent work on my six, I hope to have plenty of time to plan the extra engine rebuild.

 

[twodogs]

Well most important would be to know what CC's the head Combuston chambers measure its not a hard job and there are ways to do it inexpensively. If your more comfortable with a local shop doing it that's ok to I f they have that service. On the block though your going to easily see what's been done once the head is off and or you can also post some pictures here to help you verafy again if you'd be more comfortable with a shop doing it that's also fine. Ask them a time frame on getting that info.

Generally we will know what the bore size of the stock or bored out cylinders just by looking for a marking on the tops of the over sized Pistons such as .020, .030 (this is about the most common on first rebuilds) .040 etc. Rod and Main bearing are also marked when the crankshaft has been reground under size. The camshaft if it's an aftermarket will have a grind number on the rear of the last cam bearing journal, you can probally really close to figuring it out by decreeing the cam as it's installed currently. This isn't a hard job but requires a few tools to measure it check out the below video link that does a good job showing how it's done. That only leaves the piston to block deck height we could estamate this or it could be measured only thing is to make sure it's at TDC this could be done with the cam degreeing operation to. Best of luck

Echo1955 Cam Degreeing Video

Thank you! I generally prefer to do the work myself, because there's no better way to learn, and it makes future work that much easier. I've been dying to take that head off so I may just do it in the next week or so. I do know this. It has been bored .030 over (I can see that on the top of the new pistons. The crankshaft must have been reground because I pulled a rod bearing. They were new and were listed as .010 under. The cam and block deck height were the biggest mysteries to me but I'm guessing that it's the stock cam. That video was very helpful. I'll know more on the deck height once I pull the head.

Thanks to you that have weighed in. Between my reading materials, and the information you've provided, I think I can get some of the necessary specs for the engine. I think I've watched the whole series of videos on that 200 rebuild. That in part got me thinking that I could do the work. Famous last words

 

[bubba22349]

Well you can't pick a much easier engine to learn these skills on. I also think after seeing the recent work you just did on your Bronco that you are plenty capable of the 200 rebuild. Good luck

 

[twodogs]

Well you can't pick a much easier engine to learn these skills on. I also think after seeing the recent work you just did on your Bronco that you are plenty capable of the 200 rebuild. Good luck

Simplicity is good when it comes to me. Thanks for the compliment and the vote of confidence! I've been having a lot of fun making this rig safe, and up-to-date with maintenance. There certainly is pride in being able to say I did it myself (with a lot of advice).

 

[chad]

all way nice to havea excuse to buy new tools too! "Dial indicator & mag stand?, yup I need that!". The degree wheel can B made on a standard inkjet printer...if the hiskol kids do it (measure) so can we~