Re: McCulloch VS57 on a 359 Straight Eight

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2011/4/7 9:20:34

That's interesting, Ross. You've seen far more of these engines stripped than I have but I never though that the 359s were more likely to crack than others. Certainly we sometimes see 320 and 385 blocks as well as other later engines with cracks that started in a valve seat and grew across the block to the cylinder walls but generally most folks seem to attribute these situations to neglect in use, prolonged running low on coolant and especially adding cold water to an overheated engine w/o the engine running.

I have heard it said several times that those 22nd/23rd series cars that chronically run hot and defy measures to bring their operating temperates back to "normal" (whatever that is) can be traced to a particular one or two of the engine block casting lines. I've gradually come to accept that there may be some truth to this.