Can't crank/turnover engine
 

Trying to crank the engine at the 1 1/4 bolt at the harmonic balancer. I have WD 40 all the cylinders and can't get the thing to budge. What can I do to free it up.

pour some oil onto the valves
then add some more into the cylinders

Soak the cylinders with brake fluid for a few days, and try again.

I've used a 50/50 mix of diesel fuel & automatic transmission fluid -
fill the cylinders, let it soak at least 24 hours..
I've also used PB Blaster, too..

fill the cylinders up with diesel/trans fluid mix. through the plug holes and down the intake ports. Let it sit for 3 days, keep pourin' in the mix to keep it topped up.

Next option; hand grenade or dynamite....just kiddin'..........

Can I use unleaded gasoline instead of diesel ?

Have you taken the oil pan off to see what the bottom end looks like? Do you know how long the motor has been sitting?

taking the oil pan and heads off tonight to get a better look at whats going on. Been sitting for 10 + years..

I think I am F..ked I pulled the heads
 

Let me know my options. I guess this just turned into a long term project.I don't mind but I want to do it right once..

more pics
 

a few more

and the last 5
 

help me out

I'm not a psycic, but I see a trip to the machine shop in your future.

Scotts,

Where would you start? Heads or a tear down of the block to re-hone the cylinder walls.

I've never opened an engine that had looked like that, so I cant offer you any reliable advice. But I'm sure other members will have a better idea as to what direction would be best. I'd like to hear what they say.

That's not pretty. I'm gonna assume replacing it is not what you want to hear so, start here: Drop the crank, remove any piston that will come out easily ( mark them for location). next start with one bank and soak then from the top with the fluid of choice (brake fluid or 50/50 diesel-trans fluid). let it sit for a week or two, keep it wet. Then use a hammer and a piece of wood and try to pop them loose starting from the rod end. Don't hit too hard, we don't want to break anything. Keep working it like this till they are all out. It could take some time. Once they are all out have a machine shop crack check the block before going any further.

the block has to be brought to a machine shop
besides the rust, the block has to be checked
the deck may have to be evened out

back to the rust- you never wanna see rust in the combustion chamber

That 440 68 new yorker in your other thread is still available, it's my father's car. You can hear it run and drive it up onto your trailer. (It stops too :) )

Unless that motor you got was super cheap I think you should re-consider that friendship.

I pulled the oil pan last night and all looks good. The pistons and crank actually look as described. I'm going to pull the crank and pistons and evaluate the situation thoroughly.

Your dad seemed like a good guy and his 68 New Yorker has potential for me. I am still going to need a tranny at the very least. Thanks for the heads up. do you have your dads #?

btw,

My buddy said he would give me the cash back...either way I'm ok...;)

sounds like a good deal then. It's never bad to have a spare engine! (Then again, you're talking to the king of all hoarders..)

440 re-build detour
 

Thanks for all the feedback....

Any idea as to what I should expect to pay to re-bore these cylinder walls?

I guess I'll need new piston rings as well. I'm ok with this and actually having fun breaking it all down even though I wish it wasn't so bad.

With that said what would you guys do now that the engine is dismantled. I'm looking ideally for 300-400HP with street manners. I was thinking:

• 4 barrel
• dual plane intake
• 440 source heads/ or ??? suggestions
• not sure if I should keep pistons and cast crank
• HP exhaust manifolds

Kind of like a sleeper look under the hood with some Big Balls!!!

check the other thread