Pieces of steel in cylinder??

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I would not leave any stone unturned here. Knock the plugs out of the rocker shafts and make sure they are free of any debris as well. Make sure you put a brush or mechanic's wire through every single oil galley in that block and make sure they are all clear and clean. Engine brush kits are cheap. That thing has been through a real catastrophic failure. You don't want another one.

Oh and don't forget about the screw in plug in the driver's side galley under the distributor and the press in plug under the rear main cap. Both must be installed !
 
Thanks guys. What’s the opinion here on reusing the valve springs? The old heads won’t be reused, but I do have a pair of 340 X heads with rocker shafts/rocker arms. I have new valves and seals for them, but still have the springs and retainers from the other heads.

Also, don’t hesitate to let me know if I stray off topic here.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I would not leave any stone unturned here.
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good points on brushing out the oil galleries, and maybe it has already been said, but I would be highly suspect of the
piston and rod from the cylinder where the seat came out. The piston could be cracked in the pin bore and the rod bent,
maybe not, but if you plan to re use them, have checked plenty close.
 
my68barracuda said:
good points on brushing out the oil galleries, and maybe it has already been said, but I would be highly suspect of the
piston and rod from the cylinder where the seat came out. The piston could be cracked in the pin bore and the rod bent,
maybe not, but if you plan to re use them, have checked plenty close.
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I threw the old pistons out, had the shop press in new pistons. Just picked them up from the shop today, I'll have them take a close look at the connecting rods like you said.
 
Righty Tighty said:
I threw the old pistons out, had the shop press in new pistons. Just picked them up from the shop today, I'll have them take a close look at the connecting rods like you said.
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If they resized the rods... they mag'd them too. Dont bother.
Pin bores cracking, lol, they come apart when they do that.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
If they resized the rods... they mag'd them too. Dont bother.
Pin bores cracking, lol, they come apart when they do that.
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mag does not guarantee a straight rod, Magnaflux is an inspection method used to find cracks in ferrous parts, rods are steel, they can bend and not be cracked, LOL
at MOPAROFFICIAL and
large cracks where things come apart begin as fine cracks that have enough integrity to stay intact, for a while. And another LOL
 
Did the machine shop re-size the rods?
 
my68barracuda said:
mag does not guarantee a straight rod, Magnaflux is an inspection method used to find cracks in ferrous parts, rods are steel, they can bend and not be cracked, LOL
at MOPAROFFICIAL and
large cracks where things come apart begin as fine cracks that have enough integrity to stay intact, for a while. And another LOL
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Who the fk does rods and doesnt check a rod for straightness?? Genius, every chevy rod that came in needed straightening or un twisting.
I've been there.
Who are you foolin..
 
I think righty tighy is doing very well, a quick learner and is taking good advice along the way and changing his game plan along the way as needed when it all makes sense to him.

He is a quick study and is getting things done. For someone who did not know much about engines to begin with.

We all have had to learn by doing, he will have a nice engine there when he gets done with it all.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Me thinks this motor will be a relapse the way it's going back together.
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only if he follows your advice,,
what I am trying to say, not everyone is a smart as The MOPAROFFICIAL.
About all of the engine machine shops that I work with, and they are good ones, will do what the customer askes them to do.
And that is because if you don't give the shop specific instructions, they will quote and do the job as cheaply as possible, because they think you are just price
shopping and will go with the most inexpensive option.
The good shops have all the business they want, usually the same guy that is working the sale counter also runs the head mill, the rod resize machine, or some other
part of the business, they ain't going to chit chat with you,, unless you show some knowledge of what you want, and you give them the opportunity to explain what they can deliver. And you are willing to pay for additional operations,, sometimes it is helpful to let them know exactly what you know,for example " I want this done right, I know the engine dropped a valve seat, there may be hidden issues, what would you do?

Your local engine machine shop probably has good people in it, but they are not your mama.
 
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my68barracuda said:
only if he follows your advice,,
what I am trying to say, not everyone is a smart as The MOPAROFFICIAL.
About all of the engine machine shops that I work with, and they are good ones, will do what the customer askes them to do.
And that is because if you don't give the shop specific instructions, they will quote and do the job as cheaply as possible, because they think you are just price
shopping and will go with the most inexpensive option.
The good shops have all the business they want, usually the same guy that is working the sale counter also runs the head mill, the rod resize machine, or some other
part of the business, they ain't going to chit chat with you,, unless you show some knowledge of what you want, and you give them the opportunity to explain what they can deliver. And you are willing to pay for additional operations,, sometimes it is helpful to let them know exactly what you know,for example " I want this done right, I know the engine dropped a valve seat, there may be hidden issues, what would you do?

Your local engine machine shop probably has good people in it, but they are not your mama.
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In lamens ..."my shop will rebuild rods that are bent and hand them back to you..."

How you think the salesmen get the work, they up sell. You check everything...as a good machinist does. You don't start honing bent rods, dude.
After the mag, that's when you light check them for straightness and bend them back if necessary.
I don't think experience backs your statements and it surley doesn't come into play with the machine shop you use, but I'm sure they wouldn't want you mispeaking for them...because its making that impression.
 
George Jets said:
I think righty tighy is doing very well, a quick learner and is taking good advice along the way and changing his game plan along the way as needed when it all makes sense to him.

He is a quick study and is getting things done. For someone who did not know much about engines to begin with.

We all have had to learn by doing, he will have a nice engine there when he gets done with it all.
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I agree with MO in that he needs better help. The OP learns quick, takes advice and gets it done. But if his machine shop lets him make decisions like not at least verifying the big ends and checking the rods to see if their straight, he needs to find a better machine shop.

That's one reason I became the prick I am. Guys would come in, and either not know, or wouldn't spend the money on something and next thing you know, something goes sideways and it's the same old story...the machine shop cornholed me and it's all over the web.

So I just became a prick about stuff. I'd have never let the OP out of my shop without checking the rods closer. If he didn't want to do it, I'd give him his stuff back and hand him a sheet I made up of other local machine shops and tell him to go to one of them.

The sad thing in all of this is the OP is willing and able to do it right. That's pretty rare anymore. Sad he's not at a machine shop that is looking out for his long term engine needs and seems to be willing to take his money and send him off.
 
my68barracuda said:
only if he follows your advice,,
what I am trying to say, not everyone is a smart as The MOPAROFFICIAL.
About all of the engine machine shops that I work with, and they are good ones, will do what the customer askes them to do.
And that is because if you don't give the shop specific instructions, they will quote and do the job as cheaply as possible, because they think you are just price
shopping and will go with the most inexpensive option.
The good shops have all the business they want, usually the same guy that is working the sale counter also runs the head mill, the rod resize machine, or some other
part of the business, they ain't going to chit chat with you,, unless you show some knowledge of what you want, and you give them the opportunity to explain what they can deliver. And you are willing to pay for additional operations,, sometimes it is helpful to let them know exactly what you know,for example " I want this done right, I know the engine dropped a valve seat, there may be hidden issues, what would you do?

Your local engine machine shop probably has good people in it, but they are not your mama.
Click to expand...



I hate to tell you this, but being the prick I am, I'm wanting to over emphasize the point.

You wouldn't come into my shop and tell me how to do anything. There are minimum standards I leaned over the years and you at least do them or move on.

I'm not your mama. I tell you big boy truths. It's that simple.

I won't skimp on the quality of my work to keep you living the high life.

Have a cousin that wants me to do an engine for him over the winter. All my work will be free of course. That's just the family plan right???

Anyway, he is always trying to cut every corner he can. 59 years old, been around this stuff his whole life and he still doesn't get it. I don't cut corners.

So he is stuck. It's either my way, to the letter, or he gets some one else to build his engine.

I'm funny like that. I don't play well with others, and I don't compromise. I just move on.
 
I'm not your mama. I tell you big boy truths.

If you don't tell the shop that one cylinder ingested a valve seat, how would they know?
I walk into a shop and say, take these rods off these pistons and put the rods on these other pistons
and what do you think I will get?

I'll get the rods, as they were, on the other pistons,
who knows?

Maybe the original poster can go back to the machine shop and say,
" it just occurred to me that one or more of the con rods may haver been bent due to an ingested
valve seat issue, and see what they say? Maybe they were checked for straightness. Who knows? But if one poses that question as price for the piston / rod change over is discussed, one would know, and that is the lesson.

All I am saying is that when you are giving advice across the internet to someone that has an interest, but is
new to engine building, don't spare the details. Fate is always best when it is in your own hands.
 
my68barracuda said:
I'm not your mama. I tell you big boy truths.

If you don't tell the shop that one cylinder ingested a valve seat, how would they know?
I walk into a shop and say, take these rods off these pistons and put the rods on these other pistons
and what do you think I will get?

I'll get the rods, as they were, on the other pistons,
who knows?

Maybe the original poster can go back to the machine shop and say,
" it just occurred to me that one or more of the con rods may haver been bent due to an ingested
valve seat issue, and see what they say? Maybe they were checked for straightness. Who knows? But if one poses that question as price for the piston / rod change over is discussed, one would know, and that is the lesson.

All I am saying is that when you are giving advice across the internet to someone that has an interest, but is
new to engine building, don't spare the details. Fate is always best when it is in your own hands.
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What does the engine eating a valve seat have to do with this discussion?

You bring in a set of rods and pistons and you tell me to swap Pistons I tell you ok, but we check the rods for straight, mag them and then at the very least check the big ends out. Doesn't matter what happened before you walked through the door. That's my minimum. Period.
 
I can't remember the last time I reused a rod. FWIW even the new parts get checked for fractures straightness, roundness, weight and a few other details. We / I don't build lawn mower engines.
OP find another shop, a GOOD shop will only charge you in the end after EVERY part is checked and made serviceable .
The sum of parts for the intended use
 
Doesn't matter what happened before you walked through the door.

But I does matter that the original poster, listening to guys like you and MOPAROFFICIAL, did not have a clue as to what needed to be checked.

And it is possible that the shop checked the rods for straightness, as you agree that has some importance, as your shop does that.
That maybe you would have educated the OP on that issue,but you did not,, and now you are complaining to me because I did..
 
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