Projects Worst Engine Ever. *update on why I dislike Fords*

Porsche? Been done, in a Deuce.

 

Sorry, I don't own one of these engines, thus no pictures available. If your engine has all the valves in the head you have a 223 cu. in. engine. You should research some Ford specs on this engine. My neighbor has a '52 F1 with the 215 engine. Maybe when a couple of feet of snow melts I can get a picture. The 215 was only standard equipment for one year that I'm aware of. It wasn't popular.

 

I do indeed own a 215 six and several 223s. I know the difference between the two very well.
Looking forward to your pictures....

 

Incorrect. As stated before, the 215 was introduced in 1952 and was the standard engine in Ford passenger cars and pickups. It was very popular for the two years it was available.

The contemporary road tests indicated it was a faster and more economical than the flathead v8.

In 1954 the displacement was increased to 223, but it was essentially the same engine as the 223. All the way until the 240/300 seven main bearing engine was introduced in 1965.

Claiming the 215 and 223 were different engines is like saying the SBC from 1955-1957 and 1958 up are different, unrelated engines just because the early engines were front mounted and the later engines were side mounts.

Engine families are modified and evolve all through the life of the family.

 

Soooo, you dislike FORDs because you bought a 70 year old car and there is rust in the engine??

 

I just went back and saw where the OP stated he disliked Fords because of the condition op under the valve cover! Back when I was on the line, I can’t tell you the number of times I removed a Small Block Chevy valve cover and could se the word “ Chevrolet “ in the gunk , but couldn’t see the rockers!






Bones

 

When I worked for Buick I saw the same thing with Fords. I thought they used 2 valve covers! But I am more convinced it was a oil brand/maintenance problem than anything.

 

The Ford six is a good engine. I ran one in the 50's and went 72 mph in 17 sec at San Fernando drags. I've had 3 of them 52 and 53 's and all were good running engines. JW

 

I put a lot of miles on a 223 ford.
Probably one of the most trouble free engines I ever owned

 

We had a 1961 f-250 with a 223 from a 64 fairlane and a 3 speed. Pulled a latemodel on a trailer for a whole season 2 nights a week. That little engine never let us down. It wasn't fast but it did the job. Traded that truck later on a newer one.

 

It is totally true that some Engine designs are much better than others, however blaming any engine design for the owners lack of maintenance is beyond rediculous!

 

I’m not blaming any engine, because like you stated the cause of the gunk and crap under the valve cover is more likely caused by poor maintenance. I was just countering the OPs negative reference to Fords.
Also the older non PCV engines will have a tendency to sludge up a little more than engines equipped with PCV systems.






Bones

 

IIRC, my '62 had almost 200K on it when sold. The guy that bought it drove it for a few more years before parking it. My Pop bought it new and gave it to me. The engine never had any major service on it, I can remember.

Joe

 

Used to have a friend who worked in the service department of an OT dealership. He told me about a lady who bought a brand new car from them. About a year later it shows up on a flatbed with a dead engine. Service department discovered a dry dipstick, and the factory oil filter still on it. She threatened to sue because they wouldn't warranty the engine, but she never had the car serviced. She actually thought it was maintenance free!

 

I saw a OT little Ford at my friends shop. It had 100,00 miles on it. He said the woman brought it in for service at 50,000 and now at 100,000. Said she never checked oil or anything! It was running just fine! She drove it over 100 miles a day!






Bones

 

It's not the engine, it's the mechanic.

 

When I worked for Buick I had an ot Regal come in for a noisy engine. Checked the oil level it was full but extremely black and smelled like asphalt. I picked it up and tried to drain the oil. After the plug was pulled it took about 30 seconds before anything came out. I tried heating the pan with a torch. Did not help. Now I was worried. Saved some of the oil in a plastic cup. It was almost a solid. Put the plug back in and threw a quart of solvent out of the solvent tank in. Started the engine and ran it for about 10 minutes. Raised it back up and pulled out the drain plug again. Same thing oil would not come out. Told service writer. Since it was after 5 on Friday I went home leaving it to drain all weekend.
I came in Monday morning only to find it still draining. Poked a wire in the drain hole and the solvent came pouring out but the oil was the same thickness. I lowered the car down and checked the dipstick. At least the level was not reading on it now. I put on a new filter and filled it back up with fresh oil. Started it back up lifters still rattling with oil light still on. Tried every trick in the book to get lifters pumped up, no joy. Tried to sell the guy new engine. He freaked out said he just had oil changed and said it was our fault. So went back to car to look for old receipt. Turned out I had done the last oil change on the car. 2 years earlier and over 120,000 miles! Informed the customer, he declined repairs. Came and paid his bill and drove off never to be seen again!

 

My dad had an old Clark forklift with a 6cyl Continental engine. It poured a good steam of oil out the front , might have been the timing chain cover, don’t recall. Anyways, where ever it was pumping oil, he didn’t have access or resources , or whatever it took to fix it. So he took a antifreeze jug, cut an opening in the side of it and wired it up some how to catch the oil.
Then poured it back in the engine.
I’m just a little shit at the time and asked him “isn’t that dirty oil”?

He said “It’s like them new batteries, maintenance free”.

Took me another 10 years or so to laugh when I’d think back on it.

 

Quaker state does that!
besides, there's no worse fate than being trapped in a Chevrolet

 

I'll buy the carb from you ! LOL

 

Just jack up that new carb and put a fresh 223 under it.

 

First generation Fairlanes (1962-65) didn't come with that engine, the options were 170 or 200 six, and 221, 260 and 289 V8s.
Of course someone could have jammed in a 223 in a Fairlane previously.

 

Someone thinks they're valuable

 

I'll sell the long block 221 in my basement for $50, but local pickup only!
Heck, I'll lower the price to free if you act fast (or ever). And it's the rare Canadian version.

 

We bought the engine off the floor of the local Ford dealers shop. Was told it was from a Fairlane or for a Fairlane. Either way they said it didnt fit what ever it was meant for. We paid 45 bucks for it and it fit my F-250. Ran great.

 

Co-worker had a 223/ stick shift in a 64 full sized Ford Custom or Custom 500 that his wife drove to the grocery store or to drag the kids around. The radiator was mostly plugged, so the poor ting was prone to overheating and would lock up solid when shut off. It would crank over again once it cooled off. Her SOP at the gas station was to ask for the hose, then douche the engine off with cold water until it would crank again.

She did this for two summers in the western suburbs of Chicago before the car met its maker.

This was the late seventies so the car was about fifteen years old.

Another guy would buy a brand new fully loaded Country sedan or Country Sedan, with the biggest engine Ford offered, and never change the oil. He would get around 120-150k on those 429s and 460s before they would expire at five or six years old, then ditch it and start the cycle with another brand new barge.

Said he hated changing oil, and didn’t have time to bring it to a shop.

This was before the quick lube concept was hatched.

When my aunt was being courted by my soon to be uncle in the early sixties, he proudly showed her his new to him 1950 Pontiac. They were both teachers, fresh out of college, and found jobs in small rural communities about seventy miles apart. The first time they made that trip in his “new” car, she was either amused, or, more likely mortified, when he pulled to the side of the road halfway through that 75 mile journey, and nonchalantly popped the trunk to refil the engine with oil.

Once they got married, and he got a job in her school district, the old Pontiac found a new home rather quickly and her new 61 Falcon became their only car.

 

Knew an old guy that bought a new or nearly new early 60's Chevy pickup with a 6 cylinder. Never changed the oil or filter, just dumped a quart in when it got low. He drove it until sometime in the mid 80's, no telling how many miles were on it when he died.