Well the 250 that I have started having issues so I spent the weekend pulling it (again). The flywheel was shot as I couldn't get the aftermarket starter shimmed correctly. I'm using a smaller flywheel now and the starter off my sons Nova (it has a 250 also) since he doesn't have a license yet. I think I have the issue fixed now and test started it while I had it out the car. It starts right up and I no longer hear that grinding sound so one problem fixed.

I figured that since I had the engine out and that since it appears that the oil pan gasket was leaking that I'd go ahead and replace that. Of course I couldn't stop there. Having dropped the oil pan and seeing about 40 years of sludge I had to clean that all out. And since I once read in a hotrodders 'bible' somewhere that its close to sinful to not throw a coat of primer and paint on a part before one puts it back on I had to do that lol. So yep you guessed it the oil pan is now primered and painted a semi-gloss black.

Well I finally have it back on the engine and will hopefully have the engine back in the truck by this weekend. Yes I know that I plan to replace the 250 with the 292 I picked up but something deep inside me just would not let me only replace the flywheel and starter. I gladly admit that is one of my faults but in no way do I plan to ever change it!!!!

my little projects snowball exactly like that too
I feel it's just lazy or shortsighted to NOT address some other issues while something else is out of the way or has to come off the engine for whatever reason.

It's a way of life. If you don't break it now and stay focused. The older you get the more aware you become of problems. I will never finish all my projects. 8^)

Larry

My son and I started on his Studebaker one day and kept saying," Well as long as we've gone this far..." I have pictures of him sandblasting the frame. We aren't allowed to work on stuff together anymore.

And that is why my wife will not let me have a garage/shop. By working in the driveway she knows I'll come inside when the street lights come on lol....

I BET THE REASON THE PAN WAS FULL OF SLUDGE IS BECAUSE OF BLOW BY ON THE VALVES AND PISTONS. JMO
BOB

I contend the sludge came from the engine seeing many "short trips" around town and too long of time between oil changes. The "short trips" do not allow the motor to heat up enough for a long enough time to sucessfully evaporate the condensation from the crankcase etc. Thats why the mfg have certain milage AND certain TIME requirements for oil change intervals, the milage requirement is apparent-but the time requirement seems silly. It is the time requirement that tries to take care of the condensation laden oil. Blowby contains elements of combustion particles including fuel, these would mostly be caught by the oil filter. Condensation tends to want to cling to cooler surfaces (good reason to run a warmer thermostat). If the pan had a lot of sludge, and if you really want to be sidetracked some more, try checking the valve cover and side plates, both good cooler surfaces for sludge to cling.

Grrrrrr. I'll check those preacher as that does seem highly likely. The previous owner only drove it occassionally and that was around town. He had only put it on the Interstate or Highway like 3 times. To make things worse I live 2.8 miles from work so other than that it saw no interstate driving. I did put it on the interstate to go visit family about once a month. Also, I do know that when I change the thermostat about 2 months ago it had a 180 in there. I replaced that with a 190 or 195 can't remember which one. This was based off the recommendation that an inline 6 should actually run a little warmer than a V8. So no telling how long the 180 thermostat was in there.

When I get around to overhauling it I'll check the pan again. If it has sludge build up again then I'll pay close attention to the valves and pistions and make sure they seal correctly.

never heard the story about a six needing to run warmer than a V8, 180 thermostats were factory issues prior to 1968(which was the year the rest of world introduced to smog controls). In an effort to insure more complete combustion (and therefore less smog) the 195 thermostats were introduced at which point the underhood temps soared. During a trip on a 100 degree day in texas it was unpleasant to touch the dipstick whilse making a pitstop along the interstate. Underhood rubber parts suffered until many years later they changed to more heat resistant compounds, we were re-introduced to vapor lock, low milage valve jobs, and generally poorer drivability which maxed in 1974 (the year prior to cat convertors) every mfg's '74 cars were the MOST DOGGY of all their years. But you sure had a hell of a heater in the winter time, and perhaps less smog.

JM, I run 195 thermostats in all pick-up and passenger cars with 230-250 engines. The 292 engines in heavy trucks/ag equip. get a 180; even at that extended idle during the summer may require an auxillary fan. If you are fighting a sludge problem insure that the P.C.V. system is intact and correct for the engine. Each P.C.V. valve contains a metered orifice that is calibrated for specific apps: remember it is a closed loop system; most of the older stuff I work on is missing the fresh air connection to the breather; as long as the inlet air is filtered you are O.K. "Preach" nailed it: Sludge is a result of low temps and other related factors , varnish is high temp deposit...fats