I got time today to tear into the 64 gt motor. Heads off and valves look good and exhaust don't look to be recessed into the seats. I haven't pulled the valves yet but just looking at the heads they look good so hope for the best there. Motor has almost no ridge at 70,000 miles. I mean I've seen motors with 10,000 miles with as much as this one has got. Bearings show almost no wear and crank looks like new and turns very easy. The pistons pushed out easy and rings don't seam stuck in any way and pins are all nice and free all but #5 and its not enough to worry about. Only gets a little tight if you get way out to the outside edge of the piston and I don"t think it will do that in the block. No signs of anywhere that looks like the motor could have been stuck at some point over the years. Everything looks to still be standard and it still had the thin tin head gaskets in it. Motor is very clean inside for 70,000 just a small amount of sludge in the very bottom of the pan and I know it has sat with out a oil change for at least 2 years. I think a good oil change would have fixed that. So still not sure why this thing smoked so bad on the left bank. Cam and lifters look good and oil pump screen is nice and clean. I still have to pull the front bal. wheel and main caps off. Anyone know what size the front bolt is on the 289? I know it's bigger then what I have in my socket sets. I fail to see why everyone says they have so many problems finding someone to rebuild a Studebaker v8. Doesn't look that much different than any other engine I've been into. A few small stude things that I had read in the shop manual but sure doesn't look like rocket science. This is my first stude motor to dissect so hope it isn't some big learning curve I can't see. Will post more as after I get it the rest of the way apart and cleaned and as I put it back together.
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That crank socket is 1.500" I believe.Start and Stage Your Studebakers -
One of the problems is that many shops forget to put the plug back in the oil gallery. That means no or low oil pressure when the engine is started and that damages the bearings and fills the oil system with bearing bits.
The offending plug that gets forgotten is visible from the distributor hole, once the distributor is removed.RadioRoy, specializing in AM/FM conversions with auxiliary inputs for iPod/satellite/CD player. In the old car radio business since 1985.
10G-C1 - 51 Champion starlight coupe
4H-K5 - 53 Commander starliner hardtop
5H-D5 - 54 Commander Conestoga wagonComment
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Back 1969 I seized the engine in the Power Hawk by trying to get home after having lost a freeze plug. I had to leave the car on the side of I-95 about seven miles from my house. Later that evening, the family mechanic, (he looked like Kruchev and had a personality to match), went out to tow it back by first he told me to start it up. I was incredulous as the engine was obviously junk but upon turning the key, it started right up.
Anyway, we got it back to his garage and the next day installed a replacement freeze plug. The car smoked and now consumed about a quart of oil every 100-200 miles or so but got better as time passed. Later that year I got the opportunity to attend the 1971 International Meet in SB with the late George Caswell of Narragansett, RI, bought a new set of pistons at Standard Surplus for $1 each and later bought a set of moly rings locally. Shortly after, I overhauled the engine and haven't look back since. The engine was clean and undamaged internally.
So, an overhaul at 70K should be a cinch!Comment
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Grumpy Thats kind of what my brother said . Maybe someone got it hot enough to just make it smoke.Because other than smoke on the left side this thing ran like a swiss watch. good oil pressure, no overheating, no noise what so ever. Thing just sat there and purred.Comment
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valve guides ? seals ?Comment
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Jack heads will be completely checked over and rebuilt. I have the set off the car which look very good and another set same casting numbers if I need them. I only want to do this one time and hope it runs the rest of my life and at my age that could be next week.Comment
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Pulled the heads apart today and everything looks good. Still had valve seals but they where hard as rocks. Almost no carbon or lead gas build up on the back of the valves and seemed nice and tight in the guides. I did not take the time to check them with my 11/32 go no go gauges.But I would guess a .001 over will not go in very far. Ran a dingle ball hone though #1 cylinder and pulled the rings off the piston. Almost no carbon build up behind the rings and there again didn't set up a bore gauge but with the piston pushed upside down in cylinder there is no rock side to side and you can feel a slight drag as it slides down the hole even without rings so I would guess the bores wont be that far off. The upper ring though when install at the top point of ring travel has about 2-3 times the end gap it should have so that is a little puzzling. Hard to believe they are just that worn out.Comment
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In my case, the engine got so hot that it ceased to run. After it cooled down the diagnosis was simple, collapsed pistons and the rings lost all of their termper, (spring properties), but the engine itself ran fine though with a little smoke and high oil consumption. Studebaker blocks are made of tough stuff, the cranks/rods are forged etc. No damage whatsoever was done to the block and other internal parts.Originally posted by swvalcon View PostComment
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You should not have issues with the head other than replacing the seals and lapping the valves.Originally posted by swvalcon View Post
If you have a new set of piston rings, (I recommend chrome or moly), check the end gap against the max allowable in the shop manual. At 70K, all should be fine but there are rare exceptions. Keep us posted on developments...Comment
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Grumpy I would guess the end gap of the top ring I took off the number one piston is .125-.150 just by eye balling it. It seems to run about the same if moved from one cylinder to the other but still all bores look good and piston if run from the top of the block down seem to fit about right. The valve guides I put a 11/32 seat grinder pilot in them and it fits nice and snug. This car was suppose to be actual at 70,000 and other than a ton of wear on the rings the rest looks like it could be. If it's 170,000 it's in unbelievable shape. I suppose the old 60's type piston rings could wear that bad in 70,000. Guess I'll know when the new rings get here and I check the end gap on those.Comment
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Years ago when I was making a living out of my tool box I had 300 cid IHC quit running because it had no compression,The truck had 100,000 plus miles. When the cyl walls were measured it had less than .001 wear. With new rings it started and ran . I would bet a set of rings will cure your oil consumption the engine may have been overheated which can take the tension of the rings.Comment
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Just ordered the gasket set today from rockauto. Felpro complete set at 121.28 includes shipping. Looks like I will be in this for just around $500 in parts. Man that sucks I could get a complete engine kit for a small block chev for less then that with cam, lifters, new pistons and everything.Comment
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Yes it is true that chevy's are cheaper to rebuild but we all thank you for rebuilding the Studebaker engine.Originally posted by swvalcon View PostCharles
1961 Lark Regal VIII 259/auto -- LucyComment
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Yes, we go through this every week and it is what it is when building obsolete engines, be they Buick, Olds, Ford Y-block, Mopar hemi, Hercules, Wisconsin, or whatever. My machinist does 350" SBCs for $1500 and our least expensive Stude V8 is $3000. Shop labor is the same, parts are sometimes just NLA.Originally posted by swvalcon View Post
Just heard Egge is no longer making Packard 374" pistons.
Jack VinesPackardV8Comment
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