Hey guys... Posted here a few times...but heres a quick rundown... 77 LTD II with a 351w. Timing chain jumped way back in 06...decided to restart the project this summer. Got the cover off, chain off, etc etc...heres where im at now... Went out today and was going to get the motor mount bolts out and loosen the trans mounts so i could lift the motor for pan removal. In the process one of the motor mount bolts snapped clean off inside the block. I wasnt planning on pulling this thing out originally. But now it looks like i have to. The question i have is...i have no idea really what direction to go. The motor ran strong before the chain went...ive gotten the valves and things redone already (they were bent), but i dont know if... A) Rebuild this engine and/or freshen it up. This obviously would be the most expensive option, as well as the most time consuming. B) Find a good junkyard 351W (preferably a later model roller) for 6 or 700 bucks, swap my carb stuff on and have it going in a week. I know junkyard engines can be iffy, and they are all truck engines which would require swapping from rear sump to front sump...is there anything else im missing? And how hard is it to swap the sumps? Also im worried about pulling the engine because im worried about messing up the torque converter. Ive heard horror stories about them coming unseated and things. Goal of this car isnt a race car, just a solid, reliable, nice day cruiser and possibly a road trip or two. Really need some guidence here.
I thought about that too. But those are pricy as hell lol. Athough it was an option i was giving some thought too.
First, if the engine comes out, an engine goes back in. I assume it was one of the four long bolts on the water pump/timing cover? Because that can mean getting a new cover, you will destroy that one removing it from the block face. Second, these are so danged easy to pull and pop back in. I did Babe's in Fall/Winter 2017, and I did a write-up on it, replaced all the gaskets except the head gaskets, and generally inspected it, but I removed it to replace the front and rear main seals and properly align the timing cover and oil pan to stop leaks. My engine only had 30K on its rebuild when I did it. This is an opportunity to clean, inspect and regasket its original engine, when its out, take care of the broken bolt. But removing and replacing the engine can be done by yourself, Babe isn't the only one I've done by myself.
No it was one of the motor mount bolts underneath. The timing cover came off easy lol. It might be a blessing in disguise it happend anyways...cause now i can go through and do it correctly if i decide to stick with this engine (i probably will).
Do the inspection, take plenty close-up pics, post them. A few of the members and I have the experience to look at the photos, see if you have any glaring problems. I used that method to inform a friend his 1973 Colony Park's 460 had a burned #6 exhaust valve. But yeah, it's easy peasy, and you can do all the gaskets, inspect the bearings and crank, check the cylinder tops for any ridge wear, and put all new gaskets, o-rings and a new oil pump in the engine, if everything looks good.
Resize to 1MB and then use "upload a file" to get the pics up on the website. Select "post all as full size" and there you go!
It's a broken bolt, drill it out and tap it, screw new bolt in. Probably easier to get to if you pull engine but definitely not a reason to change an engine. You said engine ran good before chain jumped time. Just my thought and it keeps the budget down.
Its definantly a windsor. I have no reason to believe it started life with an M. Anyways...just an update...i did get the motor out yesterday afternoon.. Took all of about 3.5 hrs. Everything went smooth. It was nice getting all the bellhousing bolts from up top lol, i did remove the (lighter then expected) hood. I do think im gonna stick with this engine...im gonna re gasket it, clean it up, all that good stuff. Still contemplating a full rebuild...i can do diassembly/reassembly myself...but whats machine work going for these days? Also...whats the best way to support the trans so i can move the car around? I got a jackstand under it now but id like to pull it outside and degrease/paint/clean up the frame and bay.
I use a ratchet strap, both to hold a wood block onto the face of the converter, and a second one from one hinge to the other, on the bottom between the bellhousing and pan.
Hopefully you have a piece of wood between jackstand and pan. Want something that spans pan side to side or best part of, reason so pan don't flex and "block" off filter. Just a little caution. Andy's way works for holding trans up , done it many times. Here's a pic of mine currently. Just another way to do it. Bolts work as good as drill bits, used what was handy.
What he said. My '74's chain jumped, pulling the pan was a pain in-car but it allowed me to clean the bottom and also pop in a new oil pump.
Just a follow up... After the broken motor mount bolt in the block...that i then snapped an easy out in, coupled with all the missing parts ive stolen for other things over the years... I said screw it and decided to take my chances on a junkyard engine. I found a 85 351W 2bbl in a junkyard (that supposdly runs good...it has good compression and no strange clunks when i spun it over, and no oily residue in manifolds, guy said it had 85k on it from a E150 conversion that rotted the frame) I wanted a 351 H.O but couldnt find one from a trustworthy source. 450 bucks. So i bought it. Im gonna degrease it, pop on new gaskets and oil pump, and switch what needs switched and plop it in. Im a indescisive person, and impatient. So i figure worse case i can atleast move the car around under its own power so i can actually build the original 351 the way i want too.
Ouch on the easy out. Can get them out through various methods but not fun. I prefer to just drill to size and retap the hole anymore found it easier and more predictable to do it that way. Back when I was running my own shop seemed like every junkyard engine replacement had about 85k miles on it. Didn't matter if I sourced or customer did the sourcing. Good luck, lots of things you can do with a 351 W. Have 2 at house here been thinking 393 one of them summit crank cheap cubes. Don't forget timing chain in your list.
I went out yesterday and pulled the valve cover on the 85 engine..looked good and non gunky. Only concerning thing was at the yard (the engine was pulled sitting on a warehouse shelf) when i pulled the dipstick it was dry. I figured they drained it. Yesterday i pulled the pan plug and a crap load of oil came out...so now im worried it was ran low...but theres no shavings in the oil so thats a plus. Its going to get a timing set, oil pump, pan seal, rear main, all the little stuff thats eaiser to do now.
When I pulled Babe's Windsor to reseal her, I pulled the oil pan, and did a 'tap test' on the rod caps, and checked crank thrust, plus I had to pull the rear main cap to replace the rear main seal halves. I recommend you do the same. You can also do a mechanical oil pressure test and re-prime the engine. Cold, pressure should not be below 25PSI for normal running, 20PSI for the absolute bottom of the barrel.
