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I wonder if those with more experience with these engines than me can take a listen to the following...

You Tube Video

I'm not familiar with this vintage as much as others, but that engine doesn't sound too healthy to me.

Opinions...

Dongle.

Sounds pretty good for what appears to be a barn find to me.

I agree with Eric.

Sorry, I should have been more specific...

The engine is out of the car now - the car is being rodded.
I bought the engine - but haven't picked it up yet. I spoke with the owner and I guess from the description I expected a little less valve noise. It also seems to have a deeper thunk I would have attriputed to bearings.

But I am diagnosing with a 500 mile seperation distance and with a huge lack of experience with engines older than 1956.

Still it's miles better than the one I have now......

Dongle

It's a shame the car got rodded. That is a desirable body style for a 7th series. As far as the 'thunking', I did not hear it. Do you have any idea how many miles are on the engine? It is, for me at least, very difficult to judge an engine without some data.

Yeah, it's a real shame that a running car that nice got rodded, that's something even I wouldn't have done, ever.

So I have picked this engine up and I am doing a little to it before installation / testing. I took the water water jacket cover off and I am cleaning a little debris out.

Anyone hazard a guess why there would be what I would describe as bicycle spoke dia. rods on the opposite side of the cylinders. I guess there are about two or three.

I can't tell length, but likely about 6 inches each.

From what I can see they a pretty straight and they are not about to come out. Makes it kinda hard to clean out the gunk.

Dongle

What you asked for is an opinion, I'll give you my opinion on how to determine the condiiton of an engine.

Set timing adn point gap

1. observe oil pressure cold and hot

2. Observe running temperature fully warmed up

3. Record compression in each cylinder and diagnose using oil to seal leaky rings.

4. Put compressed air into each cyl and listen for leaks in intake/exh manifolds

5. Use engine stethescope to diagnose unusual noises.


My opinion on diagnosing an engine by listening to a recording of the noises it makes is like a doctor diagnosing a cough over the phone without taking blood pressure, pulse and using a stethescope to detect possible bronchitis/pneumonia. It would get his license revoked

Fred Kanter
Kanter Auto Products
Boonton NJ

Hi Fred;

Thanks for the comments. I certainly appreciate them.

Unfortunately my doctor doesn't make house calls any more and the long distance cough was all I had to rely on - and it was quite a cough.

Now that the patient is some 500 miles closer to me, I am in a better position to undertake a little more triage.


All kidding aside, I will perform your tests, and others. Any thoughts on the rods in the water jacket?

Dongle

Rods in water jacket

When casting an item with internal passages a sand core must be made. Sometimes a wire frame is made approximating the shape and used as a arbor to keep the core from crumbling. IN my experience I've only found remnants once as they rust away quickly. No other ideas??