1988 chassis

kb426 · August 25, 2019, 05:45:52 PM

I'm starting a thread just in case this develops into something worth discussing.

Today I ran a compression test of the 5.0 engine after having it running a few days ago. 7 cylinders with 145lbs. I with zero. Not 60, not 20, zero. I connected the leakdown meter and can hear air passing both valves. I'm hoping that I can pull a head and find a simple repair. The od has 114,000 miles on it. I don't know if it works or not.

The 145lbs is higher than most of these I have worked on so I'm hoping the cylinders are round and not scuffed up. I may end up replacing bearings and the oil pump because of it having been upside down and surely running some before the inertia switch shutting off the engine. I found out the drive shaft was bent also. I have something of a plan but I'm going to wait until teardown to see what I have to work with before saying much.

idrivejunk · August 25, 2019, 08:23:45 PM

Aw come on... try it IDJ-style and blab it all to the world!

Then, of course... follow through!

kb426 · September 02, 2019, 05:38:58 PM

Once again at O&S I turned a 2 hour job into about 7.

The chassis is stripped except for the fuel pump. The rear has been removed, all the wiring is removed and the engine and trans is removed. When I started removing grease to find the bolts, I found the wiring to the o2 sensor. The pig tail was pulled from the sensor and was stuck in the grim under the engine. I don't know if every gasket leaks or they couldn't hit the filler when adding oil. It's been a while since I worked on anything this dirty.

UGLY OLDS · September 02, 2019, 05:57:08 PM

Quote from: "kb426"Once again at O&S I turned a 2 hour job into about 7. The chassis is stripped except for the fuel pump. The rear has been removed, all the wiring is removed and the engine and trans is removed. When I started removing grease to find the bolts, I found the wiring to the o2 sensor. The pig tail was pulled from the sensor and was stuck in the grim under the engine. I don't know if every gasket leaks or they couldn't hit the filler when adding oil. It's been a while since I worked on anything this dirty.

Hey ...Just like Detroit Diesel ...Leaking oil is the best rust-proofing ....

Bob..

Crosley.In.AZ · September 02, 2019, 10:47:42 PM

The Harbor Freight looking trailer has a full load on it.

kb426 · September 03, 2019, 03:48:09 PM

I finished stripping the chassis and took it to it's next resting place. No longer my mess.

kb426 · November 09, 2019, 07:15:12 PM

This is why there was no compression on 1 cylinder. This engine looks like it didn't have the best of oil change intervals. Not terrible but not good. I found one bolt in the flexplate that was cross threaded. There are signs that some of it has been worked on before. I am concerned about the quality of work performed.

Crosley.In.AZ · November 10, 2019, 08:11:48 AM

Do you think the previous work performed was on the bottom end of the engine? That could be a mess if it comes apart at speed..

kb426 · November 10, 2019, 09:25:36 AM

It's going to get looked at. I trust nothing when it comes to engines.

jaybee · November 10, 2019, 10:45:42 AM

Quote from: "kb426"I am concerned about the quality of work performed.

That made me smile.

kb426 · November 13, 2019, 07:00:28 PM

I disassembled most of the rest of the engine today. I haven't pulled the cam but everything else is out. Here's the synopsis: the engine had been hot before. It had a fairly recent radiator on it. They might have considered doing that before they got the engine hot. There was scuffing on one side of the pistons. It had run for some time since that occurred. The bearings are wore as a high mileage engine. It's had dirt run through the bottom and some scratching on the crank and in the bearings. The cylinders have inbetween 1.5 and 2 thou of taper. They look better than the pistons. The crank measures round. I threw the heads in the vat with out disassembling them because they were so nasty. The side with the valve out is the one that was worked on. The valve heights are so off from one to another that I'm surprised there wasn't more burnt valves. They had cut the exhaust off because they thought the converter was plugged. Because of the noise, I couldn't have heard the valve noise. There's some place between .060 to .100" difference in valve stem heights. A couple of lifters should have been talking pretty good. There was some sludge in the pan but not bad for the condition of the outside of the engine.

I don't have a plan yet. It cost less to think so that's what will happen for a while. I have more to inspect to make a decision properly. However, I have quite a few parts laying around that would allow for a nice engine to be built with another pile of money added to it.

Crosley.In.AZ · November 13, 2019, 10:23:40 PM

Seems like money is always added to projects. Helps make them more fun. #sarcasm

kb426 · November 14, 2019, 06:34:26 PM

O&S had a little more discovery today. I disassembled the heads, vatted the crank and a bunch of bolts. I'm not sure the crank will polish up but the head with the dead cylinder has 2 problems. I don't know the order of happenstance. The dead cylinder has a crack between the valve seats, Who ever thought they were a head man ground the seats down about 80 to 100 thou. That would have taken all the clearance out of the lifters. The 2 pics are of the damaged cylinder and another to show the difference. Back to thinking.

kb426 · November 15, 2019, 06:03:03 PM

I spent more time cleaning this afternoon. The block is starting to look like cast iron.

I'm not finished but close. Just a few small spots that are left. Big pile of grease carried to the dumpster.

idrivejunk · November 16, 2019, 09:10:23 AM

Just remember to use a soup can for your bearing shims. If they had changed oil more frequently, beer can might work but I think soup for this puppy.

You are souping it up, aren't you?

Seriously... more mess than you bargained for, build but with lowered expectations,,, what do you think? Scrap heap or drag strip hero?