Engine rebuld advice

[buddy67lincoln]

Well I am getting hitched real soon within the year or year and a half so I need to get hauling on this motor rebuild. My plans were to balance and blueprint it and place in a nice roller cam and some other goodies...things might change. I need some advice since this is my first major engine build.

I have a 1967 462 that ran beautifully but smokey about 3 or 4 years ago. Its been off the road since 1984 and has 113,000 miles. I really want it on the road and since I have a good running engine how much should I really rebuild? I have not had the heads off but I am getting 1958 cylinder heads since I want to add a 3x2 intake. This means a complete valve job at least. I do have a roller cam but am not sure if you can go about the cam swap without checking everthing out first or without taking the whole thing apart down to the block??? If the pistons seem to have good compression, can I go about the cam swap, replace the dist gear with a bronze one (someone makes them), rebuild heads, intake and carbs, lifters, transmission rebuild, 3.50 posi gears in a 9" center section and hit the road? I am trying not to pull the motor and do not want to replace pistons. This may mean that I cannot correct some of the oiling problems if I do not pull the engine and start from scratch or is the oiling problems in the heads? It will be almost a complete teardown but no pistons and maybe no corrections to popular problems....sound like a good idea or not? I don't want to throw a new cam in there if I should just wait till I can afford and have time to rebuild the whole thing. Any advice is welcome. I am not a good mechanic but I have a lot of help from you MEL guys so I will listen closely. Thanks a lot.

Right now the 462 has a Pertonix electronic ignition, electric fuel pump, and 45,000 volt coil and did have an Edelbrock 750 carb which all together ran nice and smooth. Some smoke maybe from valve seals or the PB blaster is still burning off down in the cylinders. Anyways, just wanted to mention I only drove it 2 miles as well around the block so I really have not had it out. Seems to keep nice and cool as it idles and does not even shake.

[KULTULZ]

Describe the smoking problem and have you read the spark plugs?

Do you have a place to pull and tear down the engine? It may just get by with a honing and new rings. Of course new inserts will be done at this time also, oil pump, timing set. You get the picture.

[buddy67lincoln]

Describe the smoking problem and have you read the spark plugs?

Do you have a place to pull and tear down the engine? It may just get by with a honing and new rings. Of course new inserts will be done at this time also, oil pump, timing set. You get the picture.

the smoke seems to just come from the passenger side, white, real light coming out of the valve covers or around them somwhere, same smoke coming out the tailpipe but dies down after its been running. Anything specific I should be looking for if I pull the valve cover for a quick check? I could pull the whole thing no problem. Not a problem on replacing oil pump, timing chain (I heard there was a gear drive but I think Brian Estrada did not get to it), etc etc. I wonder if my fuel pump will handle the 3 carbs when they all open up WOT? I have some research I can read through to find that info if its available, I also have the 1958 Mercury Mainentance Manuel a guy from the lincoln forum told me to get to help understand the cooling system...any suggestions on what to do with that if there is any problems these MELs are noted for? Thanks. I wish I had my carb to put on the lincoln so I can start is and videotape it. (second thought I do have a complete parts car with the AFB in the trunk!) Its been 4 years or so.

[KULTULZ]

Describe the smoking problem and have you read the spark plugs?

Do you have a place to pull and tear down the engine? It may just get by with a honing and new rings. Of course new inserts will be done at this time also, oil pump, timing set. You get the picture.

the smoke seems to just come from the passenger side, white, real light coming out of the valve covers or around them somwhere, same smoke coming out the tailpipe but dies down after its been running.

If you are real lucky, the smoke is just an oil leak and the short burning of oil out of the exhaust is just bad valve stem seals. You need to read the plugs, compression check and mechanical oil pressure reading to verify you have a good short block.

[buddy67lincoln]

Describe the smoking problem and have you read the spark plugs?

Do you have a place to pull and tear down the engine? It may just get by with a honing and new rings. Of course new inserts will be done at this time also, oil pump, timing set. You get the picture.

the smoke seems to just come from the passenger side, white, real light coming out of the valve covers or around them somwhere, same smoke coming out the tailpipe but dies down after its been running.

If you are real lucky, the smoke is just an oil leak and the short burning of oil out of the exhaust is just bad valve stem seals. You need to read the plugs, compression check and mechanical oil pressure reading to verify you have a good short block.

Sounds like an easy enough start and I have the gauge to pop on for oil pressure and I think my father has what I need to do a compression check. I will get that carb rebuilt so I can get it running again. Thanks

[KULTULZ]

This roller cam you have. Is it one of the old ISKYS from the early MEL? Cam bearing size and cam drive was changed in 1961 and may present a problem.

[Theo]

the smoke seems to just come from the passenger side, white, real light coming out of the valve covers or around them somwhere, same smoke coming out the tailpipe but dies down after its been running. Anything specific I should be looking for if I pull the valve cover for a quick check? .....

Oil leaks are not easy to locate. In case you have a dual exhaust locating a leak is not really possible as in most instances the dual tubes have a transition tube right after the ex. manifolds.
A typical process of ellimination would be checking the plugs, compression and the valve stem seals. To be honest I doubt that the leak is just umbrella related. The engine has been running for quite a while as you said and as I understood it, you never have done a rebuild.
Sometimes a gasket seal can cause oil leaks but even if you repair defects in the top area, you wouldn't be sure if there wasn't a piston blow by problem anyway.
Depending on the engine I personally tend to pull it and have it all checked and recondicioned freom the ground up.

[KULTULZ]

One can use a vacuum gauge (combination fuel pressure gauge) as a cheap manometer. Put the hose on the dipstick tube and measure vacuum (or pressure) throughout the RPM range (with and without inlet air disabled).

The PCV System would have to be fully operational (service as required-not just shake valve). Pressure at high RPM's may indicate ring blow-by.

This is the low buck option. If you don't have the money to go through it, this is a cheap alternative to see if the short is in acceptable shape. He is going through the heads and upper cylinder condition can be verified while they are off.

[buddy67lincoln]

Thanks a lot. I appreciate the help. I might fiddle with the carb a little and see if it will work. Its got 30,000 miles of use so it may just need cleaned up and not rebuilt. I will let you know what I come up with. Overall, I might still pull it just to get in there at eye level and really tear it down as needed and I will be able to paint the engine bay easier. If it needs the whole works...it will get it. I just want this thing on the road but I also don't want an unreliable engine. The heads will be completely rebuilt and I am using 430 heads as well so seals, valves, etc will be all new. Thanks a lot for all the help.

[Theo]

You're welcome.
Keep us updated with your project.