861 Ford Diesel Engine (172 CID)

I recently bought a 861 Ford Diesel Powermaster that had been disassembled 40 years ago. I am now reassembling
the engine. I am reusing the original pistons with new rings and rod bearings. The rod bearing cap bolts and
nuts are present; however, I find no washers in the bucket of parts. Can someone tell me whether the 172 CID
engine uses any kind of lock washer, safety wire, or tabs on the rod caps?
Also, should I use new bolts and nuts?
I am not an experienced mechanic; any advice will be sincerely appreciated.

No washers or other locking devices were used

Do you have a service manual? What do the pistons and sleeves look like? Did you Hone the Sleeves. The 172 Diesels are the toughest engines I have ever rebuilt to get the rings to seat.From my experience, if the pistons and the sleeves are worn at all you are wasting your time to just put rings in it. It will be hard to start and use oil like mad. An old Ford dealership mechanic told me many years ago that it was a waste of time to try to do a ring job on one of these engines and I have found him to be correct more than once.I rebuild a lot of tractor engines in my shop, I have four torn down right now and I will not do a ring job on a diesel. PS: New holland wants 47.00 for a rod bolt and 12.00 for nut. No washers required.

As the owner of a "high dollar" competition engine shop explained to me years ago, you are relying on the stretch of the bolt, when torqued to the proper value, to lock the nut to the rod.

I do have an original 1950"s version Shop Manual. I took the pistons to an automotive machine shop; I was told that the pistons were usable. I also "miked" the sleeves; the machine shop said they were acceptable; however, two of them have slight ridges at the top. I have a ridge reamer; how do you feel about reaming the ridges? I have a cylinder hone; and I think I understand about removing the glazing, and cross-hatching the inner surface of the sleeves. Thanks for your candid advice; that's exactly what I was asking for. Also, you mentioned that you would not do a ring job on a "diesel"; did you mean to infer that a diesel 172 engine is more problematic than a gasoline version?

I thought that might be the case. I have a torque wrench, but I'm not sure how reliable it is. New bolts are expensive; do you think it would be acceptable to reuse the old ones?

Thanks.

There is no way to answer that question from the available information but most folks do.

Dean

I have reused the rod bolts on two 172 gas engines without a problem. I would remove the ridge at the top of the cylinder. Measure the cylinder diameter after honing and if in doubt re-sleave the engine. Undoubtedly the rings will be chrome plated and chrome rings are difficult to seat. Use cam lube on the cam and lifters, set the valve lash a bit on the loose side. First start make sure your oil pressure is good and immediately put it to work and don't abuse or baby. Vary the engine rpm and work it well. Plow or blower work, not mowing or raking hay.

If you aren't sure of your torque wrench check it against a known good one or get a bending beam. Some trust clickers, I don't.

After your breakin retorque the head bolts and set valve lash final time. Change oil and filter.

Hello Kearby , First off these engines were Fords first Diesel engine and they had numerous problems when new never mind 60 years later , they are nothing like a modern heavy duty diesel You can’t compare them to or think of them in that respect . If you want the engine to run more than a couple hundred hours you need to do more than you are as they are noted for breaking rod bolts breaking cranks and blocks craving in the web areas etc . As a bare minimum I would magnaflux the head the block the crank and the rods with the crank and rods most important . I replace the rod bolts and nuts EVERY TIME with NO exceptions , I use High Performance ARP Bolts ONLY , this will require checking and resizing the large end of the rod . I balance the crank , the rods , the pistons and the flywheel even if the engine has a balancer . The early 1958/1959 engine had no balancer in them and had vibration problems and breaking cranks . I also use the newer Gearotor high pressure oil pumps in them . With careful attention to the details these engine are good runners , a quick half fast job just guarantees it will blow like a grenade . I have rebuilt close to 1000 172 and 192 Ford Diesels in the last 40 years and have explained this here many times in past years and rebuilt engines for guys here after they tried to do it the cheap way and they blew up just as I said they would as I stated before they are not like a modern 12 valve Cummins engine . Thanks Tony

Tony rebuilt my engine the right way after it snapped the crank due to a poor rebuild. So far no problems and holds great oil pressure.

Vito

661 made the Antique Tractor Calendar playmate of the month for April.

Broke my lens so can't get better focus.

nevermind. You have the 861.