The Ford 289 engine was among Ford's more popular small block engines of the 1960s until it was replaced by the 302 in 1968. The 289 was equipped in a number of vehicles, but is probably most closely associated with the Mustang and the Falcon. The 289 featured a fairly simple design, retaining almost all of the features of its predecessor, the 260. Although a seemingly endless number of causes can be traced to a particular symptom, the cause of the vast majority of problems associated with the engine can be traced without disassembling the engine.
Inspect the tips of the battery cables for corrosion. Battery corrosion typically appears as a white chalky powder and can prevent the battery current from reaching the cables. Clean the battery terminals and the tips of the cables with a battery terminal brush if corrosion is present while wearing heavy gloves and safety goggles.
Attach a voltmeter to the battery. The meter should indicate that the battery holds a charge of between 12 and 14 volts. If the battery does not hold between 12 and 14 volts, charge the battery with jumper cables attached to a working battery. Replace the battery if it does not hold a charge.
Ensure that the battery cables are secure with a wrench. The negative cable leads from the battery to the side of the engine block. The positive cable attaches to the starter solenoid. A cable on the opposite side of the solenoid attaches to the starter motor.
Attach one end of a jumper cable to the positive battery terminal. Quickly touch the opposite end of the jumper cable to the threaded rod on the side of the starter solenoid that connects the solenoid to the starter motor. Replace the starter solenoid if the starter motor does not turn. If the starter motor turns but the engine does not, replace the starter motor.
Replace the fuel filter, as it may be preventing a sufficient supply of gasoline from reaching the engine. The fuel filter is the metal canister located on the front of the carburetor. The fuel line attaches to the back of the filter. Unscrew the filter by turning its integral nut in a counterclockwise direction with a wrench.
Determine whether the valves are adjusted properly. Two versions of the 289 were produced, the standard 289 and the very rare high-performance 289. The standard 289 was equipped with hydraulic valve lifters, while the high-performance 289 was fitted with solid valve lifters. The standard 289's lifters must be adjusted with the engine running. Remove the valve covers and start the engine. Turn one rocker arm nut in a counterclockwise direction with a wrench until a taping sound is produced, then tighten the nut only until the sound stops. Finally, tighten the nut an additional 3/4 of a turn. The high-performance 289's lifters must be adjusted with a feeler gauge and with the engine turned off. Remove the valve covers and measure the distance between the top of one valve and that valve's rocker arm with the feeler gauge. The distance must be 0.018 inches. Loosen or tighten the rocker arm nut to adjust the distance.
Remove the spark plugs from the engine with a spark plug wrench. Insert a compression gauge into any spark plug opening on the cylinder head. Depress the gas pedal to the floor and turn the engine with the ignition key for a few second. Record the reading of the compression gauge and repeat the process for the remaining spark plug openings. Compare the results. If the reading is significantly lower on two adjacent cylinders than on the remaining cylinders, the head gasket may be defective. If only one reading is significantly lower, that cylinder may have burned out valves or worn piston rings.
Start the engine and allow it to warm up. Observe whether a blue-colored smoke emanates from the exhaust pipe while the engine idles. Blue-colored smoke is an indication that the piston rings have failed. Oil is passing over the rings and burning with the fuel in the combustion chamber.
Start the engine and allow it to warm up. Pull the breather cap off of the top of each valve cover. Observe whether smoke is escaping from the breather cap openings on the valve covers. If smoke is present, the valve guides and/or the valve stem seals are likely worn.
Start the engine and allow it to warm, then turn the engine off. Inspect the bottom of the engine for an oil leak. Pay particular attention to the top of the oil pan and the bottom of the timing chain cover, which indicates a blown gasket. If a leak is present at the back of the engine, where the oil pan meets the engine, the rear main oil seal may be defective. Finally, check for leaks around the oil filter, which indicated that the filter may be loose. Take care not to over tighten the filter, as it should only be hand-tight.
