Look what I found under my valve cover!!!!

[JHPSTANG]

Oh $%&*$#@!!!!!
I put in some oil this afternoon, and then removed the valve cover to check before I spun the oil pump. I sure am glad I did that!!! This is what I found:

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Needless to say this is not what I was hoping for. I guess after 18 years I should have expected something like this, but I'm freaking out.
So my question is this, can this be cleaned up without pulling the engine or the head? I realize that many of you are going to say pull the engine and rebuild...but I'm not really there, unless that is the only way. How bad is it???? Shop VAC.... LOL

 

[kukm66]

Complete overhaul time! If the valve train looks like that, things are not looking good for the bottom end either. That is hands down the worst valve train I have ever seen. There is so much crud up there, it is a wonder that the engine is even oiling up top.

Find a sutiable replacement, build it up and drop it in.

 

[rbohm]

8) i agree that it is rebuild time. pull the rocker arm shaft and see if the rockers move at all. if they do you can rebuild them fairly easily. if not they are toast.

 

[mach1 mark]

What the *(&%&(

 

[JHPSTANG]

Ok, so I'm still breathing, and my heart has slowed down some with the help of a vanilla stout It seems that alot of the rust was dust from the inside of the valve cover:

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So... do I dare start this engine and hope the oil circulation will clean some of this up? Or will that kill the engine? I had planned to do an oil change after about an hour or two of running. Clearly I don't have any idea, but I really want to drive this car
Be Nice, I'm new to all of this!!

 

[Harte3]

Where did you find that? At the bottom of the Atlantic next to the Titanic?

 

[Ranger_gone_straight]

Believe it or not, I have experienced worse. Long ago I bought an ancient Volvo out of some guys backyard. Engine locked up, but he said it hadnt been run in years. Ok.

Get it home and pull plugs and put ATF in cylinders, let it set several days trying to break engine loose with socket and breaker bar on front of crankshaft. Nothing. Finally pull the head. Number 3 cylinder was full of mud, completely full. Rest of engine was in pretty good shape within usable tolerances.

Having more time than sense or cents, I take engine all apart, clean everything up. Really needed that cylinder sleeved, but I didnt. Got it running but didnt last long time and that cylinder was pumping oil pretty bad and lay down a goodly smoke screen. Course didnt help the radiator was plugged also....

Sure there was an interesting story of how that cylinder got packed full of mud, but of course I never found out.

 

[wsa111]

Sir, do not even try to remove the rocker arm assembly.

There is so much sludge in the engine, that disturbing it will cause chunks to break off & clog the oil strainer even more.

If the engine still runs just keep driving it.

But if you plan to rebuild it park the vehicle & pull the engine.

The sludge is so bad, you may want to look for another engine already rebuilt or one where the oil was at least changed on a regular basis.

What you see is the result of 20,000 mile oil change intervals.

If i was a preacher, i would give this poor engine last rights. Bill

 

[Ranger_gone_straight]

At very minimum, I'd pull plug on oil pan and see what drained out. My guess there is water in the pan. Even if bottom end was clean, still going to have to remove and do lot clean up on that head and rocker shaft. You dont want lot crap pushed through the oil gallery. The oil filter would plug quickly and be bypassed.


Price around at junkyards, good chance you might find a usable replacement engine cheap that you could even drive for a while after replacing seals and such. These engines are old, but were very common and not much demand for them. Or at least you could find a core engine that would be much easier and cheaper to rebuild. Whether this one is rebuildable depends on condition of the cylinders. If they have to be sleeved, then going to be cheaper to find a different block.

 

[Frankenstang]

Sure looks like it had/has gotten alot of moisture in there at some point.

When was the last time it was known to have run?

 

[Ba Mustang]

He told us on another forum that it sat in a barn for 18 years. So I would have to say it was that long ago.

 

[JHPSTANG]

This engine/car sat for 18 years in a barn before I found it, but ran before it was parked. I already pulled the pan, and the oil was dirty, but not alot of sludge in the pan. The pickup looks pretty clean. The engine is not seized, I could move it with a breaker bar. When I pulled the oil pan the bottom of the cylinders looked fairly clean. A touch of rust, but only a tiny bit.

 

[dagenham]

With all the rust I see in those pics I wouldnt even consider starting that engine unless you just want to hear it run before tearing it down for a complete rebuild. I find it very hard to believe that car was stored in a dry place for 18 years. If it was then some one dumped water into the engine. I'm not even sure I would trust the valve cover not to start leaking oil thru tiny pin holes caused by rust thru. If it is possible at all I would have the inside of the valve cover glassbeaded and then stick a trouble light inside it in the dark and make sure there is no light shining thru.

 

[Frankenstang]

18 years...it's really surprising it's not seized given the less than weatherproof conditions of most barns.

It would be tempting to pull the head, and check the condition more thoroughly (particularly curious how those water passages are looking after all that time). Without knowing how many miles that engine had on it when parked, I'd have to agree with wsa111/Bill about not starting it.

For me, the biggest concern would be how could you be sure that you get every last bit of loose debri/corrosion out of it. Failing that, the minute you start it and begin to get it to operating temperature it'd seem way too likely you'd drive any loose debris you missed into the tight tolerances/passages of the engine (crank bearings, rod bearings, cam bearings, rings & bores...etc.). Where as if you break it down for a rebuild now you'd likely be looking at less work to that core in the long run.

 

[Mercury Mike]

Knowing me... I'd fill it full of ATF and just crank it over a bit, then pull the oil pan and just get all that junk out, run a couple of clean quarts of oil through it with the oil pan and catch it all, then put the oil pan back on it, fill it full of 5w30, and a quart of lucas just for extra lubricant, and fire that bad boy up. I have so many 200s in my back yard after all this time that I don't even think twice about blowin' 'em up anymore. I've got 2 completely rebuilt ones and only one 6 cylinder car these days!!!

 

[JackFish]

I guess that's what happens when an engine never gets hot enough to burn off the condensation.

 

[JHPSTANG]

Allrighty, just so you don't think I'm out there trying to start it, I've moved on...
I guess I'll pull the head, and check out the cylinders before anything else. Can the head be dipped or something?
I guess I'm not starting it over spring break!!! As someone wise once told me "Its a marathon, not a sprint"
Back to the books!
I'll be around with lots of ????'s
Thanks for all your help in advance!!!

 

[jamyers]

Knowing me... I'd fill it full of ATF and just crank it over a bit, then pull the oil pan and just get all that junk out, run a couple of clean quarts of oil through it with the oil pan and catch it all, then put the oil pan back on it, fill it full of 5w30, and a quart of lucas just for extra lubricant, and fire that bad boy up. I have so many 200s in my back yard after all this time that I don't even think twice about blowin' 'em up anymore. I've got 2 completely rebuilt ones and only one 6 cylinder car these days!!!

I'm with you, except that I'd pour a couple gallons of diesel through the block instead of oil.

At worst it'll lay down and die, then you rebuild it anyway. My money is on it running like poop for the first ten minutes, then settling down and running ok. Tough engines, these Ford Sixes.

 

[MPGmustang]

way too amazing!!! but 8)

 

[Mercury Mike]

Knowing me... I'd fill it full of ATF and just crank it over a bit, then pull the oil pan and just get all that junk out, run a couple of clean quarts of oil through it with the oil pan and catch it all, then put the oil pan back on it, fill it full of 5w30, and a quart of lucas just for extra lubricant, and fire that bad boy up. I have so many 200s in my back yard after all this time that I don't even think twice about blowin' 'em up anymore. I've got 2 completely rebuilt ones and only one 6 cylinder car these days!!!

I'm with you, except that I'd pour a couple gallons of diesel through the block instead of oil.

At worst it'll lay down and die, then you rebuild it anyway. My money is on it running like poop for the first ten minutes, then settling down and running ok. Tough engines, these Ford Sixes.

...Wonder where he's located...? I'd be down to start it for him! But yeah, worse case scenario it lays down and dies. I love the fun stuff like starting old engines like that.