292 blowing white "smoke"

adharvey2 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2007, 01:34 PM

My 292 is still blowing a ton of steam (white "smoke") out of the right hand exhaust manifold. It starts coming out as soon as the engine gets up to about 140 - 160 deg or so. I replaced the head gasket on that side, but it made no difference whatsoever. When I had the head off I checked for cracks or warpage but found nothing.
What I did find was a severely damaged front cylinder bore. It has a groove, almost like a machined slot, about 1/8" wide by probably a good 40 - 50ths deep running parallel to the bore, adjacent to the wristpin location, from the about pin TDC area downward. Also there is a nasty depression worn near the upper end of the bore, also at the back of the bore, about 2" wide and also about 1/32" - 1/16" deep at its center. There is a similar depression opposite. Looks like a major assembly error to me.
Could either of these features be compromising the water jacket? I coudn't see any actual cracks, but I'm loosing a lot of water somewhere.

Andrew

HT32BSX115 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-19-2007, 02:16 PM

Howdy,

I would be willing to bet that you do indeed have a crack that doesn't open up until you get the block or heads hot enough to expose it. The temp that it's happening is probably where the t-stat is starting to open and probably where the pressure is high enough to push though a hairline crack and produce visible steam. Does it start missing or running rough? If not, it's probably in the head area and the coolant is dumping into an exhaust chamber above the valve......so it doesn't affect actual running.

I'm I'm not sure a groove in the cyl would get to the water jacket. The cyl walls on a 292 are pretty thick (unless that engine is bored more than 0.80 over size)

Almost sounds like there's a wrist pin snap-ring or "keeper" that was bent out or not in all the way etc... and rubbing the cyl during running...

Either way it's rebuild time. That cyl may even have to be sleeved....

Regards,

Rick

adharvey2 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 02:39 PM

Thanks Rick. I think your assesment sounds pretty reasonable. As soon as I saw that damaged cylinder I started thinking about looking for another block - water problem solved or not. So far all I have turned up around here that's reasonably priced is a 312 "interceptor" marine engine, running, for $450, and a 256 in a '55ish F600, supposedly with a knocking rod, for $200. The elusive rebuildable 292 sitting around somewhere for 100 bucks has yet to turn up.
Andrew

HT32BSX115 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 04:35 PM

Well, good luck finding one......A lot of the wrecking yards purge their old stuff from time to time.

They're out there though. I found mine on craigslist for $200. The guy lowered to $100 when we did a comp check and found a zero psi cyl.

I then took the engine to a machine shop and had it completely rebuilt (& balanced and ported) for about $2000

I also bought myself a set of Mummerts Rams Horns. It's gonna be a cool engine.

I need to find myself another pumpkin for my 2 speed axle now. my ring and pinion is toast.

You could have a cracked head or a blown head gasket but the bad cyl sort of means that you have to sleeve or at least bore it if possible....

adharvey2 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 05:24 PM

What type of pumpkin do you need? I have one in my '63 N600 parts truck. Its a code F2, 6.33/8.81, 15,000 lbs. Looks like an Eaton. Of course there's a zillion rear axles for these trucks, so it's a long shot. It's clearly a different model than my '62.

Talked to a machine shop today. They said what you said - wrist pin has come apart and grooved the cylinder wall. They also said that they've seen that happen severely enough for water to come through under pressure, when warm. Sleeving is the answer, they say - around $200 total. Sounds like a plan to me.

HT32BSX115 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 05:46 PM

Howdy,

Yeah ...you have what I need! (although all I REALLY need a 5.83/8.11 ring & pinion.... that one would probably be ok...I want the highest one I can find.)

I'd really like to know how late they had the 5 lug BUDD wheels on the F/N/C-500/600's etc.

I also think the 5 lug BUDDs may have been used in the later 2 speed axles that replaced that one you have. I think the next model was the 13802 which was rated at a slightly higher weight. I can buy all the parts for those new including ring and pinion gears bearings etc...

I would really like to know if the earlier 5 lug hubs will just fit right on the later axle. I think they will since it appears that the replacement bearings are the same for both the Eaton 1350 and the 13802 axles. If the bearings are the same then the hubs were probably the same. I need to stay with the 5 lug BUDD hubs because I bought 6 new 9.00-20 radials, tubes, flaps, and 6 rebuilt wheels........Otherwise I'd just go to the newer 6 lug wheels since they're also available new.

Unfortunately, a lot of the used ring and pinion gears out there are either solid rust or severely worn out. NO ONE makes new ring and pinion gears for the Eaton 1350. (I suppose one could buy a special made set but the price would probably be $2k or so!!!)

This has been a major sticking point for my restoration.

By the way, you might consider finding a block. It's always nice to find one that maybe hasn't been bored way out...