I opened my motor. Does this look ok?

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mike93lx

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May 22, 2003

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Hudson, MA

Mar 8, 2008

#1

• Mar 8, 2008

• #1

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but does this look ok?



motor has about 3500 since a rebuild. pistons were supposed to be new. I have been having an oil consumption issue (through the PCV), so I beleive that is why it is so black.

I don't really see a crosshatch on the cylinder walls. should I break it down, hone the cyliders and install new bearnings or leave it alone?

Thanks!

 

BlownFiveLiter

have car, will race....wait, it doesn't run

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Chicagoland

Mar 8, 2008

#2

• Mar 8, 2008

• #2

3500 miles and no crosshatch is a concern to me. I've torn down high mileage engines that still had it, and they weren't exactly babied. Are you sure the oil consumption is from the PCV, or are the rings prematurely worn out? Any ideas on what the ring gaps were when it was assembled?

 

Fast63

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Sep 20, 2007

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Mar 8, 2008

#3

• Mar 8, 2008

• #3

Did you fix the oil consumption problem with the PCV and it didn't burn anymore oil? If the engine is out of the car, and it were me, I would take it all apart and clean it and hone it. I wouldn't necessarily get new bearings because yours only have 3500 miles right? But then again they are also cheap. I might get a new set of rings. I guess it all depends on how much you want to spend, but if the engine is out and on a stand it shouldn't take up too much of your time.

 

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mike93lx

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May 22, 2003

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Hudson, MA

Mar 8, 2008

#4

• Mar 8, 2008

• #4

yes, the engine is out. If the rings are bad, it must be every cylinder...they all look like that. I'll take a closer look at the cylinder walls later and try to get some close up pictures and post them.

If I tear it down, I am thinking definitely new rings and an oil pump (just in case it wasn't new 3500 ago) and bearings if they look off at all.

no idea on the ring gap, and no I didn't fix the PCV problem, so I guess I can't be absolutely certain that was the issue. I was basing my assumption on the opinion of an engine builder that I trust a lot (not the schmuck that built it originally).

 

Mustang78

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Feb 8, 2006

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Aberdeen, WA

Mar 8, 2008

#5

• Mar 8, 2008

• #5

the tops of the pistons being black is from being a little too rich, and isn't unusual or a bad thing...now it they're white/green that means antifreeze in the cylinders, and lean usually looks like your pistons but has spots of aluminum piston showing through the carbon

 

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dtlionsfan

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Nov 12, 2005

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Mar 8, 2008

#6

• Mar 8, 2008

• #6

Get the heads checked out since their off.Looks like its suckin oil.

 

88stangmangt

Active Member

Nov 25, 2003

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Stafford,VA

Mar 8, 2008

#7

• Mar 8, 2008

• #7

run it...why are the heads off anyway??

 

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red95gtconvert

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May 29, 2006

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Ponca city, OK

Mar 8, 2008

#8

• Mar 8, 2008

• #8

My 131K engine looked cleaner than that when I opened it up a couple of weeks ago, also it still had alot of cross hatching left.

 

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mike93lx

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May 22, 2003

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Hudson, MA

Mar 8, 2008

#9

• Mar 8, 2008

• #9

heads are off for a ticking issue and oil consumption. they are going out to trick flow this week for a valve job and new guides and seals. when they get back, I am going to clean up the ports before putting them back on.

after closer inspection, it needs a hone and new rings. I'm going to break it down next week and see how the bearings look. if it just needs the hone and rings, I'll do it myself and get her back together.

 

89streetbeast

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Dec 4, 2006

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horton,ks

Mar 8, 2008

#10

• Mar 8, 2008

• #10

id mic the cylinder bores, cuz them arent stock pistons my friend lol

 

Bay_Stang

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Nov 25, 2007

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sacramento CA

Mar 9, 2008

#11

• Mar 9, 2008

• #11

when they rebuilt the engine wat kind of ring material did they use. cast iron rings break in really easily but hard rings like chromoly have a hard time sealing. that would be causing the oil issue ur talking about. also proper end gap placement could have something to do with it

 

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mike93lx

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May 22, 2003

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Hudson, MA

Mar 9, 2008

#12

• Mar 9, 2008

• #12

89streetbeast said:

id mic the cylinder bores, cuz them arent stock pistons my friend lol

Click to expand...

mike93lx said:

motor has about 3500 since a rebuild. pistons were supposed to be new.

Click to expand...

 

StinkinLincoln

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Dec 9, 2006

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Louisiana

Mar 9, 2008

#13

• Mar 9, 2008

• #13

the pcv shyts out alot of oil into the intake and tb, is that what you are referring to?
3500 miles, its broke in, no crass hatch-somebody fugged up, and carbon buildup, its running rich, its gonna happen, the clean spot, idk if it was detonation or just lean, but it went lean anyway. my 650mile motor had carbon like that, it was real rich.

 

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mike93lx

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May 22, 2003

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Hudson, MA

Mar 9, 2008

#14

• Mar 9, 2008

• #14

Bay_Stang said:

when they rebuilt the engine wat kind of ring material did they use. cast iron rings break in really easily but hard rings like chromoly have a hard time sealing. that would be causing the oil issue ur talking about. also proper end gap placement could have something to do with it

Click to expand...

no idea what was used, my guess would be chromoly, but I haven't pulled the pistons to see what it looks like. I'm gonna wait until the heads are back before tearing apart the bottom end.

can I reuse all of the bolts for the mains, rods, and heads? They are supposed to all be ARP.

 

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mike93lx

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May 22, 2003

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Hudson, MA

Mar 9, 2008

#15

• Mar 9, 2008

• #15

i was running rich for a while, then screwed something up and it was seriously lean for a couple hundred miles before it was tuned. it was tuned at the end of last season and will be tuned again as soon as it hits the road.