Just thinking... What would make a small block ford break down?? (long-thinking out loud)

The other day my girlfriends mom asked me and her what she would do when she gets her Mustang if it breaks down. My response was that she could check the basics, and call me if she saw nothing obvious and I come fix it for her. Either that or a modern car breaks down and she has to call a tow to take it to a shop and pay to fix it.

Anyhow, later on I got to thinking... What would make a '60s small block Ford break down? In my experience daily driving a '67 and '68 Galaxie with a 289 and 302 respectively, for several years, there sure as heck isn't much that stops the engine from running.

Hell, the only thing that stopped the 289 from running was snapping a rocker stud at about 7 grand, and the 302 finally stopped running when the timing chain had so much slack in it that it just couldn't stay running any more. The 289 thing was my own fault, and with the 302 I knew that it was gonna go for a long time and was just driving it until it was dead. My uncle drove it for 7 years before me, and to give you an idea of the neglect it saw for those 7 years... When I got it the thing had 1 quart of oil in the pan, was 3 quarts low on tranny fluid, and only the back brakes worked. He drove it every day like that!

In any case, I can't for the life of me think of any reason why a well maintained small block Ford would just stop running while cruising along. This is of course assuming all the basics have been gone over (electrical, tune-up, compression, etc.) and the engine checks out fairly healthy and any electrical/wiring issues have been taken care of.

The only reason I have ever 'broken down' in several years of driving small block Fords is due to burned up points from going way too long before replacing them. I knew I was way overdue for replacing the points and had bought a new set, but hadn't gotten around to putting them in. So one day the car started running very rough and stalling out at idle. I decided it was time to replace the points, so I pulled over and 5 minutes later I was on my way.

In any case, points won't even be an issue because when my girl gets her Mustang one of the first things I'm gonna do is buy her a Pertronix kit like I have in my Galaxie... 13,000 miles in 7 months and not once have I had any trouble from it or has it needed any adjustment.

So really, other than outright beating the piss out of the thing until something lets loose, or neglecting it until it destroys itself, I really can't think of anything that would cause a small block Ford to stop running. Only major mechanical stuff, which I've always noticed before anything fails from it, or electrical/ignition stuff which is pretty easy to fix.

Once my radiator sprung a leak. It whistled a bit. I topped off the radiator, wrapped a rag around it with duct tape, and went on my way without overheating or anything. Patched it up with JB-Weld that night and never had another problem.

It seems that in my experience the small block Ford engine just keeps on going no matter what. If a classic car with a small block Ford is to ever break down it will most likely be from points, or electrical/wiring. It seems like any trouble is far more likely to be with the rest of the car, which I don't think there's much that would actually stop you from being able to get home safely.

Unlike modern cars there aren't a million and one electronic and vacuum components which any given one will stop the engine from running or starting. My Galaxies have always started up and gotten me where I needed to go, which is more than I can say for the two modern econo-boxes I've driven.

Sorry for being long winded. I'm just thinking out loud at what could fail. If my friend from work decides to sell his Mustang, my girl could be driving it this coming summer. Just thinking about what I would need to go over to ensure she has a reliable car to drive, and waht to check before buying it. Obviously some of the first things to be done will be a full tune-up, a carb rebuild, and replacement of the brake hydraulics (car has been sitting for a few years in the garage).

So how about you guys? What are the most common reasons for a '60s Ford with a small block to 'break down'?

My Mustang has put me on the side of the road twice. First time, the headers melted through the power steering hoses. Fluid everywhere, smoke for miles. I just pulled the belt and kept driving until I got home.
Second was a condenser burning out. I had a spare in the glove box, changed the condenser and points and was on the road in 10 minutes.
There is very little that will put a car on the side of the road, but both of these situations would be devestating to someone that doesnt know much about fixing cars.
To make your girls' car reliable, load it with a pertronix, keep iron manifolds on if she has power steering, and make sure things like wheel bearings, tie rods, hoses and belts are in good shape. That and regular maintenance and she'll be rolling care free.

You can break a small block ford?[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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I think all of the old ford motors are pretty reliable. My 390 is great. My friend has one of those old 6 cylinders from a falcon and that thing will not die. He loves that motor. I replaced my fuel pump in 20 minutes on my 351, but boy oh boy, I had to do it on an 89 dodge and had to drop the gas tank and all kinds of stuff. The new cars definitely are not mechanic friendly compared to 75 and earlier.
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The worst part about someone owning an old Ford (or any old car really) and not having "fix it" knowledge is that it will be hard to find someone to work on it - if and when it does break. Not many people out there are still familiar with points and carbs. Conversely, if you upgraded the thing to a full mass air setup, she could get it fixed about anywhere.

Fords can be tough. My father-in-law's truck (79 F150, 302) is a case in point. He never took care of it. NEver changed the oil, never did anything. Mostly he loaned it to the irrisponsible side of the family and they just beat the crap out of it. He had that thing for about 6 years, and it lasted about 18 months after he died before the family goombas managed to kill it. And I'm not sure the motor died, I think it was the trans. (I got a round-about invite to look at it, which I declined. Let it rest in peace.)

The point is - with regular maintenance, they should provide very reliable service.

But, it's really no different with an old car or new. There's a bunch of old car owners out there that need hacks like us that remember the "old ways". There's a bunch here that could likely fix a point triggered car with a screwdriver and a paper clip. That same fix-it crowd would be on the cell phone calling a tow truck if our new 2005 Mustang took a crap on the road - no fixing one of those with a paper clip. Yet back at the dealer, there's likely at least ONE trained individual that can run the diags. ( And then tell you stuff like "Yea, the Linear Intake Phase Charge Conabulator seems to fail a lot. Stupid engineers - it's too close to the exhaust. We substitute a Mitsubishi part and jam a paper clip in it. "[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

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1967 Falcon 4 door w/351C - Owner built, owner abused.
70 Mustang 302 / 02 Mustang V6 rag top, 02 SuperCrew parts hauler
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ckelly on 11/23/04 10:43pm ]</font>

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The point is - with regular maintenance, they should provide very reliable service.

( And then tell you stuff like "Yea, the Linear Intake Phase Charge Conabulator seems to fail a lot. Stupid engineers - it's too close to the exhaust. We substitute a Mitsubishi part and jam a paper clip in it. "[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

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Ha ha ha haaaaa..... [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_tup.gif[/img]

Yep.
SB and BB Fords or any Motor for that matter, are generally designed to keep going with regular maintenance. You keep clean oil in a motor from the 90's on up and it will invariably go for 200K miles.
You do the same with our motors, and they will give you 200K, if you keep your chain replacement intervals, carry a spare fuel pump (in the trunk hidden away somewhere) and set of points, you will never fail to get to your destination.
The technology is better for the environment for sure but the good old Gas~N~Go Fords are unstoppable when you maintain them. All I've ever needed for my old ords was Gas, Grease and points!

FE

Never had a motor stop me, but a transmission on the other hand [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_evil.gif[/img][img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_tdown.gif[/img] Falcon locked in second gear with the junk 3 speed that came behind the inline 6. Fixed that problem now by adding about 220 more hp.

Never had a ford "motor" stop me either......

Bend 2 valves the the 408 stroker from two red shop rags getting sucked down the intake and wrap themselves around the valves "interference valve angles"[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] Was shooting red velvet out the passanger header... I was like what the hell is this red felt looking stuff all on the garage floor[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] opps. Motor was still running strong on 7 cylinders.

Had an electrical fan short the burned up the msd and ignition wires on my 302.......

Ruined an AOD by using the wrong offset flexplate......

Tried to kill my 351w but never could even at 260 degrees.

Starter goes bad, fried solenoid, solenoid-starter wire loose/bad, Alt quits, regulator goes bad, vapor lock(poor fuel line routing), break a WP/PS belt, blow a Rad hose, ****ty(dirty) gas plugs fuel filter, choke sticks and engine won't start. There are numerous others but these are just a few off the top of my head.[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

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On 2004-11-23 13:02, 1 Bad 88 GT wrote:
Starter goes bad, fried solenoid, solenoid-starter wire loose/bad, Alt quits, regulator goes bad, vapor lock(poor fuel line routing), break a WP/PS belt, blow a Rad hose, ****ty(dirty) gas plugs fuel filter, choke sticks and engine won't start. There are numerous others but these are just a few off the top of my head.[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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You're just plain cruel....[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
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