Running a /6 on five?

[twalker]

picked up a 70 duster with a /6, attempted to get it running so it can yard drive during the build. Turns out it has a thrown rod in #6 hole. Thoughts about running it on 5? (Would pull the #6 rod and piston assembly, push rods,
Etc)

Just looking for it to run well enough for yard driving.

Let me know your thoughts, thanks in advance

 

[slantsixdan]

I've driven yard-cars in much worse condition than you describe. Keep oil in it and it'll be fine.

 

[Professor Fate]

You'll have zero oil pressure unless you block the oil hole in the crank for that cylinder. Then the rod next to it won't live long with all the extra side slop. Removing the pushrods would allow the lifter to rise out of it's bore, opening up the oil galley...
You've got to tear the engine down to pull out the piston/rod, it would be much easier to just drop the pan and put a new bearing on that rod, maybe polishing up the journal first. It'll live long enough to be a yard driver.
Heck, years back I did just that after I spun a bearing (in a campsite, no less) and then drove it 250 miles home...

 

[twalker]

You'll have zero oil pressure unless you block the oil hole in the crank for that cylinder. Then the rod next to it won't live long with all the extra side slop. Removing the pushrods would allow the lifter to rise out of it's bore, opening up the oil galley...
You've got to tear the engine down to pull out the piston/rod, it would be much easier to just drop the pan and put a new bearing on that rod, maybe polishing up the journal first. It'll live long enough to be a yard driver.
Heck, years back I did just that (in a campsite, no less) and then drove it 250 miles home...

Yeah great points. I’ll have it out of the car tomorrow to inspect the bottom end damage and see what I can do.

 

[slantsixdan]

Or you could just leave the bottom of the rod (complete with bearing) on the crank. Depending on where the rod failed, that might mean just removing the piston and its part of the rod or, if the bottom part of the rod is long enough to flail around and hit stuff, cut it shorter.

 

[Professor Fate]

When you say it threw a rod, do you mean it spun a bearing, or does it have shrapnel in the pan and a huge hole in the side of the block?

 

[Charrlie_S]

You'll have zero oil pressure unless you block the oil hole in the crank for that cylinder. Then the rod next to it won't live long with all the extra side slop. Removing the pushrods would allow the lifter to rise out of it's bore, opening up the oil galley...
You've got to tear the engine down to pull out the piston/rod, it would be much easier to just drop the pan and put a new bearing on that rod, maybe polishing up the journal first. It'll live long enough to be a yard driver.
Heck, years back I did just that after I spun a bearing (in a campsite, no less) and then drove it 250 miles home...

Slant six. doesn't have two rods on the same throw. No oil gally for the lifters.

 

[Professor Fate]

Slant six. doesn't have two rods on the same throw. No oil gally for the lifters.

You're right, of course- my head is thinking small blocks at the moment.

Was the block revised in later years to accommodate hydraulic lifters?

 

[Charrlie_S]

You're right, of course- my head is thinking small blocks at the moment.

Was the block revised in later years to accommodate hydraulic lifters?

The hydraulic lifter engines lube from the top down to the lifters through the rocker arms, and pushrods

 

[Killer6]

Yeah great points. I’ll have it out of the car tomorrow to inspect the bottom end damage and see what I can do.

If You're going to pull the rod & piston out, why not line up a donor to plop back in their place? Obviously run quality isn't important so, if You pull the head, You can ascertain if it's stock bore/OS.....for the cost of shipping & maybe a few bucks, somebody may have one rings & all to hook You up, just check that journal for oil flow 1st,......lolol...

 

[Slantsix64]

Turn up the radio and run it.

 

[junkyardhero]

back in the dark ages, when there were only bbs's and the gray beards weren't so gray and nobody was youtube certified.... i coughed a rod on my slant six and windowed the block. i pulled the offending rod and piston out and used a hose clamp to secure the bearing shells to the crank and maintain oil pressure. JB weld and a beer can on the inspection hole tided up the top side. drove it like that for a while and sold it to a friend who drove it like that for years.

sadly, i didn't have a radio but the funky beat of the motor provided its own entertainment.

 

[twalker]

thanks for all the feedback and ideas guys! I pulled the engine and had a look at the bottom end damage… see photo lol. Engine is still VERY tight in one spot of the rotation - even with the number 6 hole rod and piston out. There is something else binding, could be a main near 6, not sure. Number 6 rod journal got VERY hot, heavy discolouration.

New plan - picking up another usable 6 and will stab that in and use that for moving the car around while I work on it.

Thanks again for all the responses

 

[RustyRatRod]

It probably bent the crank.

 

[Dutchrebuild]

Junk