NEW PROBLEM(S):

[Irish_Alley]

i would of thought the oil would of been coming out first since the water would sink to the bottom. hope fully its just a gasket problem  gl with it

[Stewart G Griffin]

Chapter 5: Houston, we have a problem: 

Be happy you are not me.


Broken exhaust valve cyl #4----the one with the bent pushrod.


This part of the valve was actually "stuck" to the head when i took it off the engine.  So, not only is the piston possibly trashed (as you'll see in a sec), the head may be also.

#4 piston:


Cyls 2 and 6 were full of oil and probably water---a mixture of the two.


i will take off the left side head tomorrow.  The intake seemed to be ok, with no obvious cracks or damage.

[choptop]

Clean off the pistons, remove any burs off of the one piston, rebuild the heads, slap it together and rock and roll.

[Marc]

Check the cylinder wall too.  I have seen Caterpillar 3126s drop a valve and the results are never pretty.  the water has to be getting into the base somehow.

[smitty77]

Stewart,

Being a rookie at this like yourself, my only advice is to drop the 305 in to get yourself up and running, and then completely tear that engine down, flux the block, and do a complete rebuild.  IMO, you could spend a lot longer (and more $$$$) chasing small gremlins than to just tear it apart and start fresh.

Better yet, how much does a crate motor go for these days?  You could always try to sell the 305 and the broken 350 to an adventurous soul and put the money toward a new motor.  Just a thought.

Good luck with it.
Smitty

[Stewart G Griffin]

1) When you say slap it together and rock and roll etc., that would be ideal.  But i'm really concerned about:
a) what caused all that water to get into the pan?

b) what caused the valve to break;  i never rev the engine past 3000 (except once last summer to see the 1/4 mile time).  This is strictly a transportation motor.  i've never had a valve break on any engine ever.

c) What is causing a significant amt of oil/water to get into the combustion chambers of # 2 and 6?  Need new rings?

d) To clean the pistons, could i do it with them in the engine, or would i have to take them out?

The quick top end rebuild strategy sounds interesting, please explain more.

1.5) Based on my limited diagnostic skills, the cylinder wallls seem ok.  There is a bit of a ridge on the top of most of the cyls, but that's normal?

2)RE: 305
i know there are alot of 305 haters out there, but in the interest of time and the urgent need for backup transportation i think this is the route i may go.  i know the 305 runs ok with no "funky" issues like the "exorcist" 350.  In fact, this 305 was actually installed in the truck and ran for one day 2 summers ago----another long and sad story, although it ended with favorable results.


3) The crates are running about 1400-1500 at jegs so with shipping we are looking at 1600-1700ish.  i'm thinking with the economy bad, we might be able to get it a few hundered off at the dealer.  And this is a viable alternative.  However:
a) i already have the 305, so this would save the 1700.  i'm not trying to go fast---i'm just trying to go.

b) i want to learn more, so the 350 WILL get disasembled, inspected, analyized, and hopefully rebuilt and put back into the truck as the 305 was originally purchased for a twin turbo project.  Yes, i can't figure this basic stuff out and i was thinking about twin turbos!


P.S.---another movie analogy;  This is the part of the movie where Linda Blair's parents decide she's in really screwed up and call in the priest (me).  Incidentally, the girl originally scheduled to star in the exorcist was not picked because she was on Star Trek.

[eventhorizon66]

My guesstimate is that the coolant leak happened first and then the rings and valve guides got trashed due to lack of lubrication.  Probably have a few bearings that aren't so happy too.  I'd say do it right and go for a full rebuild on this one.  That is, if you still want it.  If the 305 is running good and all you need is basic transportation, you might just see if a rebuilder wants to buy this as a rebuildable core, drop in the 305, and forget about this little nightmare.  You won't get anything if you try to sell the 305.

[frogman68]

If you want I got a set of 350 heads that dont look too bad if you need a head (I would do both though not just one side)

[Stewart G Griffin]

1) Yes, i 'm with you about coolant leaking;  i'm almost positive (despite my poor diagnoising ability) that all this has something to do with the engine being overheated before i bought the truck.
a) Yes, i still want it;  i've become psychologically attached to it----after all we've been thru.

2)Thanks for the offer;  i will inspect the heads---hopefully the right side is just warped and will need to be "sanded down" (i don't know the correct term---resurfaced?)

[eventhorizon66]

(i don't know the correct term---resurfaced?)

resurfacing, milling, decking - take your pick, any machine shop will know what you are talking about.

[Stewart G Griffin]

So anyways, next question, in taking off and getting ready to install the exhaust manifolds on to the next engine, when being removed from the exhaust pipes, the stud broke off in the manifold:



How, exactly, to remove this stud?   Also, please note that i really don't think we can get a drill to the top of the stud---we probably have to go from the bottom.

[eventhorizon66]

http://moodle.student.cnwl.ac.uk/moodledata_shared/CDX%20eTextbook/dswmedia/toolsEquip/hpt/nonpow/scrwextract.html

[Stewart G Griffin]

Alright, thanks.

It turned out that i got the machine shop to do it(Autofab===Coleman Bros. successor).  When you add up the time, effort, and the fact that i have no torches, ez-out bits, and no experience, this was actually the most cost-effective way.  i hope to eventually be able to perform this task.

1) Ok back to this sensor thing near the oil filter:


Is this ONLY used for the choke?  If so, if i'm not going to be using it, i should just take out the choke fuse on the fuse box?

2) This timing tab thing:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Moroso/710/26100/10002/-1
a) Has anyone used it?
b) Will this be able to be installed on stockish chevy intake manifolds, i.e., 2G (yes, i know--i have my reasons---it has to do with practicality, i will explain later) quadrajet, without too much or any modifications.  If no, then what type of modifications are required?  Is drilling required?
c) The thing is on the 305 as well, i don't see how you can time the thing in stock form---the bloody timing tab is blocked.  This time by the water pump!

[eventhorizon66]

(1) You should keep the oil pressure switch if you are going to continue running a carb with a choke.  Otherwise, simply switching the ignition to the hot position will open your choke, regardless of the engine running or not.  This could make the engine very hard to start and keep running on a cold morning, should you forget and leave the key in the hot postion for more than a few seconds.

[Stewart G Griffin]

The thing is, the 2G which i'm planning on using(came with the 305) does not have an electric choke.  It has some other thing.   And yes, i know the quadrajet is almost undoubtedly better for my needs, but i have my reasons which i'll get into soon.