Re: Advise on a 288 cu inch

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2011/4/1 11:45:50

In the old days a ring and valve job or top end overhaul was a common way to freshen up an old engine.

How is your oil pressure? How many miles on the engine? If oil pressure is 40 PSI @ 45 MPH it is within factory specs. If it is also 20 PSI hot idling your bottom end is probably in good shape. Especially if the engine has less than 50000 miles on it.

You may be OK to grind the valves and put in new rings and go for another 30000 miles.

Take off the head and measure the cylinder wear. If the cylinders have less than .007 taper they do not need truing. You can hone them and put new rings on the old pistons.

How does the engine run in general? If there are no raps or knocks and the oil pressure is good it shouldn't be hard to put back in commission.

By the way flathead engines are not hard to work on. If you decide to do the job yourself it should be possible to rebuild it for around $1000 in parts, just a ring and valve job of course, much cheaper.