alright, we have a 56 panel with a good engine(don't know yet) and a 56 pickup(both f100) that has a cracked block and is/has been dismanteled for 20 years. I NEED toi get that pickup running so I'm gonna switcharoo the motors but I need to get the motor running in the panel first so I know I'm moving a good engine. Well, a we started to rebuild the carb a year ago, and unfortyunately took it completely apart, and left it for a year, and then got started, but din't remember what to do-just funnally finished it yesterday.

Now, I was lookin for some advice or help for a number of things...

What should I check other thanrebuilding the carb before restartin the engine(after 8 years)? I just want to start the engine, not drive the truck, so I don't have to go through the tank or the fuel line.

I know this goes way beyond what I'm lookin for, but I've been thinkin, and though i'd ask: Are there any cheap engines that are efficient(lookin for milage and durability, NOT performance) that adre easy to put into a 56? Is there such a thing??

How do you advise I actualkly move the engine, is there anything special to this engine/truck I need to take into consideration?

Thak you very much for any help.

 

You'll want to get some oil through it before you fire it up.

If you have an old distributor and the motor is such that the oil pump is driven off the bottom of the dist., then you can take the shaft from the dist. (minus the drive gear which engages in the camshaft) and put it in a drill and turn the pump to get some oil flowing through the motor before you try to crank it. If not pull the plugs and shoot some Marvel Mystery oil in on top of the pistons. Let it sit a while then try to turn it over by hand.

As to the swap, I can tell you right off we need more info.

What size motor is in the panel? Is it the original engine in the panel?

Do you want to use the trans from the PU? Is the motor and trans in the PU original? What size motor is in the PU?

If they are similar/the same then it should be a relatively easy swap.

Anything is possible with some ingenuity and elbow grease.

 

ok, well, they both have inline-sixes, im pretty sure they are the 223's. The pickup has a three-on-the-tree, and the tag says 3-std, where as the panel has a 4-on-the-floor, but on the tag it says 3-hd. my dad told me that it has a granny gear, and it looks to be the original tranny and steup in the panel, so my best geuss was that they didn't count the granny gear as an actual gear, what do you think?

so anyways, Im pretty sure they will hook up perfectly, but I thought I would ask for advice anyways. I do plan on using the trans in the pickup, the only thing I need to do is take out whats left of the engine in the pickup, and then take the panels engine out(after I get it runnin), then put it in the pickup.

Do you need a special bit to spin the oil pump? I've heard of doin that, but have never actually done it. What oil filter do I need/do you recommend?

oooooohhhh, right, one more thing, my dad told my of the engine not running its greatest in the panel(he didn't remember the actual symptoms though), and we discovered a very small but noticeable crack in the IM directly under where you bolt on the carb. Well, we have a perfect IM from the pickups engine, what parts/gaskets do I need to swap them out and where can I get them, and is there anything I need to do first? I plan on swapping IM's after we get the panels engine running; Not sounding in too much of a hurry, but I personally just wan't to know if it'll run...


thank you very much.

 

I would take the time to swap out the manifold now. It's tough to get something running with a potential vacuum leak in the intake manifold. Almost impossible in fact. While you are at it, get new points, plugs, etc...

The trick with spinning the oil pump is to use the shaft from an old dist. after removing the gear. Any drill with a chuck the shaft will fit in should work. No special bit, just a large chuck.

As to the filter, just what the manufacturer reccommends. I am pretty sure they are still available.

 

Just to get it running you could use some JB weld (two part liquid steel) as a temporary repair, just let it harden up first.

............................And a great big semi-trailer full of money!

 

Your getting good advice, if it were me I'd first pull the oil pan on the good motor and clean it out and clean the oil pump screen. No sense sucking in bad stuff that may be in the oil again. Your lucky the two motors are the same. Change out the manifold, you can still get the intake/exhaust manifold gaskets at places like Napa or a local parts shop. You might as well get a valve cover gasket too and check out the valves. Try 30wt or lighter oil when you refill crankcase. I'd also drain the radiator your going to use to get rid of any rust and debris. No sense letting more bad stuff into engine if it's going to start. You may want to remove carburetor,probably a 1 barrel and spray it out with a good carb. cleaner. Once again so your not sucking in bad stuff. After this, mark your distributor to block with a sharpie or chalk and pull the entire distibutor out. Make sure you label any wires you may have to disconnect. Prime your oil pump so you know oil is moving, replace the distibutor back to the set mark. Check your spark plug wires and plugs and try it. Well that's my advice. Hope it helps

 

Well, that sounds like more work than I thought, but also seems well worth it. I might as well get started tomorrow.

How and what for do I exactly "mark" the distributor? I know close to nothing about ignition systems, and couldn't figure it out for the life of me.

what brand and model of oil filter do I need; and what kind/model/# pionts, plugs, and wires do I need? I'm sorry I don't know any of this stuff, but when it comes to these old vehicles, I don't know a lot, and am skeptical whether places like kragen or autozone carry this stuff.

And do you think they'll have the oil pan gasket too?

Thank you so much for all this gret info, keep it comin'!!

 

The distributor sends the electricity to the spark plugs. Draw a picture or mark on the cap which plug wire goes where. Number them 1-6 from the front to the back. going in a circle it will be something like plug number 1 (for sake of illustration) at 12 o'clock. Then the rest of the firing order -5-3-6-2-4. Then remove the cap and note where the rotor is pointing. Make a mark on the distributor in line with the metal end of the rotor and a mark on the shaft of the distributor and on the motor that you can line up with when you put it back in. It's called clocking the distributor. If you don't get the marks lined back up then the timing is going to be off then the plugs will fire at the wrong time during the stroke of the piston and it will not run. In fact it might make pretty flames out the carb if they are far enough out of time.

I hope that explains why to mark things.

Here's a link to some info about your motor.
1955 Ford 223 Inline Six Engine Specs

Most parts stores can figure out which filter to use and get you the points, plugs and condensor too. If one doesn't have it go to another one. The thing about the big 3 automakers is if they could save .10 on a car they would so, the points, plugs, etc... were pretty common to use for many years and different models. There's a guy here called number dummy that used to be a parts man I think. He is good at finding out part numbers to use for stuff like this.

It may seem like a lot of work but it gives you the best chance of firing right up.

Good luck.

 

ohhhh, Ok, I didn't know thats what you were talkin about, for some reason. I was taught that a long time ago. But I have never done it and didn't knwo exatly how to do it( I saw it done a long time ago), thank you for the review, that's a big help and should expedite things a bit.

As a question on the plugs, wires and points: are there any high-perf plugs, wires and points I could use? Are they expensive?

Thank you for the info.

Ohh, and also thanks for the specs page, REALLY helpful.