Fast rebuild?

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Alecb

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So after overheating my duster a few times last weekend, I think I roached my slant six. It smokes really bad out of everywhere, compression is minimal, it burns as much oil as it does gas, rings are shot.
What I want to know is how fast can a guy, who’s never rebuilt an engine, rebuild his slant six?
A V8 swap isn’t in the cards right now, so rebuilding my six seems like the best option. Are there any good rebuild kits that you guys can recommend?
 
What do you recommend for a first engine rebuild?

For any engine build, I prefer to choose my parts separately, that way you can choose quality parts, instead of relying on someone's pre-packaged kit that has nothing but the cheapest bs parts in it so they can make a profit. As long as you stick with big name brands, you should be fine.
 
There is no way an inexperienced person can rebuild an engine. It is not easy even for an experienced mechanic. There is no 'kit'. Each motor is different, there being many variables. You need to find an experienced person nearby willing to help or turn in over to a shop.
 
any body that can read a mic and do basic math can learn as thay go with proper direction! .... but it wont happen fast!
 
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So after overheating my duster a few times last weekend, I think I roached my slant six. It smokes really bad out of everywhere, compression is minimal, it burns as much oil as it does gas, rings are shot.
What I want to know is how fast can a guy, who’s never rebuilt an engine, rebuild his slant six?
A V8 swap isn’t in the cards right now, so rebuilding my six seems like the best option. Are there any good rebuild kits that you guys can recommend?
I can put a slant or other engine together in a good day in my garage.
But then I have easy access to: standard tools like socket and open end wrenches and specialized tools like torque wrenches that read in foot pounds and in inch pounds and other special tools like crank damper pullers and degree wheels and piston installation sleeves. And I am very familiar with how to use those tools. I also have easy access to and know where and what kind, and how much assembly lube to use. Then there is the knowledge of gasket installation, knowing where a little drop of RTV can prevent an oil or water leak and where a decent sized dollop of RTV is needed to prevent an oil or water leak.
But the main thing that will stop you dead in doing a quick turn around on rebuilding an engine is the machine shop time. Unless your dad or brother or favorite uncle is running the machine shop that you plan to use expect a month or longer turn around time on just basic cylinder bore machining and cylinder head valve seats and guides. Add in basic items like: crank shaft machining, pressing pistons off, re machining the rod big ends and re installing new pistons and the machine shop time goes up.
Aside from that, my biggest concern with someone inexperienced assembling an engine is them ‘not knowing what they don’t know’. Getting answers to questions is easy. The hard part is knowing that there is a question to ask.
If you have limited experience and limited time I recommend that you purchase an already rebuilt slant motor or a known good used slant motor. I know of a professional rebuilt slant motor available for around $1000.00 out in the Pacific NW. it is posted at .org by a well known member. From time to time decent deals on running slant motors are posted here at FABO.
 
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I can put a slant or other engine together in a good day in my garage.
But then I have easy access to: standard tools like socket and open end wrenches and specialized tools like torque wrenches that read in foot pounds and in inch pounds and other special tools like crank damper pullers and degree wheels and piston installation sleeves. And I am very familiar with how to use those tools. I also have easy access to and know where and what kind, and how much assembly lube to use. Then there is the knowledge of gasket installation, knowing where a little drop of RTV can prevent an oil or water leak and where a decent sized dollop of RTV is needed to prevent an oil or water leak.
But the main thing that will stop you dead in doing a quick turn around on rebuilding an engine is the machine shop time. Unless your dad or brother or favorite uncle is running the machine shop that you plan to use expect a month or longer turn around time on just basic cylinder bore machining and cylinder head valve seats and guides. Add in basic items like: crank shaft machining, pressing pistons off, re machining the rod big ends and re installing new pistons and the machine shop time goes up.
Aside from that, my biggest concern with someone inexperienced assembling an engine is them ‘not knowing what they don’t know’. Getting answers to questions is easy. The hard part is knowing that there is a question to ask.
If you have limited experience and limited time I recommend that you purchase an already rebuilt slant motor or a known good used slant motor. I know of a professional rebuilt slant motor available for around $1000.00 out in the Pacific NW. it is posted at .org by a well known member. From time to time decent deals on running slant motors are posted here at FABO.
The best advice right here. Buy a known good used engine. Better yet if you can hear it run. Rebuilding and machining isnt cheap. A reputable shop isnt going to cut corners for you to do a "quickee rebuild". It's their reputation on the line. This means quality machine work costs you the customer. Just the bore & hone, balance, decking, hot tanking and cam bearing install on my small block is close to $1K. And that's just hot tanking, machine work and cam bearing install on the block, and I took it apart. My 340 crank needs no machine work, just there for the balance job. I brought it all down there 2 weeks ago stripped down with main caps loosely threaded in, and oil gallery plugs still installed since I couldent get them out. They knocked the oil gallery plugs out, and hot tanked it. 2 engines are ahead of it, then its turn. I'm prob looking at another 2 weeks before I get it back. Machine shop originally said end of may. We are rolling into july. But very good machine shops are hard to find. Since you stated your eventually going V8, I wouldent invest any more money than you really had to in order to keep it running with a 6 in it. A known good used engine is cheaper than buying a reman, which is cheaper than doing a rebuild. A lot of the reman jobs still use the cheapest **** out there that will give it a 1 year warranty. Also fix your cooling issue while your at it so ya dont toast another 6 in a short period of time. Water pumps and thermostats are dirt cheap on rockauto. Ditto for hoses. Radiator issues, take it and have it boiled out
 
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There is no way an inexperienced person can rebuild an engine. It is not easy even for an experienced mechanic. There is no 'kit'. Each motor is different, there being many variables. You need to find an experienced person nearby willing to help or turn in over to a shop.
we were all there once, inexperienced and doing our 1 st overhaul. 1st or 50th it needs to be done right or you will be doing it over
Hey PRACTICE!.
There is no way to do it right without sending at least some parts to the machine shop and you're at their mercy as to how long it is before they get to yours. Especially given the reason it needs a rebuild. I guess the car is down for the count now,you won't be driving it much anyway for a while. Might as well pull that engine and pull it apart otherwise I'd say to find another one and go thru while you continue to drive it with the current engine. They only made 12 million /6 engines so you should be able to get another one.
You could find a good used one to swap in so you can drive it, while you rebuild the one that is in there now.
 
....Unless your dad or brother or favorite uncle is running the machine shop that you plan to use expect a month or longer turn around time on just basic cylinder bore machining and cylinder head valve seats and guides. Add in basic items like: crank shaft machining, pressing pistons off, re machining the rod big ends and re installing new pistons and the machine shop time goes up.
The better shops are ALWAYS busy. The one I have used here has a 4 month turnaround time!
 
My68barracuda brings up a good point. I forgot about that engine that Reed has over on the other site. < 500 miles on a fresh engine, It was put in driven barely long enough to break it in and the car was wrecked so they pulled the engine back out and junked the rest. He was asking $1000 but last I knew he was down to taking "best offer" from there. Now I can't speak for the amount of play room on the price, you'd need to talk to him.
I can say he's a good guy, I've bought stuff from him before. Go over to slantsix.org and look in the for sale section. It's not that far down in the listing.
 
I wouldent waste a whole lot of money rebuilding it. You stated a V8 isnt in the cards right now. I am assuming it's a low funds issue. If you spend the cash getting machine work done and rebuilding it, that puts the V8 further away. A known good running slanty should not cost you anymore than a couple hundred. $250 at most. Put a new thermostat and water pump on it.

And to think I used to pull running slantys and drop em on the scrap trailer because I couldent give em away LoL. This buys you time to where you can put your funds towards a V8 swap. Unless you just really got a jones to rebuild a slanty for some odd reason. I know I wouldent bother with it. I'd replace it with something that runs good, and save my cash for a V8 swap, but that's just me.
 
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The better shops are ALWAYS busy. The one I have used here has a 4 month turnaround time!
Mine was 9 months on the block and then another 3 months on the head. Whatever you do DON'T make the mistake I did and tell the machine shop that you're not in a hurry.
On the V8 swap idea/ do you have any ideas as to what is involved in that? What other parts are needed that won't interchange with your current /6 parts? I'm wondering since you say this is your 1st rebuild that you're considering. For a street cruiser/daily driver, you might be better staying with the 6. They can be built up enough to surprise many. And you wouldn't need a different trans, exhaust, radiator, motor mounts, oil pan, and such, which also all costs money. Depends on how well you like that car. And getting it all apart then not having the money turns lots of cool cars into garage ornaments.
 
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You can find used good slant that are surprisingly affordable locally on Craigslist also.
 
Careful. Some think these engines are made of gold lately. Whatever you do DON'T go buy one of the used ones on eBay right now, those people listing those engines are crazy.
 
Mine was 9 months on the block and then another 3 months on the head. Whatever you do DON'T make the mistake I did and tell the machine shop that you're not in a hurry.
On the V8 swap idea/ do you have any ideas as to what is involved in that? What other parts are needed that won't interchange with your current /6 parts? I'm wondering since you say this is your 1st rebuild that you're considering. For a street cruiser/daily driver, you might be better staying with the 6. They can be built up enough to surprise many. And you wouldn't need a different trans, exhaust, radiator, motor mounts, oil pan, and such, which also all costs money. Depends on how well you like that car. And getting it all apart then not having the money turns lots of cool cars into garage ornaments.
I did that once. They had my 360 block and rotating assembly 6 months. It's like paint jail for engines lol. Besides lack of money, time, or not enough of it to get things done also causes them to become garage ornaments.
 
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So after overheating my duster a few times last weekend, I think I roached my slant six. It smokes really bad out of everywhere, compression is minimal, it burns as much oil as it does gas, rings are shot.
What I want to know is how fast can a guy, who’s never rebuilt an engine, rebuild his slant six?
A V8 swap isn’t in the cards right now, so rebuilding my six seems like the best option. Are there any good rebuild kits that you guys can recommend?
Swap in a good used engine.
Then you can take your time and learn the correct way to rebuild your current engine, the net result will be quality rebuild that you can thrust to be reliable and you can be proud of.
Good luck
 
It smokes really bad out of everywhere, compression is minimal, it burns as much oil as it does gas, rings are shot.
I doubt that it's just the rings.........
This is how it sorta goes;
Engine gets hot,
Pistons swell up and stick to the bores.
As overheating continues, the pistons and or the rings, micro-weld to the bores,
transferring metal to them.
The rings are forced to ride over that transferred metal, which tears molecules off the hot edges.
The engine loses compression, which is power, and soon your gas pedal is way down, trying to make enough power to maintain forward motion.
If you stop the engine;
the engine usually locks up for some time. When it cools,everything sorta returns to normal size, and maybe the starter can break it loose, and maybe it starts. But with torn-up rings, combustion pressure leaks straight into the crankcase, and overwhelms the PCV; so now it blows out anywhere it can, and if it can't get away fast enough, it makes new escape paths.
But if you stop before it locks up, and fill the rad with cold water.... who can say what will happen next.
In any case, your engine, if the block is not already cracked, is a prime candidate for a proper complete rebuild. This is way beyond a dingle-berry hone and new rings.
IMO;
The fastest way to get back on the road is to get a replacement engine. To rebuild yours or a suitable replacement, could be many weeks to a few months; and that was before Covid. Pay extra for a good running take-out and chalk it up to a learning experience.
 
Yale: Engine Overhaul Kit? It say an hour to install this kit. lol

overhaul in a can.jpg
 
Remember
1 fast/quick
2 good
3 cheap
pick two
I use this with my supervisors at work. I draw a triangle with one of those words on each tip. I tell em "you can only pick two". They usually want a special project done fast and good, so I tell em, its gonna cost you. I need overtime out of the deal. So it ain't gonna be cheap.
 
A proper and quality engine rebuild is never cheap - period! Everything else is a compromise.
 
So after overheating my duster a few times last weekend, I think I roached my slant six. It smokes really bad out of everywhere, compression is minimal, it burns as much oil as it does gas, rings are shot.
What I want to know is how fast can a guy, who’s never rebuilt an engine, rebuild his slant six?
A V8 swap isn’t in the cards right now, so rebuilding my six seems like the best option. Are there any good rebuild kits that you guys can recommend?


It's a slant 6, they're nothing but cheap till ya go aftermarket bolt ons etc.
In an afternoon...once you pick it all up from the machine shop. Crank grind,rods n pistons resized n pressed on, bored n honed, recon the head. Usually takes 3-5 days for the shop.
No balanced needed for stock replace pistons unless you want it better than the factory... but if it doesn't pulse or shake now.. it still won't.
Cheap n fast.
 
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