Exploder Block In A Few Days.......

Micheal Nadeau

Active Member
Dec 30, 2013
258
32
49
Savannah, GA
So I was messing around with my car at work. Trying to cure an annoying whistle and trying to see if I could see a lower intake gasket leak (car was starting and dying on cold starts) While I was at it, I changed the oil. I have ran either 10W-30 or 20W-50. My shop only has 5W-30. I figured thinner oil during the winter would be ok, change back to my normal oil before spring. Start the motor, after it warmed up, heard a knock coming from the bottom of the motor. Put it on a lift, and put a stethoscope on the oil pan. sound was loudest near 1/5. Pulled the motor, dropped the pan and #5 rod had movement on the crank. Replaced all the rod bearings with new. Crank didn't show any signs of damage. I, like an idiot, did not replace my main bearings. I would call it lazy I guess. Didn't feel like pulling the timing cover off. Installed a new crank seal, rear main seal and 1 piece oil pan gasket. Got it back together and back in. Ran some 15W-40 through it on a cheap filter until it got hot. Drained the oil and poured in my normal Castrol 10W-30. Ran the car for a while, drove it home. When I got home, had the knock again, but very quite. I only hear it when I open the hood. I only hear it hot. I guess there was an issue with the crank.

So, as luck would have it, both my local junk yards are having a 50% off sale this weekend. Order of precedence for a donor motor is: newest year wrecked low mileage, newest year and just wrecked, newest year not wrecked low mileage, and finally just newest year. I am swapping my top end (reworked and built GT40P's and F303 cam. I already have head gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, intake manifold gasket and timing cover gasket set. I'm gonna warranty out my rear main (benefit of where I work and it will get me a new one......) I know I will need a pilot bearing, but is there anything else I am missing? I also have some concerns about the pistons in this motor. I know they are Hypereutectic pistons, but does anyone know what kind? Forged or cast? My entire motor is built to run 6-8 psi at some point and time. I run 14 degrees base timing right now. any of these going to effect the motor? Later down the road, I intend to pick up another block and build it top to bottom, right now I have to get my DD back into shape!!

I'm hoping to have my donor Sunday and my motor out Monday. Hopefully be back together and running Wednesday, Thursday at the latest. I have swapped plenty of motors, but is there anything I should consider or replace while doing this, while still maintaining a low budget?
 
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Turn that new motor upside down and inspect the crank bearings and to see if there's any sludge built up behind the pistons. No sense in dropping in a dying bottom end.
 
So I was messing around with my car at work. Trying to cure an annoying whistle and trying to see if I could see a lower intake gasket leak (car was starting and dying on cold starts) While I was at it, I changed the oil. I have ran either 10W-30 or 20W-50. My shop only has 5W-30. I figured thinner oil during the winter would be ok, change back to my normal oil before spring. Start the motor, after it warmed up, heard a knock coming from the bottom of the motor. Put it on a lift, and put a stethoscope on the oil pan. sound was loudest near 1/5. Pulled the motor, dropped the pan and #5 rod had movement on the crank. Replaced all the rod bearings with new. Crank didn't show any signs of damage. I, like an idiot, did not replace my main bearings. I would call it lazy I guess. Didn't feel like pulling the timing cover off. Installed a new crank seal, rear main seal and 1 piece oil pan gasket. Got it back together and back in. Ran some 15W-40 through it on a cheap filter until it got hot. Drained the oil and poured in my normal Castrol 10W-30. Ran the car for a while, drove it home. When I got home, had the knock again, but very quite. I only hear it when I open the hood. I only hear it hot. I guess there was an issue with the crank.

So, as luck would have it, both my local junk yards are having a 50% off sale this weekend. Order of precedence for a donor motor is: newest year wrecked low mileage, newest year and just wrecked, newest year not wrecked low mileage, and finally just newest year. I am swapping my top end (reworked and built GT40P's and F303 cam. I already have head gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, intake manifold gasket and timing cover gasket set. I'm gonna warranty out my rear main (benefit of where I work and it will get me a new one......) I know I will need a pilot bearing, but is there anything else I am missing? I also have some concerns about the pistons in this motor. I know they are Hypereutectic pistons, but does anyone know what kind? Forged or cast? My entire motor is built to run 6-8 psi at some point and time. I run 14 degrees base timing right now. any of these going to effect the motor? Later down the road, I intend to pick up another block and build it top to bottom, right now I have to get my DD back into shape!!

I'm hoping to have my donor Sunday and my motor out Monday. Hopefully be back together and running Wednesday, Thursday at the latest. I have swapped plenty of motors, but is there anything I should consider or replace while doing this, while still maintaining a low budget?
For lack of a better description the Hyper Pistons fall inbetween forged and a cast piston. For a low boost build they will be fine as long as you run a fairly safe tune. No detonation! Obviously. With new bearings and a well maintained shortblock you should get a lot of mileage/use out of it.
 
Had 110K on it. Whom ever owned it, appeared to take care of it. Anyone know if the oil cooler can be used in a foxbody?
 

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My oil pump is a Melling High Volume, barely a year old. I cleaned it and flushed it out with fresh oil. My timing chain is fairly new as well. When my N41 walked and took out my drivers side lifters, I replaced the chain when I installed the F303. The new block had pretty good looking rod and mains, but yes I am replacing them with new. I am also putting in new cam bearings. I pressure washed the new block and got it completely cleaned up. Use a wire brush attachment and cleaned the carbon off the top of the pistons. So its starting clean. Tomorrow I am going to flush out the oil journals. I tore my block back apart. The front main bearing was trashed and the brand new (week old) rod bearings are all destroyed. The knock I was still hearing was that main bearing.

you mean the one on the oil filter?

Yea, the one in this picture
 

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I am on the fence about sending my crank off and having the journals machined evenly so I can install .020 undersize rod and main bearings. Use this block for a 347 set up. The block is in really good shape, just needs a deep cleaning.
 
So, she is finally back together. Sounds really good. Feels strong. When I first fired up yesterday. it had a horrible miss through the exhaust. It was still at work, needed to get it home to finish her up. Got up this morning, checked all the timing, pulled and reset the distributor. Fired her back up, had a little back fire to her. Pulled the mass air, cleared right up. Got the timing set to 14* and let her sit for a while, running. Plugged the mass air back in. Shut her off, fired her back up and she ran smooth. Bad connection, or probably on the way out. Either way, replacing it.

 
Hopefully someone has the answer to this. Our blocks have a tube coming off the motor, then the oil pressure sending unit is attached to it. I, in my blunder, did not remove it form the old block. Will that have an effect on how my oil pressure is read?
 
No effect. In a closed system, pressure is the same at any point in the system. That's the principle that makes hydraulic systems like automotive brake work. Thank you, Mr. Blaisé Pascal

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_law for a better explanation...

If you have a mechanical gauge connected by a flexible line, you should have a flow restrictor installed.

49295d1172975440-pressure-gauge-line-restrictor-pressure-gauge-flow-restrictor.gif