Hammer mechanic

[enjenjo]

Back around the same era as George, My wife's daily driver was a 69 Chevelle SS 396 with a 327 as the replacement engine. Somehow the throttle stuck, broke a piston, and holes the block. I was dead broke, so I traded a 3 1/2 horse Clinton engine for a 283 that had been rebuilt, installed, and then pulled back out because it had no oil pressure. They pulled one head, and left it lying out in the rain for a year.

It was locked up by rust in the cylinders from the side without a head. I managed to get it apart, only destroying one piston, only to find the crank was scarred by the rod bolts during assembly, and the rod caps were mixed up, causing the oil pressure problem.

I bought one piston, rings for 4 cylinders, and rod bearings on my Sears credit card out of the Sears catalog. I had enough gaskets out of old sets to put it together. I polished the crank with Crocus cloth, and a leather shoe lace to fix the scars. I honed the rusty cylinders, three of them weren't bad, but one had a lot of rust pits. I figured none of the pits were at the top, and none were wider than a ring, so it went together.

I used the oil pump out of the 327, and the whole 327 top end, plus camshaft and lifters. I started it up, and it ran, no smoke. I figured it would last until I could afford to do one right.

My wife drove it three years, no problems, no oil used, the 283 was in it when I sold the car.

[kb426]

Frank, most of us remember not having any money. The best part of this is: "I remember". I just hope I don't have to revisit that part.

[Mac]

I polished the crank with Crocus cloth, and a leather shoe lace to fix the scars.

I have done that too on lightly scratched journals (mostly insert material transfer)  using 320, 400,....1200, etc. wet and dry with WD40. To evenly spread the sanding/polishing effect I spray glued the W&D paper to a piece of aluminum flashing cut to the width of the journal and used cloth strips for the Chatanooga Shoeshine action.

All these stories shows how resilient these engines are to redneck mishandling.

[phat46]

I was in a Cadillace/GMC dealership in the late 80's  to try to get a flat cam in a 305 changed under warrentee. The mechanics there were trying to pull the engine out of a Caddy. They had a big chain hooked up to the engine to a chainfall, one guy standing on the cowl area with a crowbar and several onlookers. As they cranked the chainfall up the guy on the car was rocking the engine with his crowbar. The front of the car kept getting higher and higher till the front tires were off the floor! The guy was rocking the engine for all he was worth and then the chain broke dropping the car car back on the floor!!! I decided to change my flat cam myself.