Relieved vales?

[trosa54]

Took the heads off this 60 motor and found these whittled looking valve pockets. Is this a relieved block? Never seen the heads off a 60 before, what do I have here? Lower compression? Why do this to a 60?

Thanks,
Tony

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone. trosa54 I can't say if that is relieved, it does look like it but am not familiar with that block.

For the question of why, this was a desirable combination for many racing series, both boats and cars, so it could easily have been used in a performance application. The weight to HP ratio was favorable, I believe. Maybe it was because of a CI limit?

[Mike B]

Are all V8 60's decked like that?...also looks like domed pistons?

Never seen one, thought I'd ask.

[WestCoast]

relieving was supposed to let the engine breath better, the theory was the fuel air combo didn't have to go up as far the get into the cylinder, it was mostly done on truck engines for more low end torque end torque, it was a toss up whether the increased breathing made up for the loss of compression

[Pete]

Originally Posted by trosa54

Took the heads off this 60 motor and found these whittled looking valve pockets. Is this a relieved block? Never seen the heads off a 60 before, what do I have here? Lower compression? Why do this to a 60?

Thanks,
Tony

1- Yes.
2- Modified for better breathing. Maybe an old race boat or midget
engine.
3- Slightly if used with stock heads.
4- For racing.

[supereal]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Relieving blocks between the piston and the valves was supposed to increase power, but usually didn't do much except ruin blocks. A couple of years ago, a customer who bought a very nice T-Bird on line sent it to us because no one had been able to get it to idle. When we pulled the heads, we found that some idiot had tried to relieve the block so far the top piston ring was exposed!

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Mike B

Are all V8 60's decked like that?...also looks like domed pistons?

Never seen one, thought I'd ask.

Asking again...

[Brian]

Supereal, Why would anyone relieve a T Bird engine? How is that done?

[scooder]

Mike, domed pistons, normal. That relief twix valve seat and bore, not normal. So no there not all decked like that.
Hope this answers your question,
Martin.
I'd like more info on a relived block T bird engine please.

[KiWinUS]

It also appears to have been a factory thin sleeve block with the sleeves removed ,The groove is visible where the top of the sleeve would fit in.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

I think we all will learn something on relieve a T-Bird. Walt

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by supereal

Relieving blocks between the piston and the valves was supposed to increase power, but usually didn't do much except ruin blocks. A couple of years ago, a customer who bought a very nice T-Bird on line sent it to us because no one had been able to get it to idle. When we pulled the heads, we found that some idiot had tried to relieve the block so far the top piston ring was exposed!

Maybe they got confused and thought that they had a flathead

[WestCoast]

unless im having a major senior moment, t birds were over head valve engines and no way to relieve them, you might unschroud the valves on them to make them breath a little better

[scooder]

It's not your senior moment.
Martin.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by scooder

Mike, domed pistons, normal. That relief twix valve seat and bore, not normal. So no there not all decked like that.
Hope this answers your question,
Martin.
I'd like more info on a relived block T bird engine please.

Thanks Martin.

No comment on the Y-Block.

[Frank Miller]

Maybe he meant T bucket. That might have had a flathead.

[trosa54]

Thanks for the input on this, how would I determine if there's a hot cam? Measure valve lift and compare to stock lift specs? Where would I find stock cam lift specs? This motor is sleeved and has stock cast iron heads.

Thanks Barner's

Tony

[supereal]

I have no idea why someone "relieved" the T-Bird block. It did come from California, which may explain a lot. The new owner is a local building contractor who was too busy to go look at the car, or find someone who could. The online ad was full of puffery about the car. There is a treat of a lawsuit, as a new engine, or at least a block, is the only remedy. I doubt a lawsuit will be successful. We see this now and then at our shop. A regular customer bought a Buick convertible which was advertised as rare, and with "matching numbers". It didn't take long to discover it was really a "clone", worth much less than the price paid. If the seller balks at having a professional appraisal, or a thorough inspection by an established shop before the money changes hands, RUN not walk for the nearest exit!

[Fordors]

This has got to be a question of what supereal is trying to say. I would believe that the block was chamfered to provide better breathing for oversize intake valves, but could one put valves that large in a Y-block? Regardless, even if that was the case the chamfer had to be .300+ deep to get below the top ring. You might say that chamfering is a type of relieving, but not in the way the term is used regarding flatheads.