Technical saved a flathead from the scrapper. how'd i do? **UPDATE**

Hard to tell with my small phone screen, but is that block factory relieved below the valves?

Edit.....looked again, probably just seeing the outline from the head gasket.
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Instead of oil use a 50 50 mix of atf and acetone down the cyls should help to break it loose

 

Ya Did Good !!! The scrap yard didn't need your flattie. Give them a Honda with a fart can instead!!! just my 2 cents worth.

 

Nice to see someone save a flattie that doesn't look like it was on the Titanic!!!!!

 

x2!!!

 

I would take it apart.

It may be the valves that are keeping it from turning or the pistons. Take the cam gear off and see if it makes a difference. It is easier to pull the pistons if the crank will turn some. Get the block stripped down and than check for cracks. The inside of the motor looks better than I was expecting.

Neal

 

thanks neal this is what im going to do tomorrow. I the bolt just keeps tightening , started to rip into the washer, so im just going to take it all aprt. im not even planning on running this motor I just wanted to check its condition and learn a thing or two about them while I was doing it. so I was gonna take it apart whether it turned over or not, to check for cracks and other damage.

ill keep you guys updated.

 

thanks everybody for all the info too its been very helpful

 

i actually got it to break free and turn over, I still yanked the pistons out and everything looked real good. I did have to break on of the pistons to get it out because it was surface rusted solid. all the cylinder walls look like a honing is all they would need, I never even paid attention to the sticker on the side of the block that said "remanufactured" lol that's why everything looks so good this ol girl has been freshened up sometime in the past. the crank looks great too. so im confident I have a good motor to pass along to a willing hot rodder. I never was planning to keep this I just didn't want to see it go to the crusher and also get a little flathead 101 in the process. thanks a lot guys for the help anybody know what its worth?

 

Unless it is magnafluxed you can't be confident it's a good block. Until then it's worth $0.17 a pound...

 

I m guessing that a bare block that looks crack free is worth more than $20.

Neal

 

Sweet buy! I've spent a lot more for much worse before I finally broke down and ordered one from Precision Engineering down in TX. I think I might have an old 4 speed tranny for a truck sitting somewhere if you need it!

 

I agree - if you had to break up one piston because it was rusted tight, there's a chance that cylinder may have a crack in it.

It's not worth much until the true condition can be determined. Flatheads are fun!!

 

Doesn't cost much to have a block magnafluxed I'd have it done, and if it comes out with a clean bill of health you have some good trading stock.

 

well damn I think ill let the next one I see stay on the trailer and get scrapped

 

well damn I think ill let the next one I see stay on the trailer and get scrapped

Well thats really not a great answer, you did get more than 40 bucks worth of learning out of it already. And who knows maybe with a little mag work you will have a great block that someone can use. Hell If there no real bad cracks fill er with alum and go racing, then you can really spend some money ..............

 

If I was you (and of course I'm not so this my not mean much...) I'd clean the shit of the block by hand....Lots of gentle heat on the grease and/crust, a scrapper and wire brush. Scrub it till it looks like it's been hot tanked.
You can see pretty much any damage that way and save the Magnaflux cost if you happen across any bad cracks.
Pay extra attention to the webbing around the base of the cylinders..I hear this is potential bad spot. also, the entire deck as already recommended.

If you don't see any cracks odds are greatly improved that you have a good block.

No matter what, you have a good crank and rods, plus all the miscellaneous stuff like fuel pump stand, rebuildable water pumps, timing cover, pulleys, flywheel, etc, etc,....

And just for fun....I'd measure the stroke on the crank. More than one guy has gotten lucky on replacement/remanufactured engines plucked out of old greasy cars/trucks.

 

40 bucks was a steal. Now savor the flavor because a nice build is going to cost a few bucks! Currently into a stroker build and I quit keeping track of the money spent.

 

I'm not busting balls. The guy is obviously wanting to sell it, which is why he asked what it's worth. I stand by what I said, and any serious buyer is going to want PROOF it's good before paying a premium price - not "Well I don't know anything about it but I took it apart, busted a piston out and I think it's still good".

To the OP - don't get your panties in a bunch. It's good you saved it from the scrapyard, and as the other fellas said you got more than $40 worth of knowledge and parts. If you are serious about selling it, have the magnaflux done and you have something you can factually represent. Until then it's just parts.

 

UPDATE.

the crank is a mercury crank. I was bragging in an earlier post about how nice the crank looked and somebody told me to double check it because lots of times when they were rebuilt people would put the 255 merc crank in it and that's what it has!

that makes it worth saving. I think ill put it on evilbay and see how I do

 

is the crank the only thing diffent from a 239 and 255?

 

You should try selling it on the HAMB or Ford barn before you do e-pay. This way you may help one of the guys on this site out first.

 

that's a good idea super streak. thanks

 

What he said...that's what HAMB is about.

 

false alarm. the crank looks brand new but it is not an upgraded merc crank like i thought. shes just a 239.....

 

magnafluxing is not that hard or expensive. The biggest thing about magnafluxing is having a clean part. If you clean the blockyourself,remove all of the carbon and grease in the areas to be magged you should be able to find someone in a local automotive machine shop to mag it for well under $50.