Rate my shortblock

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d100clubcab

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So I took my heads off to address a suspected head gasket issue
And once the heads were off my machinist said instead of him going through them I'd be better off just buying a new set

So I'm still looking...

In the meantime I'm spraying the cylinder walls down with wd40
and noticed that I have no crosshatch
and I also have oil ring-around-the-collar at the top of each cylinder wall

what does this mean?
shortblock is toast too?

#2 cylinder
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAABv8/7fc_KG3ML8A/s512/20150509_183148.jpg

#6 cylinder
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAABv8/mDBb3A98DJI/s512/20150509_183118.jpg

#8 cylinder
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAABv8/mK7Apz1FqlY/s512/20150509_183132.jpg
 
You can always get a second opinion on the heads. Also you could get used ones. The actually condition of the block cannot be determined by pictures. The ridge at the top is normal, for engines with a lot of miles. The cross hatch would have been gone long ago. IMO, you have it this far, rebuild it.
 
IMO Just means it has some miles on it. How did it run b4 pulling the heads? Any smoke?
 

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The cylinders look fine to me. Is that ridge just carbon you can scrape off with a pocket knife? Looks like it. I think I can see faint cross hatch, but that doesn't mean anything. As long as the rings are sealing, cross hatch doesn't have to exist. Its only purpose is to help the rings wear to seal the cylinder. So, no cross hatch means nothing.
 
Time for the way back machine..Years ago before oils and and metal technology advanced, a ridge at the top of the cylinder was normal. They even had a tool called a "Ridge Reamer" to remove it so you would not break the ring lands when removing the pistons from the block. The photos show just a slight carbon build up.Do what Rusty suggested and see if you can scrape it off. After the pistons are out, time to measure the cylinders with a inside micrometer. That will give you your answer.
 
What do you mean way back machine? I still have and use my ridge reamer. lol
 
gtsdude said:
IMO Just means it has some miles on it. How did it run b4 pulling the heads? Any smoke?
Click to expand...

Ran good.
I only started it once every 3-4 months and it would puff a faint amount of smoke sometimes but not all the times when I started it but after i drove it a few times no more smoke

but it was very hard to start

i thought it was head gasket

but i had the carb rebuilt and tech said carb was WAAAY rich

couldve explained the hard starts (almost like it was drowning in fuel)

already needed springs for the heads (i knew that)
then machinist said i needed valve guides and a few other things
said by the time he got done with them they'd be only slightly cheaper than a set of new heads
suggested i go that route (not buying them from him but craigslist, ebay or summit)


i'm going to get a junkyard set so i can at least move the truck around

i'm now down to the part where i need to clean the gasket residue off the block then start the replace process starting with the head gasket
 
RustyRatRod said:
The cylinders look fine to me. Is that ridge just carbon you can scrape off with a pocket knife? Looks like it.
Click to expand...


I can scratch it off with my fingernail
rub it clean with a paper towel

It's like a oil buildup, not really like the hard flaky/scaly carbon in the valve area of heads
 
To give you an idea, here is my Ford 400 that I am building. I have the short block completed now. It had some fairly significant rust in some cylinders, but I saved it and was able to go standard bore. It ended up with .002-.0035 clearance, which is fine for a truck motor. What appears to be a ridge in some of the finished pictures is not. It is assembly lube gathered at the top of the piston travel from assembly. It has no ridge whatsoever, but even if it did, it would not hurt a thing. I WAS going to run the original pistons, until I was cleaning them. I got to the LAST ONE and a ring land was cracked. The 400 went through a lot of piston changes through the years, so to assure I got a matched set I replaced them all. I scored an NOS set of Badger pistons on Ebay for 20 bucks. I did all the cleaning, honing and prep work myself. This short block has not seen the machine shop. I have saved a ton of money because I did it all myself. You would really be surprised at what you can do if you just try.

Here are some before and after shots.
 

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d100clubcab said:
I can scratch it off with my fingernail
rub it clean with a paper towel

It's like a oil buildup, not really like the hard flaky/scaly carbon in the valve area of heads
Click to expand...

Then you really have something nice to work with. You can make something really nice out of that......or even leave it slam alone if you want. It will probably be fine.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Is that ridge just carbon you can scrape off with a pocket knife? Looks like it.
Click to expand...

I've had good luck cleaning the carbon off the ridge with a 4" wire wheel on a drill.... It will take off any carbon or rust in the cylinders if the engine has been sitting open outside for a while...

If the ridge is there and metal from cylinder wear, then you need a ridge reamer...
 
It was just blowing a puff of smoke when you start it----valve stem seals.
Carbon over everything running rich, BBD carter 2bbl?
How much oil did it use in 1,000 miles?
How many miles on the engine?
Hard starting, the timing chain may be shot, the oem one went out at 80K miles on my dads 1978 360 truck, he bought it new, before it jumped, he still ones it.
 
krazykuda said:
I've had good luck cleaning the carbon off the ridge with a 4" wire wheel on a drill.... It will take off any carbon or rust in the cylinders if the engine has been sitting open outside for a while...

If the ridge is there and metal from cylinder wear, then you need a ridge reamer...
Click to expand...

I wasn't trying to suggest that he use a pocket knife to clean all the ridges. Just that he try it to see if it could be removed in one small spot.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I wasn't trying to suggest that he use a pocket knife to clean all the ridges. Just that he try it to see if it could be removed in one small spot.
Click to expand...

I'm not criticizing you for the pocket knife.

I was just offering another option that has worked for me...
 
sireland67 said:
It was just blowing a puff of smoke when you start it----valve stem seals.
Carbon over everything running rich, BBD carter 2bbl?
How much oil did it use in 1,000 miles?
How many miles on the engine?
Hard starting, the timing chain may be shot, the oem one went out at 80K miles on my dads 1978 360 truck, he bought it new, before it jumped, he still ones it.
Click to expand...


That's what the machinist said: valve stem seals
but then he said someone was already in there before and was buggering with the guides and put a few sleeves in or smthg

basically a bunch of little nit pick work that when added up wouldnt really be worth it for me in the long run
might as spend another $100 or so and get a MUCH better piece of equipment

***back to craigslist huntin
 
I don't get it. You have an obviously good useable short block. Ok. Whatever you say.
 
d100clubcab said:
That's what the machinist said: valve stem seals
but then he said someone was already in there before and was buggering with the guides and put a few sleeves in or smthg

basically a bunch of little nit pick work that when added up wouldnt really be worth it for me in the long run
might as spend another $100 or so and get a MUCH better piece of equipment

***back to craigslist huntin
Click to expand...


Nothing wrong with putting new guides in. They are a normal wearable part. Why throw in the towel for something small???

My head guy would fix those up no problem. Many people neglect the guides when doing a valve job. It sounds like your machinist is trying to get you to do the job right, why are you resisting???

Your problem is most likely in the guides and seals. You want to fix everything else but the root cause of what is causing your problem.... Doesn't make sense... :banghead:

It's hard to find a good machinist, when you do, you should listen to him. :prayer:
 
RustyRatRod said:
I don't get it. You have an obviously good useable short block. Ok. Whatever you say.
Click to expand...

I'm only relaying info from the machinist
I'm not searching clist for a block
I'm looking for a set of good USED heads
like $100 for some smoggers so i can at least start it up and drive it around the block every couple months

haul a fridge or a king bedroom set for a buddy every now and then

and i dont need anything more than some wd40 and paper towels/rags to clean those cylinders
it's not a "ridge" after all
only a discolored "ring" from the oil buildup
like ring around the collar of a shirt
 
I see. You made it seem like you were givin up on all of it.
 
Why not just have the heads dipped to clean them real good and just have your machinist put in a set of valve stem seals.
A little oil is cheap, compared to spending money on parts.
 
sireland67 said:
Why not just have the heads dipped to clean them real good and just have your machinist put in a set of valve stem seals.
A little oil is cheap, compared to spending money on parts.
Click to expand...

because it is $275 for him to go thru the heads plus whatever parts i need for them
i'm guessing that'll be around $500 when he's done
might as well spring $800 for the EQ magnums at that cost

heads are all the way apart so no matter what i'm still out $500
 
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