289 Block, heads, rockers, cam, older blocks

[Duker 56]

Hello all, new here. Need info for some engines.
I have a 1958 289 ci block and a 1962 289 ci block, both in good shape running.
I need info on how munch I can have block bored, .120 - ?
Then what piston company to use? Piston Cross over part's #'s ?
What rockers ratio's beside 1.5 are out there ? 1.65, 1.7 ? What are the part numbers ?
What to do to about the cam upgrades.
Which year off blocks are better to bore ?
Now heads good to just clean up or can be ported?

Thanks ahead for all info and help.

[shifter44]

First thing might be to state what the goal / usage that the engine is intended for . That makes a big diff.

Most blocks can stand a .125 overbore , but Sonic checking is a well advised. The older blocks have less core shift .
Use the Search feature here ( upper right corner ) to search out Sonic thickness .
Phil Harris of Fairborn Studebaker , and others such as Myers Studebaker etc can help you out greatly .
Again , the Search feature will give you much, much info , and the experiences of the folks here that have discussed , and done all of the things that you are now into .
Rockers from Stude were all nominally 1.5 : 1 . They differ only in the pad size and shape , and in the adjusting screw .
Better cams are available , and Phil Harris may have a roller available .
Others hopefully will soon chirp in here with more info .

[PackardV8]

Hello all, new here. Need info for some engines.

Welcome to the Racing Studebakers.

I have a 1958 289 ci block and a 1962 289 ci block, both in good shape running.
I need info on how munch I can have block bored, .120 - ?

Yes, No, Maybe. These blocks are now sixty-seventy years old and no way to know what coolant changes were given and how long they sat empty and rusting. We've bored several to .118" and we had one open a hole in a cylinder at .080"

Then what piston company to use? Piston Cross over part's #'s ?

Unless it's a full race engine, just stay with .060" Silvolite from our Stude vendors

What rockers ratio's beside 1.5 are out there ? 1.65, 1.7 ? What are the part numbers ?

Fuggediboudit.

What to do to about the cam upgrades.

There aren't any readily available and cost-effective. The sixty-year-old Iskenderian ST5 or what's Studely referred to as the R2+. The roller cams from Phil Harris would be great to have, but they'll most likely be $2,000 by the time it all gets installed.

Which year off blocks are better to bore ?

If one is determined to go beyond .060", we prefer the '55-'62 partial flow blocks.

Now heads good to just clean up or can be ported?

To make any serious horsepower improvements in a Studebaker V8 requires at least $2,000 investment in professional porting, R3-size intakes and custom valve springs.

Thanks ahead for all info and help.

Try a search and you'd have found all these questions answered many times many years ago.

jack vines

[Duker 56]

Thanks again Jack..I do know of some pistons I can get...but the cams / lifters are not out there..Is it worth the cost to regrind the cam and can it be done? What about the oil pump
parts, is it built like a mopar BB or chevy ? Easy to repair ? Just trying to find out what to do for the motors..My 62 289 is in good shape has 45 psi hot at idle, just need good oil for it and the 3 speed auto trans. What do you mean by partial flow blocks. Thanks again!!

[PackardV8]

Thanks again Jack..I do know of some pistons I can get...but the cams / lifters are not out there..Is it worth the cost to regrind the cam and can it be done?

Who told you cams/lifters are not out there? You aren't looking in the right places. New and reground lifters are readily available. Several sources, including myself, offer stock, R1 and R2+ reground cams.

What about the oil pump
parts, is it built like a morpar BB or chevy ? Easy to repair ? Just trying to find out what to do for the motors..My 62 289 is in good shape has 45 psi hot at idle, just need good oil for it and the 3 speed auto trans.

You don't need to do anything, but there are rebuild kits for the oil pumps.

What do you mean by partial flow blocks. Thanks again!!

Most have forgotten, for many years back when, a bypass oil filter was an optional extra. By the 1950s, US engines of that era used a bypass type oil filter which filtered a percentage of the oil being pumped. Late '50s-early-'60s the full-flow filters came into being. All the oil ran through the filter before going to the engine. Studebaker adapted this sometime mid-'62, IIRC. If the engine is clean to begin with, the bypass filter is good enough.

jack vines

[shifter44]

Here is a site that lists a Huge number of places that sell Studebaker parts .

https://www.studebakervendors.com

[Duker 56]

Update on my 289 motor, cam inside has a lift at lifter intake =.265 x rocker1.5 =398, lifter lift exhaust side .258 x 1.5 = 387.So its larger then a stock cam.. So now I will check with the push rode installed, maybe those are longer too then stock too. A longer p-rod will raise the lift even more.. I know of a guy that has done that on other motors.. 1/16 or 1/8'' will change a lot on lift side..Maybe I don't need to get a new cam now.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Update on my 289 motor, cam inside has a lift at lifter intake =.265 x rocker1.5 =398, lifter lift exhaust side .258 x 1.5 = 387.So its larger then a stock cam.. So now I will check with the push rode installed, maybe those are longer too then stock too. A longer p-rod will raise the lift even more.. I know of a guy that has done that on other motors.. 1/16 or 1/8'' will change a lot on lift side..Maybe I don't need to get a new cam now.

Underlined comment above.
Hmm where have I been ?
NO...longer pushrods will NOT...raise the lift. It will actually decrease the lift by throwing the cam geometry ALL out of whack. And most probably damage the pushrods and rocker arms, and maybe even the valve tips.

Stick with known modifications. If you want more lift, buy a larger lift cam shaft. As Jack said, they are available from him, or visit the "Studebaker Vendors List". That's the ONLY way to increase the valve lift in a Studebaker (most any engine) engine. Stick with stock push rods and rocker arms that came in your engine. This way you won't damage anything.

As for porting the heads. Again, stick with minor modifications. Unless you are willing to step up and buy into either a modified aluminum manifold, or purchase a set of adapter plates to install a Chevrolet intake. Major modifications to the heads will require these expensive changes to work properly overall.

Mike

[Duker 56]

Thanks Mike...I am just dealing with a motor that's over 60 years and I don't know nothing about it. I have worked on older motors before and found worn out parts, bad bearings that make the cranks move to munch, etc..if the motor was not cared for its possible with over so many miles that the push rod ends have wear on them. thanks again.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Thanks Mike...I am just dealing with a motor that's over 60 years and I don't know nothing about it. I have worked on older motors before and found worn out parts, bad bearings that make the cranks move to munch, etc..if the motor was not cared for its possible with over so many miles that the push rod ends have wear on them. thanks again.

While wear and tear obviously happens, pushrods seem to be one of the "least" wear items in an engine. And if they do, it's normally only short by a couple of "ten thousands" (0.0000"). Not enough to bother anything.

BUT, pushrod length, overall, IS VERY important. If they are too long OR too short, the overall valve train geometry will be off. This will lessen the lift, and alter the duration by some amount. So yes, the correct push rod length is important. But normally a +/- .010" is fine for most, but the highest HP engines.

Mike