Well, I am in the market for a 56 223 I-6 engine. I really only need a block because the one I have is cracked, and possible a carb, but everything else we should still ahve, and/or is easily replacable.

But I have found it more economically "sense-ical" to buy an entire engine, complete with everything already, however, I and my dad mainly have one big "black-hole" of unsurness that we just can't get rid of: How do you know/find out if the engine you buying from lets say a salvage yard or whatever is in good condition. It is pretty easiy to "hide" a cracked block, and, to my understanding, salvage yards just "rip" the motors out of the cars so I'm pretty sure they don't take the time to fully test them to be reliable, good running engines.....How am I going to know if the only part on the engine I need is going to be in good condition if the people I'm buying it from have never ran it or checked it thoroughly?

I'm sitting here wondering if it is worth the 750 for an engine if I don't know anything about it(condition, completeness, originality, etc.)

Can I get some advice here? I'm not going to spend that kind of money on a "blind-buy" situation, I just can't afford it; and my dad is laughing at me over here for even considering buying an engine that could be in worse shape than the one we're trying to replace!

Sorry for the long-windedness, and thank you all so much for any input.

 

Your DAD is right. If the seller gives no guarantee its just another "JUNK" engine, and payment should reflect that. No guarantee-$100 engine.

 

As i recall, earlier this summer, you had antifreeze in the cylinders, or oil pan, or somewhere it shouldn't be. What was the final result of that situation?

 

When you buy from a yard or even a private seller, it's kind of a guess. And in todays world, I've gotten ripped off way to many times to guess anymore. The engine I originally had in my truck had a cracked block, and it was at a freeze plug where it couldn't be repaired (you DO yealize that you can repair a cracked block under certain circumstances don't you?). My engine was professionally rebuilt and they replaced the cracked block with one that had never been rebuilt, and did it at no extra charge. That's how I ended up with the Police Interceptor model. They were really nice to me. Anyway.........

I know you are probably looking forward to rebuilding the engine yourself, so perhaps it might be prudent to go to a rebuilding shop take in your old block. Ask if it can be repaired, and if not, can they provide a replacement - clean and ready to rebuild. I'm sure they would go for that. That way, the block is not only professionally checked (which you will have to do anyway) but it is prep - ed and should come with some type of guarantee.

It might be worth the couple hundred bucks ($200 at the most for this kind of thing) in the long run if you consider the expense of finding water in your oil again after a new rebuild.

Good Luck,
Julie

 

Too bad your on the wrong coast, HaHa, I know a fella with a yard with nothin' but ford trucks and if you got one from him he would guarantee it. Of course this fella is old school and dosen't have a computer and dosen't trust too many people that do! He's quite a character! I really don't have any answers for you but I am glad you want to keep the 223 in there. So many give into the thirst for more power!

 

Too bad we`re so so far a part, a friend of mine has a decent running 223 from a 57 M100 that he just can`t even give away.
Also here on my farm I`ve got a 223 in running condition in a 60 Ford car................

 

There's a boatload of old Ford truck parts in the Bakerfield area...that whole agricultural part of the state had thousands of farm trucks and most of them are still laying in the field/barn where they dropped. I pass junk yards all the time along route 99, some of them have to have an I6 or two for sale. Check Craigslist...

 

Wonder if you can still buy a remanufactured long block from Ford or elsewhere, it would come with a warranty.

 

Anything worth mentioning?

then again, knowing farm fields none are for sale.

 

The solution is simple. Find a yard that will sell it to you contingent on it being in reasonable running condition or at least rebuildable and priced accordingly. If they won't do that move on. Game over...

 

Yeah, that's what I thought. Find out if it is guaranteed and don't buy it if it isn't.

Yeah, but that's the issue with another of the 56's we have, which also has a 223 that needs rebuilding.That's our panel.

We have a pickup that had a cracked block since my dad bought it in the late 80's. He decided to take it apart to possibly "fix" and never gave it attention since. It is still sitting there with the head off of it(the head among other parts are sitting in an old shed. I'm pretty sure we have all the parts still, so that's why I thought if I can only get a block. than I should be able to re-use the rest of the parts from the old engine that the rebuild-kit may not provide(head, crank, rods, etc.).

I know I've been hopping around on this site between projects, first the panel, and now this pickup...Sorry, I know I should be more focused, but I recently decided that the pickup has GOT to be first running, period, so now, I'm going forward

.---NOW TIME FOR MY RANT---------My dad wants me to just forget finding a new engine and rebuild one of the two we have in our other 56's, but they are "for" the trucks they're already in, and so now I'm trying to replace the one in the pickup(although the panels engine isn't in great shape, my dads almost sure there is nothing severely wrong with it and that it's just the head gasket).

Thanks all for the advice, if I can't find any good SAFE deals on an engine, then I may be in a tight spot...But I won't give up so easily. I'll call the two places I have numbers for on monday and ask if they are guaranteed, or at least running and rebuildable. Once again thanks a lot all, big help.

 

The salvage yards I dealt with will give a warranty. If it won't run--it goes back. I have even started them at the junkyard on the ground!!
It is my preference to buy a good running engine and clean it and use it. Rebuilding it is expensive and a headache!!
In San Jose--there is a salvage-yard that will guarantee their engines. If you drive your truck alot--then it may be worth it. I have installed many used engines and so have my buddies with NO PROBLEM!! LOOK AROUND and Don't settle for any old engine!! shop around,dude!!! lol/Bill

 

Yeah, I called the two places(both are out of town) that I know of and one sadi if the block is cracked they will trade it for another. I guess that means they don't test/find out themselves, howeveer when you find out thye hard way, they are willing to exchange it...

And the other place that has an engine for 600(for some reason it was 750 a few days ago...) they sadi its a good running engine, but when I asked if they could start it in front of me, they said "no". And they aren't warrantied, but I didn't really ask if it wasn't a good engine, If I could return it, so I may call them again for that.

You guys all seem to have great junk yards just around the corner, but I've been to a couple of the pick-ur-parts/junk yards around here(for other parts) and saw nothing of the sort of old trucks and such, I have a feeling I'm gonna HAVE to go out of town.....

 

The other way is to buy an engine from a fellow FTEr and you know we are all honest...LOL ,but we should be able to at least give more detail about an engine we used ourselves. Number Dummy is in L.A. and maybe he or COLONEL knows of a good 223 engine for sale,and he lives in L.A. also,and he is very knowledgeable on the sixes.
If you wer up north in Ca.,then you could get ahold of IBUZZARD and see if he has a engine for sale or knows of one....but he is shipping out to help in Iraq and may not have time to mess with this now.
Use your FTE family to find an engine......good luck/Bill

 

There is a guy up in Kingman who parts out F1s and F-100s. I have bought a few things from him on e-bay (like my front fenders) and he has always been reliable. I think that's just up 99 from you.

I'll see if I can't find his name and a phone number in my reciepts and get back to you.