1968 Mercury 250 Camper Special

[cdnwillyg]

Yet another surprise on the project that I didn't see when I was looking at it when I bought it. The rad is for a manual transmission as there is no tranny cooler and the tranny lines are just jumpered together on the C6??? I'm sure this isn't the end of surprises it's only $$$$$$.

[SeapineF37]

Nice project! If it helps, although my 72 F350 w/ 390 has the rear sump pan, I believe all the 360/390 engines had the same oil spec. My oil stick reads 2-3/4 to add and 3-1/4 to full from the end of the stick. My ford truck manual say 5qts and that reads accurately to my stick although yours may be a different length w a non-stock tube and therefore makes matching length to length very unreliable. See truck manual Section 50-21-8

[WhitsEnd]

Yet another surprise on the project that I didn't see when I was looking at it when I bought it. The rad is for a manual transmission as there is no tranny cooler and the tranny lines are just jumpered together on the C6??? I'm sure this isn't the end of surprises is only $$$$$$.

Check out my build for a nice option for a new radiator for a little more than $200.

[Manny]

Get her running yet???

[cdnwillyg]

I notice a little discoloration on the dip stick as in water contamination, so I will change out the oil and filter tomorrow before I try starting it. Not wanting to inflict any more injury if I don't have to and then at least I have a starting point as well. Soon Manny!!! I hope.
I will then be able to check the dip stick out as to where 6 qts is on it for future reference. Will check measurement from tip as well thanks SeapineF37.
I think I will go with an new aftermarket tranny cooler for now as there is one in the parts that came with it but will look at your solution Whitsend.

[cdnwillyg]

A day late on the update because:
I decided to check if there was any water in the oil, because it was high and slightly discolored before I changed it. Well I think when you take out almost 3 quarts of water before the oil is noticed draining there maybe a big issue. So I decided to start it with the oil that was in it just to check if there was any bubbling in the rad or leaks around the head before I changed it.
With a little carb cleaner down the carb and gas to fuel pump from a Jerry can it lit right off and ran SWEET!!! I went to check exhaust to see if any oil burning and then it happened I heard this weird sound coming from the engine only to see oil puking out all over the floor!! Shut the engine off and seen that the oil was coming from/out of the bell housing??? WHAT?????
So in about 3-5 seconds it dumped all the oil out of the engine, first thing that came to mind was the rear main seal blew but that seemed off for it to dump the oil that fast??
So then after talking with a buddy he thought maybe the cam plug or threaded oil gallery plug fell out.
So what do I do?
My thinking is to pull the transmission to check if the problem can be fixed without removing the engine...bigger job but still may have to be done.
Any thought of what happened or how to approach my problem???
Are there frost plugs on the back side of these 390 blocks? may explain water into oil as well??
Is the pic correct for the FE 390??

[Manny]

That's not a 390 like a 2.9 v6 or something. Get you a 390 pic tomorrow. Pull the trans or lift the engine out kinda same evil. There are 2 plugs in the cam lifter oil galley plugs back there a rear cam plug. either or could squirt pressurized oil.

[cdnwillyg]

Thanks Manny good to know that those frost plugs aren't there I guess. I'm leaning on pulling the tranny as it seems doable by myself with a tranny jack...I hope.
Most of the exhaust will need to come off as well, both tranny cross members but I got lucky there as they both have the rivets removed and have bolts!
Should those plugs have been lock-tited in??? Why would they have come loose so easy so soon?? May be cam end plug was installed backwards??
Hopefully tomorrow will know more.

[popeyes71]

One of your oil gallery plugs may have blown out. There are 4 small oil gallery plugs located around the cam plug behind the motor (in the bell housing area). The plugs are pressed into the block; the same way a freeze plug is installed. I had one of the rear oil gallery plugs blow out on me once and I had to drop the tranny and remove the flexplate to fix it. Hope that helps.

[cdnwillyg]

Thanks Popeyes71, now I see what a 390 looks like in the back end, I feel more confident that's what it is too.
Just going out to start the removal of the tranny and all the other stuff that's in the way. Here's hoping!!!!!

[Ranchero50]

I would just pull the engine instead since something is puking water into the oil pan.

[cdnwillyg]

Don't say that Ranchero 50, just got in from pulling the tranny and this is what I found.

20171108_150631.jpg

20171108_150736.jpg

20171108_152919.jpg

Even the missing piece was found by my work bench too.
Is the 7/16" the right size for the gallery plug? Should one set these so they don't come out, especially there in the bell housing?
Anyone tried threading these holes to 1/4" and using lots of grease to catch the filings??
Why they didn't put threaded plugs in when they had it apart for rebuilding is anyone's guess?

[Ranchero50]

What is the history on the engine? I'm concerned that you have water in the oil (or is it coolant) and now an oil gallery plug 'pushed' out. Compare your pic to Popeye's. His plugs are in much further. So the real question is did the plug just pop out from a poor install, or has your engine frozen with water in the oil passages forcing the plug out? Is it possible your truck sat outside uncovered and just got water down the carb? It'll weep by the rings and end up in the oil.

The more you post up, the more concerned I become about the deal with the engine. More questions than answers is not a good thing.

Oh yeah, you're not supposed to reuse the gallery plugs. One and done.

[cdnwillyg]

You and me both.
A little history is that the guy I bought the truck from had it at a restoration guy's place for 6 years. After $25,000 in labor and parts,owner took this guy to court and won a cash settlement and got his truck and the parts back. The engine was done at a rebuild shop(???) for $5000 and he ( restoration dude) put it in with the transmission.(Lots of bolts loose and missing)
I knew going in that the engine maybe suspect because the dipstick and oil filler caps not on the valve covers. It did turn over by hand but it was tough, even the starter couldn't get it cranking quickly. It loosened up lots when I pulled the plugs and shot some oil into the cylinders to turn by hand, then it spun great with the starter.( some wire connection issues there)
When I filled the rad with antifreeze it took about 3 quarts, same amount I drained from the oil pan before I started it so I'm thinking it came in via a gasket or head or intake issue. I was going to do a compression test if it didn't fire but it took right off and ran sweet for a little while.
I'm on the right side of this truck money wise knowing I may have to rebuild the rebuilt.
Once I replace all 4 rear plugs I'll put it back together, fill with new oil and filter, I will then try and see what or where the water is coming in at, I will do a compression test too once I get the new oil thru out the engine. I am hoping this might show me where a gasket has failed and some idea of condition of rings and valves. The only thing I'm really uneasy about if it has a cracked block, the rest is fixable to me.
This project was to get me thru a cold Alberta winter and it may be there in spades!!!

[DuckRyder]

Is that white (tan) stuff oil? That is a lot of water in the oil if so. I would NOT run it with that in there and it may take several very quick changes to get the water out.

I would do a cooling system pressure test on it. That should tell you if there is an internal leak in the cooling system.