grumpin Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 What I did to my truck today is get the engine out. Two weeks ago today it broke on my way home. My 'cross the road neighbor was about three minutes behind me and gave me a ride home and a friend at church brought it home for me. It had a noise in the engine that I had decided had to be a piston was confirmed when I pulled the head and took number three piston out or rather what was left of it. It also snapped the big end of rod number one and knocked out about three inches of the camshaft out the side of the block and a lifter for number one exhaust out through the oil pan and liberated the coolant from the water jacket via a three or four inch crack in number three cylinder. Ouch! I hate when that happens! I'm kind of surprised the big six did that. Are you going to put a rebuilt in there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Wyatt Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 Ouch! I hate when that happens! I'm kind of surprised the big six did that. Are you going to put a rebuilt in there? There's no way I can afford to pay for an already rebuilt engine as I was seeing prices at @ $2500 so I'm building another 300 to go in it's place, plus I'll know EXACTLY how it was built. The one I'm building has a 1981 casting number. The one that broke was cast in 1975 so I'm guessing that it had a LOT of miles on it. I'm ready to put it together right now but I'm waiting for my camshaft to be sent back. Jon, at Delta Cams in Tacoma, WA, is giving my camshaft a Comp Cams 248-4 grind and a set of lifters for 192.32. That cam and lifter kit from comp cams is 358.95 through Summit. I haven't heard back yet from the guy redoing my head, also the block is going back standard on rings and bearings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 12, 2023 Author Share Posted August 12, 2023 There's no way I can afford to pay for an already rebuilt engine as I was seeing prices at @ $2500 so I'm building another 300 to go in it's place, plus I'll know EXACTLY how it was built. The one I'm building has a 1981 casting number. The one that broke was cast in 1975 so I'm guessing that it had a LOT of miles on it. I'm ready to put it together right now but I'm waiting for my camshaft to be sent back. Jon, at Delta Cams in Tacoma, WA, is giving my camshaft a Comp Cams 248-4 grind and a set of lifters for 192.32. That cam and lifter kit from comp cams is 358.95 through Summit. I haven't heard back yet from the guy redoing my head, also the block is going back standard on rings and bearings. Wow! That's a lot of damage! Glad you have a plan and we'll be following along to see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Wyatt Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 Wow! That's a lot of damage! Glad you have a plan and we'll be following along to see how it goes. Yep, and I was only doing about 45-50 mph when it let go. I'm only out about $600 so far and I'm waiting on the last major expenditure, the head. The fella doing it gave me a rough estimate of $130 to do a basic valve job and $48 to surface the head. That of course could change depending on what he finds once he disassembles it. I already know that number three exhaust valve is sitting slightly lower in it's seat than the rest of them so it may need seat work. If it does I believe I'll have him install hardened seats, if it's not too expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbill Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 Yep, and I was only doing about 45-50 mph when it let go. I'm only out about $600 so far and I'm waiting on the last major expenditure, the head. The fella doing it gave me a rough estimate of $130 to do a basic valve job and $48 to surface the head. That of course could change depending on what he finds once he disassembles it. I already know that number three exhaust valve is sitting slightly lower in it's seat than the rest of them so it may need seat work. If it does I believe I'll have him install hardened seats, if it's not too expensive. Frank, FWIW...When I had mine out (300,6)for rebuild, I cut a piece of 3/4" angle iron and wedged it in the frame rails under the trans to hold it up, that way you can move the truck around if needed, also I cut the heads off of a couple of long bolts to screw into the block to act as guide pins when you reinstall the engine, every little bit helps. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-F150-Explorer Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 What I did to my truck today is get the engine out. Two weeks ago today it broke on my way home. My 'cross the road neighbor was about three minutes behind me and gave me a ride home and a friend at church brought it home for me. It had a noise in the engine that I had decided had to be a piston was confirmed when I pulled the head and took number three piston out or rather what was left of it. It also snapped the big end of rod number one and knocked out about three inches of the camshaft out the side of the block and a lifter for number one exhaust out through the oil pan and liberated the coolant from the water jacket via a three or four inch crack in number three cylinder. WOW! I've seen the 300 bust pistons before, but nothing that severe to the block itself. I wonder if the engine had a coolant leak, cracked block, failed head gasket etc... etc... that allowed the metal of the engine to become brittle? Like a blacksmith flash cooling a piece of red hot iron? Might want to check the integrity of the other engine components, head, pistons (if reusing some of them from the old engine). Would hate to see an engine rebuilt and another piston bust for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Wyatt Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 WOW! I've seen the 300 bust pistons before, but nothing that severe to the block itself. I wonder if the engine had a coolant leak, cracked block, failed head gasket etc... etc... that allowed the metal of the engine to become brittle? Like a blacksmith flash cooling a piece of red hot iron? Might want to check the integrity of the other engine components, head, pistons (if reusing some of them from the old engine). Would hate to see an engine rebuilt and another piston bust for example. Bill, as of now the truck is not in the way and will not need moved until it moves under it's own power and on guide pins i've been thinking of that since the new engine will be put in without the head and head installed once the rebuild is done on it. I pulled that engine with the head removed and I was able to screw two eye bolts into the head bolt holes to attach the chains to. 81, it was full of oil and coolant and wasn't overheating and no blown head gasket, but I wouldn't be surprised if to find pieces of broken piston sucked up in the oil pump pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Road trip coming soon, Map Pockets installed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-F150-Explorer Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Road trip coming soon, Map Pockets installed! I've been looking for a set of those map pockets in nutmeg. Any special place you buy them? Looking really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 Road trip coming soon, Map Pockets installed! Looks good, Jeff! Can't wait to see it, and you as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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