First off, I really appreciate everyone helping me with all the questions I've been asking about my donor 89 lincoln for my 51 f1.

I have yet have a few more lol.

This lincoln has the 302/AOD engine and trany...my question is this:

The engine and trans have 133,000 miles on them. I checked all the fluids and they looked good. I took the oil cap off of the valve cover when the engine was warm and running and there wasn't any blow-by. Engine sounds and runs great, and the trans shifts great. Of course I am planning on swapping it over to my 51 frame. But in the process I am planning on swapping to a edelbrock 600cfm carburetor with the AOD lokar kit and 4 barrel intake, oh and a different distributor.

Do you guys think it would be alright if I didn't get the engine and trany rebuilt?

I know that these engines and trans can last a really long time and I could prolly get another 100,000 miles or more out of them. I was thinking while I'm swapping it over I could put a new timing chain, oil pump, water pump, gaskets etc. in it and it would help the engine out a lot and give me more peace of mind. Plus get the filter and fluids changed in the trans.

Do you guys think this is a rediculous plan and that I am doing something I'll regret?

Or everything should be fine with what i'm planning on

Thanks guys, I know this is sort of a loaded question because of so many opinions everyones gonna have but I figured I would ask it.

 

well id run a compresion test. then since your gonna pull the pan you can at least look around. wouldn't cost much to replace the main and rod bearings since your in there already but thats just what i would do.

 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Service the tranny, change only what you have to on the engine, and run it. That powertrain combo probably has another 75-100K miles in it. My personal experience has shown me that it's better to leave well enough alone if it's already running well. The times that I've ran into problems down the road were when I tried to "freshen things up". If you're going to start replacing parts, then just tear the whole thing down and rebuild it completely.

 

what he said... been there done that. a buddy insisted on swapping out timing gears "while your in there" he forgot to lock down the cam bolt and it walked out wiping out mt cam bearing, cam, lifters, punched a hole in the timing cover.... this was a good clean running engine. never again
..

bob

 

That makes sense, I was actually worried I'd mess something up after I'd torn into it. I believe thats the way I'll go with it. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I'll just change the intake, carb, and distributor

 

I also agree with BOR.

Do the compression check and see what shape the engine is in first. If it's good put it in, if it's marginal then rebuild.

But never do a "semi-swap" like you were talking about. When an engine is built, it has its very own "fingerprint." As it get miles on it all the parts break in together the way they do because they are all interacting.

If you replace some components with new unnecessarily, it adds strength to those areas that wasn't there with the engine broken in and that puts stresses on all the rest of the parts that were not replaced. If it's necessary, like a thrown timing chain, or a badly burned valve, that prevents the engine from working properly, then you have no choice. But if it's running good, then leave it.

Another tidbit of food for thought. If you can put it in and see how you like that drive train and the performance you have. If you do then when it comes time, have it rebuilt. But if you decide you want to go with something different - like a 351 (or a 460!!!!!) or a stick, etc, then you can change that at that time without having wasted the money on a rebuild. Did that make any sense?

 

Yeah it did, that's actually what I was thinking about doin years down the road when I would have to rebuild I might just put a bigger 351 in if I wanted more power than the 302.