Re: Sad 401 story

[farna@xxxxxxx]

Marty, sounds like just a bad piston. Since the shrapnel is pretty big I doubt any got in the bearings. The rod big end stayed on, so the crank should be good. The block can be sleeved easily, especially since it's only one hole. It would be expensive to sleeve all eight, but sleeving up to three on a V-8 is usually cost effective. I'd consider sleeving all on a 401 block if necessary, it's not like you can just go pick one up, even from a salvage yard! Go ahead and take it apart then drive that piston out.... If something hard is holding the piston in let the shop remove it, but most likely a deformed skirt is holding it in. It's not likely you'll score it any worse, and even if you do it needs sleeving anyway. The shop will have to measure the other seven cylinders to see if your 0.030" pistons will work. I hope so, that's the max overbore! 

I don't think the bad piston had anything to do with oil pressure though. Make sure you check the oil pump thoroughly when you rebuild. 

On April 18, 2005 Marty Bricker wrote:

>   Fast forward to Sat(16 Apr) and after our car club
> meeting I was psyched to pull the engine and get the
> rebuild started (finally have all of the parts and
> money for a professional rebuild).  Got the engine out
> and was trying to remove the torque converter and the
> engine would only rotate about a half turn.  I thought
> maybe there was just pressure building up in the
> pistons so I decided to remove the spark plugs...had a
> bad feeling when I removed #6 and the electrode was
> completely bent over.  Engine still wouldn't turn over
> so I dropped the pan...and my heart sank when I saw
> the shrapnel in it.
>   The connecting rod had completely pulled away from
> the bottom of #6 piston (and there are deep grooves in
> the piston wall from the pin).  The top of the piston
> is broken into three pieces and is lodged at the top
> of the cylinder.  I haven't proceeded any further.  I
> figure a piece of shrapnel is lodged somewhere,
> preventing the crank from turning any further.
>   Any ideas on what may have happened or caused this
> to happen.  Is #6 piston vulnerable?  The heads look
> fine although some of the rockers are loose.  All of
> the pushrods were intact and still in their grooves.
>   I was going to just put the pan back on and take it
> to my engine builder for evaluation...any suggestions
> from the list?  I've heard members talk about sleeving
> a piston...what does this involve(how much $ do I need
> to set aside for this)?  Will I need to purchase a new
> set of pistons (I have .030 over ones now)?  Will the
> engine be any good if this is done (I'm not building
> it to race, just a strong street cruiser).  Obviously
> not sure of any other internal damage...can the crank
> be blended if it has scoring or deep scratches from
> the shrapnel?  Should I try to take the rest of the
> engine apart and see what I have before taking it in?
> Thanks for any suggestions.
> Marty
> 
> 
> 
> 
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