mightyohm
Donation Time
Hello all,
I'm searching for a 1592 block to replace the original block in my wife's car, which we have discovered has been poorly welded in the past. I was given a 1592 block by a friend, but upon inspecting it, have discovered some quirks that I'd like to get a second opinion on.
The block is marked B9201204 near the oil filter mount and 1980880 F 10-4-63 on the driver's side. I think this makes it a series 3 block (?)
First, there appears to be an extra oil passage in the block. It starts on the rear passenger side, near the flywheel end of the block, and exits through a crudely drilled hole in the rearmost cam bearing shell. My theory is that this was added because the center oil galley plug where the pressure gauge is connected is stripped. A larger plug was installed in that location, and this tap point was added for the gauge. Does that make sense? If I can repair the threads in the center plug location, is there any harm in leaving this extra passage unused? I attached a photo of this passage on the outside of the block, and inside looking at the rear cam bearing.
Second, I believe the oil passages to the main bearings have been enlarged. Compared to the 1592 in the car, the oil passages are much larger, and it appears that the groove in the bearing surface of the block has been shaped and flared out to match. The oil passages in the original block that came with the car are much, much smaller. Is this a series 3 (?) change or a modification someone did to improve oil flow, or for some other reason? I attached a photo (center_main_oil_passage.jpg)
Lastly, do all early blocks have a dipstick hole in the block? I hadn't noticed this before, but both my original block and this replacement have a blocked off passage on the driver's side near the center of the block. I assume this is for a dipstick on cars that did not already have one in the pan?
Given the strange oil passages I'm not sure that this block is any better than the one I've got, but I'm curious about what others think of the modifications.
I'm searching for a 1592 block to replace the original block in my wife's car, which we have discovered has been poorly welded in the past. I was given a 1592 block by a friend, but upon inspecting it, have discovered some quirks that I'd like to get a second opinion on.
The block is marked B9201204 near the oil filter mount and 1980880 F 10-4-63 on the driver's side. I think this makes it a series 3 block (?)
First, there appears to be an extra oil passage in the block. It starts on the rear passenger side, near the flywheel end of the block, and exits through a crudely drilled hole in the rearmost cam bearing shell. My theory is that this was added because the center oil galley plug where the pressure gauge is connected is stripped. A larger plug was installed in that location, and this tap point was added for the gauge. Does that make sense? If I can repair the threads in the center plug location, is there any harm in leaving this extra passage unused? I attached a photo of this passage on the outside of the block, and inside looking at the rear cam bearing.
Second, I believe the oil passages to the main bearings have been enlarged. Compared to the 1592 in the car, the oil passages are much larger, and it appears that the groove in the bearing surface of the block has been shaped and flared out to match. The oil passages in the original block that came with the car are much, much smaller. Is this a series 3 (?) change or a modification someone did to improve oil flow, or for some other reason? I attached a photo (center_main_oil_passage.jpg)
Lastly, do all early blocks have a dipstick hole in the block? I hadn't noticed this before, but both my original block and this replacement have a blocked off passage on the driver's side near the center of the block. I assume this is for a dipstick on cars that did not already have one in the pan?
Given the strange oil passages I'm not sure that this block is any better than the one I've got, but I'm curious about what others think of the modifications.
