what's my engine?

took a peek inside the engine from my '55 today... it is a '63 full flow block, dished pistons, 289 serial number. numbers:

rod bearing shell 1555187 (stamped on back of shell) main bearing shell 527108 M (stamped on back of shell) piston 1558178 (cast inside piston) head 1557670 (casting number)

can anyone tell from this info. anything about my engine? more specifically I'd like to know what size the bearings are, if they are standard or undersize, as at least one main bearing has some pretty serious looking corrosion on it. Also what size the pistons are, since I might as well re-ring it if I have to put new bearings in it.

The good news is that the crank and pistons look magnificent, the bad news is that that makes me want to "do everything right" with this engine...

thanks,

nate

Reply to
N8N
Loading thread data ...

Nate,

Reply to
blacklarkviii

I think it's all factory, no sign of oversize marks on anything. (The factory bearings are a clue)

blacklarkviii Nate,

Reply to
John Poulos

I just looked up the casting no. of the heads, on Chuck Collins' site it appears that there is no 1557670, but there is a 1557570 and I wasn't really sure about the 5th digit anyway as it was a little unclear - by the numbers that appears the be an R1 head, what would my compression be with the dished pistons?

just curious,

nate

John Poulos wrote:

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Never mind, I looked it up in the parts book (part no. 1557571,) it apparently was used on regular V-8s with 8.25:1 compression as well as R1s with 10.25:1 compression.

guess I need to stay away from the composition gaskets, or else get some flat top pistons...

nate

Nate Nagel wrote:

Reply to
Nate Nagel

I haven't had a high compression engine since gas got crappy, so how do you drive a 10.5 to 1 CR engine at full power without blowing it? Additional fuel tank and switch for racing fuel and Nitrous injection? Certainly you don't retard. What's the secret?

Karl

Reply to
midlant

Reply to
keith_kichefski

Keith,

thanks for the input. I was not going to replace the pistons, because they look to be in excellent shape, I was thinking of re-ringing the block. However now that I think about it I might just hook up an air hose to the spark plug holes and see whether or not I have any blowby - I do recall a couple cylinders "hissing" when I replaced the valve seals but since it was in the car I couldn't tell whether it was leaking past the rings or the valves. If it's the valves I will probably just lap the bad valves and put it back together, it is a good running engine (well, OK, was until I took it apart)

nate

keith snipped-for-privacy@wed.dresser.com wrote:

*************************************************************************************************
Reply to
Nate Nagel

Reply to
keith_kichefski

Well I went ahead and did the "air" test and all the leaking is through the rings. I went ahead and pulled the heads and there's a hell of a ridge at the top of the cylinders, which is somewhat disappointing. I'm thinking three options:

1) put it back together and hope for the best, since I don't actually know how much oil it was burning because it was leaking so much

2) go ahead and rebuild it...

3) buy an R1 from JP and just drop it in.

I'm thinking either 1) or 3) are the sensible options, since the R1 wouldn't cost me *that* much more than a full rebuild of the 289 I have, and it has the correct pan and damper...

nate

keith snipped-for-privacy@wed.dresser.com wrote:

Reply to
N8N

Reply to
Pat Drnec

If you just put it back together, it will burn twice as much oil as the rings will be no longer seated due to block distortion from reinstalling the heads.

Proceed to option #3 because we all know that's what you want to do anyway.

But what shape is this R-1 in? Does it need a refresh or complete rebuild?

All Studebaker engines should have the R series ventilation setup.

But, they don't...

JT

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

Funny thing, I priced the thing so damn cheap that I tought poor N8 would leap on it. It's a rebuilt R1 service engine, the compleat long block with pan and vibration damper for about $400 less then Cathcart charges to rebuild a flathead six.

Reply to
John Poulos

Well... Ya must know how to deal with "tire kicking" children by now!

JT

John Poulos wrote:

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.