My 67 390 4v has a broken piston skirt on #8 cylinder (found it in the pan). Compression is low at 90lbs in that cylinder, but it was running ok. I've got so much other work to do, that I put the pan back on until I get the rest of the truck back together. Any idea of how long it'll go with easy driving?

 

A big chunk?

Probably last a long time if you run it easy.

Burning oil on that cylinder?

 

It was just the very bottom of one side of the piston... about an inch square. I haven't ran the truck enough to know about oil use, but there was no visible smoke.

 

maybe it'll last, maybe it won't

If we are talking standard bore, I've got 1-7 pistons I could send ya for shipping

 

Thanks, I won't know until I tear into it, but I'll holler at you then. btw, what dish is on the pistions? Mine has a 4 barrel intake, and if it's original, I understand that it'll have the higher compression pistons.

 

out of a 2v 1964 galaxie engine.



let me know if you want me to save them, I'm offshore, and those pistons are in the recycle pile. I offered 1-7, obviously the pictured one is no good. Valve contact.

 

it's a time bomb. if the piston goes south under load it may be dramatic. the big question is, what did it hit to break the skirt?

 

I disagree, FE's are hard to kill, if he doesn't abuse it he'll get another 25-50K out of it.

 

I ran an early plymouth flat head for 2 years with a cracked piston back in the 60's. One qt. of oil per tank of gas and for hot starts you had to push it. Was OK on cold starts. Oil and gas were cheap back then, esp. for a high school student.

 

I think it hit this to break the piston skirt..

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1091675-found-a-large-piece-of-metal-in-pan.html


This motor came with my truck which had been sitting since 1994. Before tearing the truck apart, I had the engine running and it seemed fine during the 30 minutes that I drove it. There is so much other stuff to do to get the truck going.. that I'm going to defer dealing with this at least until I get the truck back together.