Wide block/narrow block head problem
Hi guys, I need some more help. When I bought my 50 Pacemaker I posted some pics of it. At that time it was mentioned that I had a wide block engine with a narrow head and it would overheat, or run hot. I obtained a wide head and had it surfaced. I rec'd my head gasket today from Dale Cooper so I started the head swap. My problem is the wide head gasket doesn't line up with the water holes in the block, it covers more than half. The old narrow gasket lines up perfectly with the block and head. The car ran hot, just past half way on the temp gage. After measuring the bore and stroke it seems I have a 262 and not a 232. I didn't know that the block was relieved either. Is that a good thing? Bore is 3 9/16 stroke is 4 3/8, the piston rings are pinned and the pistons are numbered 1 thru 6 and have a different letter on each one. The only thing abnormal that I found was someone had blocked the thermostat housing by-pass off. I don't want to run the car overheated so what are my options at this point? I am posting some pics of the block with the narrow and wide gaskets in place for alignment. Any and all advice is welcome. Thanks, Richie.
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Looks like you have the 50 Pacemaker block in your car. The head for the 50 Pacemaker should have 500 on it where the 51 up heads had 232--262 or 308. If the old gasket matches the head that was on the car it is correct. If the engine # is same as the serial # on the body and frame it is the orig. engine0
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Billy K.TN. wrote:Looks like you have the 50 Pacemaker block in your car. The head for the 50 Pacemaker should have 500 on it where the 51 up heads had 232--262 or 308. If the old gasket matches the head that was on the car it is correct. If the engine # is same as the serial # on the body and frame it is the orig. engine
Billy, I didn't know what size the engine was until I took the head off tonight. The engine has no serial number on it. Must have been a replacement engine. The old gasket matches up with the block and head just fine. I don't know why it ran hot. Radiator was rebuilt and i have no leaks. It had no thermostat. Thanks for your reply. Richie.0 -
Billy K.TN. wrote:Looks like you have the 50 Pacemaker block in your car. The head for the 50 Pacemaker should have 500 on it where the 51 up heads had 232--262 or 308. If the old gasket matches the head that was on the car it is correct. If the engine # is same as the serial # on the body and frame it is the orig. engine
Billy, I just added a pic of the engine before the head was removed, it looks like the head is too narrow. I don't know enough about the old Hudsons to know what is right or wrong. Richie.0 -
This is the first time I've been able to open this thread.
Mr Kemp is right, its drilled to be a narrow block. Evidently yours had the right head in the first place. Is is possible that it is a replacement engine for a narrow block, sold at a time when wide blocks were being casted - therefore, drilled for a narrow head? Even if it is a 262, I'd run the 500 head.
If you're using the stock temp gauge, halfway is about 180*F. That's where my Wasp 308 w/262 head runs. I have both the factory gauge and an aftermarket gauge, just to keep an eye on it.
The original by-pass type thermostats are hard to come by. I can kinda understand why somebody would have blocked the passage off. How exactly did they block it off? We're running a '55 308 aluminum head on another engine that doesn't have the by-pass, so we drilled 2 - 0.125" holes in the coolant-exposed perimeter of the simple thermostat. Works fine now. Before it would rocket up to 190*, fall to 160*, then yo-yo between the two. With the holes drilled in the thermostat, we stay around 160-170* evenly. That is unless I stay into the 4-barrel, then it heats up to 190-200* and stays.
Your engine looks nice, are all your exhaust valves the same color?
Mark0 -
`Hudsonator wrote:This is the first time I've been able to open this thread.
Mr Kemp is right, its drilled to be a narrow block. Evidently yours had the right head in the first place. Is is possible that it is a replacement engine for a narrow block, sold at a time when wide blocks were being casted - therefore, drilled for a narrow head? Even if it is a 262, I'd run the 500 head.
If you're using the stock temp gauge, halfway is about 180*F. That's where my Wasp 308 w/262 head runs. I have both the factory gauge and an aftermarket gauge, just to keep an eye on it.
The original by-pass type thermostats are hard to come by. I can kinda understand why somebody would have blocked the passage off. How exactly did they block it off? We're running a '55 308 aluminum head on another engine that doesn't have the by-pass, so we drilled 2 - 0.125" holes in the coolant-exposed perimeter of the simple thermostat. Works fine now. Before it would rocket up to 190*, fall to 160*, then yo-yo between the two. With the holes drilled in the thermostat, we stay around 160-170* evenly. That is unless I stay into the 4-barrel, then it heats up to 190-200* and stays.
Your engine looks nice, are all your exhaust valves the same color?
Mark
Mark, just got back home. The bypass was blocked off with shim stock and silicone sealer. There was no thermostat. I will get an aftermarket temp gauge, that's a good idea. All the exhaust valves are the same. All the plugs are the same also,light brown in color. I still have no idea what year engine this is. There is a casting date on the side of the block that reads 9-27-54 and another number 310110. Thanks for your help. Richie.0 -
I think you are set up real nice.
Your engine looks to be in good shape!
Mark0 -
`Hudsonator wrote:I think you are set up real nice.
Your engine looks to be in good shape!
Mark
Thanks Mark, talk to you later. Richie.0 -
Richie wrote:Mark, just got back home. The bypass was blocked off with shim stock and silicone sealer. There was no thermostat. I will get an aftermarket temp gauge, that's a good idea. All the exhaust valves are the same. All the plugs are the same also,light brown in color. I still have no idea what year engine this is. There is a casting date on the side of the block that reads 9-27-54 and another number 310110. Thanks for your help. Richie.
Obviously you have a replacement engine, which was set up at the factory to accept the narrow block head. You are fortunate that it is the 262 rather than the 232 - better power, and if it does not have the two barrel carb, it surely is set up for it. All you will need is the intake manifold off any 262 or 308 engine and your in business. A 1950 Wasp! ! !
Jerry
53jetman0 -
53jetman wrote:Obviously you have a replacement engine, which was set up at the factory to accept the narrow block head. You are fortunate that it is the 262 rather than the 232 - better power, and if it does not have the two barrel carb, it surely is set up for it. All you will need is the intake manifold off any 262 or 308 engine and your in business. A 1950 Wasp! ! !
Jerry
53jetman
Jerry, it has a two barrel carb and runs very good. Pulls hard 40 to 70 mph. It surely is a replacement engine as it has no numbers stamped on the block. The place normally stamped is blank. Thanks for your comment. Richie.0
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