I'm told my family swapped out the original 223 in my truck for a 57 292 about 30 years ago. That engine is still in the truck and I'm trying to get smart on keeping it going. I'm an auto mechanic rookie but figure these kinds of motors are the best place to learn.

As far as verifying it is a 292, I went on John Mummert's website and compared the casting number. It is stamped ECZ 6015A which he says can be either 292 or 312 depending on stampings on the main bearing caps or crank flange. Is there any way to tell the difference from the outside?

I just tuned it (dwell 26deg, timing roughly 10 deg BTDC) and it idles fine, but driving around it feels like it is missing periodically. I replaced the points, condensor, rotor, and cap. The plugs and plug wires are only a couple years old, but the coil has not been changed in recent memory. Should I replace it? Do I need to learn how the vacuum advance works and tweak it somehow? Or is it most likely a carb problem?

Thanks,
ROB

 

From my earlier years of teaching I learned from a veteran mechanic that Ford dwell was 27 degrees but that he advised that you set them one degeree less so you are on the money. It sounds like you have a nice set up for engines. My dad had a 57 F-250 and it had the 272 in it. What a workhorse. More than likely the vacuum line to the distributor is metal but it would good to see if the diaphram sitll holds vacuum. Disconnect at some point and suck on the line; if it doen't hold vacuum you need to look for a new diaphram. Being that old it may need some attention. When you replaced the points did you get the variety that has a copper strip that follow the spring for the points. The copper strip is for carrying the current and allows the spring ti do its job. I learned the hard way with an old 71 LTD that the cheaper point don't have the copper strip and I went through quite a few sets of points before I learned the difference. Check your distributor cap for carbon tracking inside the cap. If you see anything running beween posts you should consider replacing it. Good luck.

Gear Up

 

Thanks for the info on the vacuum...I'll try that. My points are the kind you described with the copper bits.

ROB