The official FABO machinist/member collaboration, busted 340 thread

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Rule no 1.
Always inspect second hand "rebuilt" engines and especially transmissions.
To some people, a paint job and chrome rocker covers is a rebuild.
Rebuilt, second hand, no warranty, beware.
 
plumkrazee70 said:
You're right it does say in his original thread he bought it 1.5 years ago. This looks like the thread where he bought it, mainly because the color looks the same. But I CANT SAY FOR SURE.
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looks like it could be the same pistons.
It’s only a short block so did the buyer reuse his heads and rockers etc. install cam too.
The short block in that link looks pretty clean.
 
replicaracer43 said:
I personally have no idea who built it or sold it. I'm just helping a guy out
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I my line of work, I have to sign my name and provide my certificate number to everything I repair, replace or adjust. It wouldn't be hard to track down anything I do after we send it out of the door. Thats why have another set of eyes look at what I've done, even though I have 55+ years of experience doing what I do. I have the same approach to everything I touch, including my own stuff. A while back I bought a 273 Barracuda off of a young fella, who told me his dad had rebuilt the engine for him and he hadn't got around to putting the engine in the car. He told me his dad was a good mechanic. It hadn't been rebuilt, nor disassembled, it was just cleaned and painted. I didn't have the heart to call him and tell him about it. After all I was just getting the car for spares, it just happened to have come with the engine and transmission.
Norm
 
guys... bottom line here regardless of the possible shotty work the big picture is that the OP is generous enough to help this guy out, very well done sir, i dont know you but i appreciate your efforts...Rich
 
Dan the man said:
I seen a 340 for sale, I think that it was on the market place asking price $1,800. I laughed.
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Block only? Was the block machined and prepped?
Dan the man said:
How you know that it's. 030 over?
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As Rat Bastard said…. Replicaracer43 is a machinist. It’s his job to find these things out. He is not a spring chicken to building engines.
 
replicaracer43 said:
So this thread will be about a FABO member who bought a previously rebuilt 340, had numerous issues, and the guy who is going to help him out, because we all need help sometimes.
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Freakin A my man. Very few of us are a 1 man marching band. Even those that are can always use a second hand in doing stuff. I was such a helper to a few seasoned fellas when I was a young fella. My job hanging around them was hand them a wrench and get coffee or go on a lunch run. I’d just help out asking questions & while they didn’t mind and gratefully answered all questions, I’m sure I was a mild annoyance. Learn I did.

Now the coin has flipped.

It always sucks when you get the hammer on stuff like this. Thankfully, your here and willing to help out. Hats off to you brother.
 
Bakerlite said:
Rule no 1.
Always inspect second hand "rebuilt" engines and especially transmissions.
To some people, a paint job and chrome rocker covers is a rebuild.
Rebuilt, second hand, no warranty, beware.
Click to expand...

I never buy rebuilt engines. I've rebuilt too many "rebuilt" engines. I'd rather buy a virgin running engine with 200,000 miles on it.
 
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Very nice to be helping the guy out! Maybe the pitch forks can be in the other post. Keep this educational.
 
Bakerlite said:
Rule no 1.
Always inspect second hand "rebuilt" engines and especially transmissions.
To some people, a paint job and chrome rocker covers is a rebuild.
Rebuilt, second hand, no warranty, beware.
Click to expand...

Unless I’ve seen them in a running, driving car, or from someone I know and trust, any engine or transmission is considered a core. I’ve been burned on both.

My hats off to Replicaracer for helping a guy out.
 
Ouch! I've heard of a backyard rebuild where the cylinder hone had smoke rolling off the stones, I imagine the finished product looked something like that.
 
Anyway, continuing with the autopsy, it definitely doesn't get better! By somehow, much to my absolute amazement, the camshaft, while worn out, did NOT lose a lobe....the lifters however look worse than any lifter I have ever removed.

20220910_115100.jpg
 
Engine has the typical "old school" trw forged pistons, at .030 oversize with extremely heavy scuffing, and were in the cylinder at .005 piston to wall, the cylinders are all fairly even size wise, but 3 or 4 have almost. 002 taper, which is definitely no good.
 
replicaracer43 said:
Anyway, continuing with the autopsy, it definitely doesn't get better! By somehow, much to my absolute amazement, the camshaft, while worn out, did NOT lose a lobe....the lifters however look worse than any lifter I have ever removed.

View attachment 1715983461
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Do they look like they have many many miles on them?

Is it me, or are they sorta odd looking design?
 
Once we get into the bottom end, we find more not so surprising suprises...filth, grit and rust abound.

20220910_111232.jpg
 
Another "interesting" detail, is the oil galley plugs in the rear of the block appear to be the factory square head, and also appears they have never been removed. That's a pretty big red flag.

20220910_104423.jpg
 
Getting the rod and piston assemblies out, we find factory 340 floating rods, that DO appear to have been re-sized with new bolts. However they didn't bother with the wrist pin bushings, which are worn beyond tolerance. the crankshaft journals are worn severely undersize, and out of round, giving us a whopping .008 rod bearing clearance. Knock knock, whos there? Sad situation indeed!

20220910_114225.jpg
 
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