Tough choice...
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7th Gear
Joined: Jul 2023
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Tough choice...
Hello, I recently discovered a blown head gasket in my'66 F250 352. I want to fix this. My choice seems to be just do the heads/gasket or replace the motor w/ a reman. I serviced the heads on a 302 van motor twenty years ago and blew out the bottom end-my mechanic also mentioned this scenario as a possibility with my truck. I'm located in the west- Reno is the nearest big city to me. I haven't started looking into pricing/machine shops in my area. I did a quick search online for reman'd 352's and found a few options:
-https://www.mabbcomotors.com/about-us/
-https://www.phoenixengine.com/Ford-09.html
-https://www.sandjengines.com/searchproducts/rebuilt-truck-engines/1966~Ford~F-250~~~5.8~~~~~~/1
and I don't know anything about any of these guys. The only engine swaps I've done have come from a junk yard and Jasper for my '83 Subaru.
Any thoughts about my concerns about the lower end of the motor with a "tight" upper end or pros/cons of going the reman motor route?
THANKS.
-Rosco
-https://www.mabbcomotors.com/about-us/
-https://www.phoenixengine.com/Ford-09.html
-https://www.sandjengines.com/searchproducts/rebuilt-truck-engines/1966~Ford~F-250~~~5.8~~~~~~/1
and I don't know anything about any of these guys. The only engine swaps I've done have come from a junk yard and Jasper for my '83 Subaru.
Any thoughts about my concerns about the lower end of the motor with a "tight" upper end or pros/cons of going the reman motor route?
THANKS.
-Rosco
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,650
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From: Near Yosemite CA
I would say do the head gaskets, have your heads checked and re-surfaced as needed and button it up, I've done this on numerous engines and never had an issue. Unless you ran it for a long time with oil in the water, your bottom end should be fine, again, it would take me a while to think about all the "just" head gaskets I've rplc'd and went on to drive them till I sold them, or the 2 I still have.
Don't overthink it, sometimes a head gasket goes due to faulty install, not correct torque or sequence, IIRC, the last 2 I did, the head bolts were not tight where it blew, still had them checked but were good.
Don't overthink it, sometimes a head gasket goes due to faulty install, not correct torque or sequence, IIRC, the last 2 I did, the head bolts were not tight where it blew, still had them checked but were good.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,650
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From: Near Yosemite CA
How much $$ do you want to spend, and what is your goal/final outcome you are desiring? Just get it back on the road... spend extra and do some upgrades.. or..? You can rplc the head gaskets, you don't have to farm it out.. buy a manual, a torque wrench and jump in, if you're not staying OG, and it still has the cast iron intake, you could also upgrade to an aluminum 4bbl intake, all depends on what you're attempting to accomplish!
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7th Gear
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my goal is to get her back on the road. I would like to avoid the slippery slope of scope-creep with ad-ons/upgrades. Just want it drivable. The easiest route would be to just do the heads. Of course my concern is doing the heads and then having issues with the lower end and having to get a new motor anyhow. This did happen to me with a 302 a while back.
It is nice though to hear someone that has just done the heads and not had any problems. Anything I could do before diving in that would indicate condition of the lower end and possible problems? Just doing the heads is attractive- I don't have an engine puller (another expense). If anyone else has just done the heads without issues down the road I'd love to hear from you.
It is nice though to hear someone that has just done the heads and not had any problems. Anything I could do before diving in that would indicate condition of the lower end and possible problems? Just doing the heads is attractive- I don't have an engine puller (another expense). If anyone else has just done the heads without issues down the road I'd love to hear from you.
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Oil pressure? If you have good oil pressure, chances are your main bearings are in good condition.
I did a head gasket job on a 289 and it ran for years with me running the wee out of it, so a top end job does not mean the lower end is doomed. Unless it's already worn out too.
I did a head gasket job on a 289 and it ran for years with me running the wee out of it, so a top end job does not mean the lower end is doomed. Unless it's already worn out too.
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7th Gear
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Fleet Mechanic
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Change the head gaskets and move on. It's been done a million times before. If cost is an issue, for under $100 you can do it yourself and be back on the road in an afternoon. Hardest part is removing/installing the intake. Beyond that, make sure everything is clean, good surface for gaskets and follow torque specs. It'll prolly run another million miles.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2019
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From: Southern California
Just do it
I'm with Azscorpion. Having been a mechanic for way too long, changing the head gasket will not doom the lower end. Besides all the customers cars and trucks I've repaired successfully, I had to do head gaskets on my 65 F100 352 a couple years ago due to a catastrophic radiator failure at freeway speed. The motor got really, really hot, and I am driving it today, matter of fact I'm late and will be whipping it when I go.
also get some help with that intake manifold, it's a backbreaker. I would lay a 2x4 across the fenders and run a strap to the carb studs and have a friend get the other end of the 2x4 to lift it off. That 80 something pounds can be a real surprise when you try to do it alone.
also get some help with that intake manifold, it's a backbreaker. I would lay a 2x4 across the fenders and run a strap to the carb studs and have a friend get the other end of the 2x4 to lift it off. That 80 something pounds can be a real surprise when you try to do it alone.
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7th Gear
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Leaning towards just doing the heads. I had a crazy day and didn't find time to check the oil pressure but will do tomorrow and post. We have a few machine shops in Reno and I will get pricing for resurfacing the heads. I think it's the way to go. Swapping the motor is a huge job for me. I like the heads option- wrench on parts, pull stuff by hand and reinstall. I think it makes the most sense.
Appreciate the advice.
Appreciate the advice.
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7th Gear
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Appreciate the support.
I drained the antifreeze and oil then only re-filled the oil, ran that until it reached operating temp and then drained that as well. FWIW, and this is according to the stock gauge on the dash, oil pressure was around 30 on initial startup (this is after changing the oil) but within 30 seconds ramped up to around 45. It stayed at 45.
Someone had mentioned checking oil pressure as an indication of lower end/engine general state...
I drained the antifreeze and oil then only re-filled the oil, ran that until it reached operating temp and then drained that as well. FWIW, and this is according to the stock gauge on the dash, oil pressure was around 30 on initial startup (this is after changing the oil) but within 30 seconds ramped up to around 45. It stayed at 45.
Someone had mentioned checking oil pressure as an indication of lower end/engine general state...
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7th Gear
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Well, I removed the heads and found that one of the gaskets had been replaced at some point. It seemed to be in pretty good shape although it was completely covering one of the coolant passages. Unbelievable. The other side seemed to be original and disintegrated when I pulled the head. No signs of cracks in the block but it is such a mess I won't know until it is thoroughly cleaned.
The engine is COVERED in sludge. Looks like the La Brea tar pit in there. Thick and black. I'd like to just service the heads and not take this project any further- don't want to pull the motor and rebuild it. However, what are the thoughts on just cleaning everything visible, surfacing the heads and reassembling? A couple of the pistons have a pretty good build up of sludge as well. Is this a harbinger of bearings failing in the near future or anything else? Or is this normal and some kind of engine flush after I get it put back together will suffice?
The engine is COVERED in sludge. Looks like the La Brea tar pit in there. Thick and black. I'd like to just service the heads and not take this project any further- don't want to pull the motor and rebuild it. However, what are the thoughts on just cleaning everything visible, surfacing the heads and reassembling? A couple of the pistons have a pretty good build up of sludge as well. Is this a harbinger of bearings failing in the near future or anything else? Or is this normal and some kind of engine flush after I get it put back together will suffice?
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2018
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From: Lacey
I'd pull it, clean it and the engine bay thoroughly and put a set of gaskets on it once the heads are checked at a machine shop. If you wanted to go further, maybe even get a new oil pump / oil pump driveshaft just for peace of mind.
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7th Gear
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Should I be pulling the oil pan? Would we expect sludge in the bottom end for sure? The underside of the valve covers and intake are COVERED in sludge. Am I just kicking the can with considering only doing the heads, cleaning everything visible and putting it back together?