garys 68

iTrader: (1)

If carcraft engine swap magazine is still on the shelves, check out page 24. It has an article on a cheap preluber using a bucket, sbc oil pump, and a couple lines and fittings.

bozzhawg

Just having a lil fun with ya, but I still stand behind what I said, now its going to cost you more...... There is no way for you to measure how much water/and damage or how long it was in there and I definitely would not trust the junkyards word.... They will tell you anything so you can keep it.... Forget about the 3000 miles engine.. I would ve not fooled around with it nor have the time, now your going to be driving, and in the back of your mind, you will always know, you had a motor full of water in it when you dropped the pan..... So goodluck hauz...

It like a fine azz pretty woman, looks good, boobz, azz, 34-24-36....she has a Bently for a body, but a volkswagon brain...... you know this chick was bad from the start but you kept her around because she looked good.... How many guys have been there before?.....lol You live, you learn.....

Bozz

lizeec

iTrader: (57)

Wipe it down with a clean oil soaked rag a couple of times, and clean thoroughly that engine wasnt run with the water in it so I doubt you have any damage to the bearings, that rust you have is nothing more than surface rust as evidenced by the pictures, and that is from the oil fill tube being broken in the wreck and then the engine getting snowed on and rained on, that is why you had oil in the pan. It is more hassle and $$ sending it back which you will have to pay freight and insurance to make sure it gets there ok and then wait for the junkyard to finish dicking around and trying to blame you for any damage or missing parts and then offering you a ridiculous refund amount and then your money will be tied up for a month or two, meanwhile you will have to locate another engine assy. and cross your fingers all over again, get a seasoned mechanic to look at it, which it appears you are not and they will tell you to clean it and run it, now if you go to a high end place they will try to scare you as other people on here have and talk you into a complete rebuild.

Irish350

iTrader: (14)

dude best analogy ever. lmfao


goldhawg, whatre you going to do as far as the valvetrain goes?

Goldhawg

iTrader: (7)

Score one for bozzhawg, minus one for goldhawg. While trying to clean some of the rust off the counterweights I rotated the engine and look what we see at the back position of the cam....

Probably a call to yard tomorrow to come back and get it....I've just about given up.

bozzhawg

Hey man, I will give the point back, I just hate to see you go down this road.... I have been there before trying to make a bad situation good and in the end, you feel paranoid about even driving the car..... I would send it back, keep all the pictures and just ask for a full refund and order or drive to another yard and find a donor...... I would not trust that yard again, fugg me once shame on you, fugg me twice shame on me.....

Go with your intuition, it usually will not fail you... Goodluck

Bozz

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

An old farts perspective:
1. The surface rust is nothing to be concerned about.
2. Do not use rags to wipe the parts with. you WILL find lint in the oil pump screen, if you do.
3. A good douche w/ WD-40, with the engine upright on the stand, will do the job just fine.
A "blow job" w/ compressed air will wash it down just fine.
4. Clean the pan, replace the oil tube o'ring, and move on with reassembly.
As mentioned, the engine was not run w/ the water in it. The rust you are seeing is from hi humidity vapors and moving the engine around.

Irish350

iTrader: (14)

lol, so much wisdom in this thread i love it


what about the cam?

01cherryreds10

iTrader: (9)

The cam is just a really good reason to put an aftermarket one in

Goldhawg

iTrader: (7)

If you know how, drive on over to Ohio! I'm a bit scared of the VVT and I'd like to keep it!

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

good mods to the cam, is the timing limiter mod. You can get the parts from Comp, Mast, etc. This will do a lot toward improving the performance.
In any case, I'd do springs and pushrods, rod bolts...All good insurance if intend to lean on it.

Goldhawg

iTrader: (7)

OK, here is my latest plan. I'm going to keep the engine. I will replace the cam and go ahead with a Mast cam/valvespring update. While doing that, I'll check all the lifters--but I think they be fine. Since the rust is all concentrated at the back, I'll remove the rear most rod bolts and inspect the bearings. If no damage, stop and replace the TTY bolts. If bearings w/rust, either clean up (if just surface) or replace if necessary. Do the same with the rear main cap. I don't need to replace all the bolts and check everything going forward if there is no damage to the back. The minor rust I had on the one cylinder wall was below the rings, and it wiped off.

Yard will give me a small amount of cash which will pay the general for a few bolts, and I was going to do a cam upgrade next year anyway. I'll still have less in this motor than alternatives, and I'll have the cam I want.

Other consideration was yard was getting a little snotty about them being concerned about putting their engine back together. Last thing I want to do is send it back and they claim I damaged something and then they have the engine.

I think the risk was low all along; I'll go a bit further in checking and won't stop until I'm confident its fine.

Thx again for all your counsel.

BTW, anybody got any good online resources re VVT cam swaps?

ls68firebird

just read the whole thread. I have built a lot of roundy round sbc engines and i have to say that if you have seen some of the stuff those boys pull out of the weeds (literally) and wipe off with wd-40 then go race all year, you would feel a little less scared. IMO the cam would be the scariest part, but put in new rod bolts and wipe everything else down. We would use lint free painters wipes and pay attention to the sharp edges. i have literally seen someone use steel wool on the journals of a crank, wipe down the counterweights and put it in (no i don't recomend it, actually advised against it, but hey when mama says no $ - whatcha gonna do). i still chased him all year.

gEtyOPaPiOn

iTrader: (11)

one thing i learned long time ago:

cheap = expensive lol

Irish350

iTrader: (14)

I was gonna say get new lifters; because ls7s are like 130$ and i wouldnt trust the old ones; but I havent dont a VVT cam swap, and id imagine they have different lifters so idk if itd be 'cheap insurance' like i was gonna say.

Goldhawg

iTrader: (7)

Well, lots of small "cheap" things to do that really add up. I'll check w/MAST, but they didn't mention stock lifters not being fine. If they are, I'll reuse. The one lifter had a smidge of rust; I'll remove and inspect. Most of the rust on the cam wiped right off, although there was a dark spot suggesting pitting which is why its going. So I'll cross my finger on the minor rust spot on the lifter coming right off too; if not, I'll replace.

Irish350

iTrader: (14)

yeah. normally the cars id swap lifters on dont only have 5k miles or whatever, but they also arent all rusty, so i figured id throw it out there

TSP has put a lot into the VVT cams too from what Ive heard; not sure if its on their site or not yet though.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

On the rod bolts... If you are going to replace just the 1's you inspect, I'd suggest a set of ARP's and do away w/ the TTY nonsense...Good insurance.

Goldhawg

iTrader: (7)

I'll check price and procedure to install TTYs; may go ARPs if I think it won't be good. But in reading about TTYs, GM installs them for a reason; supposedly they provide much more even torque across whatever is being bolted on and therefore seal better and the engine lasts longer. I don't think they are doing it for nonsense reasons. ARP obviously better if I'm building a race motor; not really whats going on here (even w/upgraded cam).

bozzhawg

Once again, man, if you want to do it right, I would not suggest changing the rod bolts without a proper balance..... Yes we know, how many times have you read, guys just change rods bolts without a proper balance, but that does not make it the correct way? I am not saying it won't live but..... truly not the best practice.....

Most reputable machinest I know or who have done work for me, don't reccomend it and I don't do it, but hey everybody has their way...... I think you are diggin deeper and deeper...... adding more band-aids.

Listen to people who are going to advise you with best practices vs what will work, there are a million of things that will work....... The goal is to get the optimal performance for your said power goals.....

As I said before, yes, these shortcuts will live, but are these the best practices? NO....... And I stand behind what I say 200%...


Bozz