Flush or transplant?

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75slant6

75slant6

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Ok. As some of know the eccentric in my 318 is loose requiring me to pull the front of the engine off to tighten or replace it. Well, yesterday I took off the water pump and pictured below is what I found...
View attachment image.jpg

A little history on the car... This car was drag raced back in the 80s/90s but was bought off the track 20 years ago and has sat since then.

My future plans are to build the 318 like the 400hp 318 that hotrod magazine did but that will be a few years yet, I was planning on getting the car running, driving and stopping good then doing the body work and building the engine. But now finding all this crud I decided I'll ask some advice... Would ya 1. Flush all the fluids in the engine and run it? Or 2. Buy a running 318 and swap it in and keep the original to build?

I haven't done any compression tests or anything to this engine but the oil in it is clean and the engine runs good with gas pored down the carb and just roughly timed. Let the opinions and advice roll :D
 
Is that block filler? If not I would knock all the freeze plugs out and clean everything I could out of it than install new brass freeze plugs.
 
I can't help but to wonder if the inside of the radiator looks the same. I'd flush a couple times before I went with the swap. No real reason not to try.
 
I think its just calcium buildip but im not sure.

No the inside of the radiator was surprisingly clean.
 
pour a bottle of pool acid in there and run it for 10 minutes, flush again with a box of baking soda added, flush again...my slant looked the same, cleaned it right up.
 
Sweet! I'll try that!! I need to get the eccentric checked out and get it pumping gas n running on its own (out of a jug for now) then get the cooling system all hooked up. Would it be smart to install a filter (like a piece of screen over the input side of the radiator) to keep crap from goin through the system or would it be too restrictive?
 
With it looking like that - it's worth a try to clean it chemically. 'cuase it can't get much worse looking but it might just be "yuck" built up in it that can come right out.
 
I don't think I would try the screen; it is not like a fuel filter in that if it clogs, and the engine stops. It the 'coolant filter' clogs, you can fry something pretty quick. Never seen that much gunk inside an engine cooling system; congrats!

How are you telling that the radiator is clean: From the lack of crud coming out with a flush? Try it again and tap the radiator tanks medium hard over and over with a screwdrivers handle and see if stuff stops loosening and coming out. Reverse the flow and turn it upside down and do it too; you may be surprised what will become dislodged; I never consider it clean 'til it passes this test.
 
I'll try the radiator again tonight or tmrw night. I'm wantin to get it cooked out to see if there's any leaks in it but I guess if I do the acid n soda flush it should clean the radiator out pretty good too not?
 
Pool cleaner is muriatic acid. Be very careful with that stuff. It will eat aluminum pretty fast.
 
Looks like stop leak to me. Flush real good and give it a try. If you have to change freeze plugs, don't forget about the plugs on the ends of each head and the 2 at the back of the block. If you need to change those, either the motor or transmission will need to come out. I would recommend the motor so you can rinse the block out with all the freeze plugs out.
 
Currently there's no trans in the car but if I need to replace freeze plugs I'll pry pull the engine anyway, easier to get to stuff.

Is there an alternative to muriatic acid or should I be fine to use it for a few minutes?
 
I de-rust a lot of parts with it. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable running it in an engine though. The stuff makes nasty fumes. Even the fumes will start rusting metal parts. I ruined an aluminum part by leaving it in the acid too long.

I have heard of people using EvapoRust inside the engine. You run the engine until it's up to temp...shut it off and let it sit over night.
 
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