[71xr7514]

Here is the story, about 2 months ago I purchased my stepgrandfathers car. 71 cougar, this is as much about it I know: 460 balanced and blueprinted, D0VE-C heads, SCJ 429 intake, SCJ Holley carb (number research says it is OE to a 70 Torino or Cyclone.) has ford exhaust manifolds, fit car, can't read numbers.

Car was not driven for at least 6 years according to the CA tabs. was told it was started and ran regularly until approx. 2 yrs ago. Transported car here, oiled cylinders, turned over by hand, rebuilt carb, and it started up, ran good. engine ran REAL strong. drove approx 30 miles to my home from work to store for the winter.

What I know about the engine is this much beyond listed above. was told is stock 460 block, maybe bored some. heads have been gone threw, to what extent I do not know. has a cam, how big, unknown. crane cam roller rockers, complete jacobs ignition, box, dist., and wires. according to my grandma, approx. 8k was put into the engine with machine work ect.

This is getting to long and I am getting to the point. Was going to remove the engine anyway to detail the engine compartment and fix some hack wiring. removed a valve cover to see what things looked like, and found rusted rocker arms, rusted/pitted rollers on the rockers. do you think I should tear the thing down and check all the bearings/ ect for corrosion damage.

 

[Bad69cat]

If it sat for that long it could just be condensate rusting up under the valve covers. What does the oil look like?

 

[71xr7514]

Oil was dirty, but not milky or anything. my main worry is that for one the pitted rollers on the rockers. ( can feel pits deep enough to catch finger nail. will damage valve stem.) or the rust that already came off is damageing the cam or mains.

 

[71xr7514]

I can wipe rust off of them. not just colr but sand sized debris.

 

[Bad69cat]

Honestly - I don't think it would damage much. We aren't talkin major flakes of rust are we? The pits are lower than the surface so they should be OK. The important thing is to use oils that have ZDDP in them to protect the cam. You may wat to run some motor flush through the thing and do a few oil and filter changes. Dad always used diesel - but I'd use the GUNK motor flush (probably is just Kerosene mostly).

 

[cougarshaman]

I would take it apart and check the cylinders, pull the pan and look at the bearings, etc.
For sure, I'd replace the rockers and give the valvetrain a good look.

sand sized debris

is kind of a big deal.

 

[Bad69cat]

Cutting open a filter wouldn't hurt to let you know what's going on......