Yes, this is a cross post....I posted a similar thread on the BB and have gotten quite a few 'veiws', but so far haven't gotten any replies or comments. I tore into my 345 this weekend and wanted to hear what some others thought of it's condition. Take a look at the findings (http://www.mo-4xtoys.com/torc/tetanus/Engine/Rocker%20Assembly.html) and let me know what you think. I've no engine building expert by any means but I have rebuild 2 or 3 in the past, but never an IH. I'm interested in hearing you're comments. Thanks.....

I'm no expert either, but I think you are fine. Not sure what the "goo" is, I suspect some had a VERY poorly running carb on there... It *is* possible that the valve guides are bad though..


Look for small cracks between the intake and exhaust, and the spark plug holes.. they *can* crack there, but not too often.

How much $$ you got to spend on this thing???
Budget: slap some gaskets on it, and run it till you got the bread to re-build it.
Some cash: Have the heads done. They look good, so I suspect $300 or so should get them cleaned, new guides, and a valve job. Have the rockers and push-rods tanked at the same time.
Little more Cash: Pull the bottom end apart, new bearings, cam, cam-bearings, hone and rings (aka re-freash/re-ring). Problem is, if you pull it apart, then you may find it wants to be bored... then its more $$.


also note, a couple good friends (engine guys) have told me: fresh top-end on old bottom.... but will go soon. 10-15K soon, but it will "shorten" its life before it needs to be attended too....



just my $.02, I can't remeber, why'd you pull it apart in the first place?!?!?

Pulled it apart because when I bought the parts rig, I found a couple quarts of fuel in the crankcase. Put new fuel pump on it and that fixed that. I didn't know it's history and had no idea how long the old cooter I bought it from had run it that way. Haven't measured the cylinders yet but they look good. Specs for main bearing clearance is .001 - .004 and they measured .005 with signs of some wear on the inserts. Journals look beautiful. Rod bearing clearance measured .0025 and spec for them is .0011 - .0036. Rod journals looked fantastic and just a hint of wear on the inserts.

I'm having the heads tanked and magna-fluxed... once cleaned up, I'll know if I have to do a valve job. Like RW said, if they need a valve job, then the bottom end will need some work done too. If they don't need a full valve job, then I'm thinking new guides and seals, new main and rod bearings and bolt it back together until it NEEDS to be rebuilt. Cam bearings will be checked and replaced if needed, but by the way the top end was oiling, it's a good sign that they may still be good.

I think the black goo is from the thinned down oil/gas mixture getting pumped up to the top end and then leaking down past the seals into the cylinders. Then the gas evaporated and left behind the goo.

yha.. my 2 cents.. throw in a fresh set of gaskets and berrings, mayby rings .. dont forget to run a glaze breaker thru...

I'm throwing a 302 in one of the vans at work and when I pulled the old engine apart it was slimed all to hell just like yours and it is fuel injected. It's a mix of carbon, crap from the fuel and shit oil.What kind of oil do you run in it?
http://home.attbi.com/~buddhasghost/ee.jpg

if you're gonna do it, do it right.
i tore apart my 345... had crank re ground..( prev. owner shredded no. 7 main) mag flux block and heads, 30 over bore, nice new pistons, 1 new rod, and gasket kit...all under 1100.00....


my $.02

pat


edit: and while you're in there open up those oil passages.... ih blocks need it.

Originally posted by Buddha's Ghost
I'm throwing a 302 in one of the vans at work and when I pulled the old engine apart it was slimed all to hell just like yours and it is fuel injected. It's a mix of carbon, crap from the fuel and shit oil.What kind of oil do you run in it?
http://home.attbi.com/~buddhasghost/ee.jpg
Ummm... it came from a parts rig. I only ran it for maybe 30 minutes total......

Originally posted by patstanley
if you're gonna do it, do it right.
i tore apart my 345... had crank re ground..( prev. owner shredded no. 7 main) mag flux block and heads, 30 over bore, nice new pistons, 1 new rod, and gasket kit...all under 1100.00....


my $.02

pat


edit: and while you're in there open up those oil passages.... ih blocks need it.
I would certainly do that if it needed it. But with damn near perfect main and rod journals I can't see any good reason to regrind the crank. Cylinder walls are fine too so I can't see any good reason to punch it either.... I guess maybe if I had $1100 sitting around burning a whole in my pocket, that would be a another story.

oh god no,
i didn't mean that i recomend for you to re grind the crank, with clearances in spec like that, there is no point.....i had no choice, since the PO forgot how to check the oil, i did a full rebuild for 1,100....you should be able to get away with a gasket kit nd head job for under 5 bills.


keep the progress posted..
pat

Upon closer inspection, I'd have to say that the head gasket was blown between cylinders 1 & 3 and also between 3 & 5. Also looks like it was about to blow between 4 & 6. I dropped the heads off at L&W Crankshaft this morning on the way to work and from the preliminary look over, they said it looks like it will need some new valves. Some of them are showing signs of cupping around the edges such as the area circled on #7 intake. They won't know for sure until tomorrow when they can get them apart. If it is going to need some new valves, then I will probably have a full valve job done on them. If I do that, then I will have to do some additional work to the bottom end.
http://home.kc.rr.com/torc/righthead1.jpg http://home.kc.rr.com/torc/lefthead1.jpg