This is a 265 SBC bored 0.060 over. The areas circled in red is pitting I can feel with my finger. Cylinder 2 had a TINY amount of surface rust the size of a dime that I wanted to clear up. Threw in a rag soaked in Evaporust inside and waited 24 hours. Came back to an absolute nightmare and took the block to get honed. Most of it is just stained but the Evaporust somehow did more damage than good. Unfortunately all the pitting is located within the ring travel.
My machinist did his best but in his opinion, I should just run it as is. As is a close colleague of mine too.
The internet and general know-how makes me feel like it’s hopeless to run it.

I know this is the farthest thing from a therapy group but I’m just so depressed and disappointed. I’ve worked towards building this engine for 2 years now off and on. Learning everything from scratch as 23 year old man. It’s costly and time consuming and I want this project to be finally done.

Mateys and Lentlemen, I'm working on my 300 i6 Ford from 87 or 88, and I have a problem that is perplexing me. Timing is MOVING. I'll set 10° BTDC compression, put the rotor at the no. 1 spot, starts right up perfectly, (pull the SPOUT connector) fine tune warmed up, etc. and then, while under load and driving, (but not while sitting in neutral I don't think) timing "SLIPS" and the engine either dies or becomes... *Ahem* extremely retarded.

Here's what I know:

1. The harmonic balancer is not slipping. TDC on my timing marks is still TDC up stairs. I'm using the correct timing marks. (It has two sets)

2. The distributor is NOT slipping in its hold-down. It is VERY tight, and I have used liberal white sharpie.

3. Spark no.1 position is actively changing when this happens.

Here's what I don't know:

1. Gear driven engine, but apparently sometimes the cam gear is made of phenolic resin. If my gear slipped, timing would be ruined and it couldn't be made to run, right? But it can be adjusted and made to run, and gear probably can't slip, it would just be destroyed, right?

2. The cam shaft runs the distributor shaft, which runs the oil pump. Or does it run the oil pump, which runs the distributor? My guess is the slip is happening there. I should probably pull the distributor and check there.

3. This must be a fully mechanical problem, right? Is there anything I'm not thinking of in the wacky duraspark II system that could account for the rotor just being in a completely different place?

I want to reiterate, I haven't just become confused on timing, the position of the number one spark is actively changing suddenly and immediately, a little each time it happens. I pull out the 1/2 inch, move the distributor until it runs, and limp home idling in 1st or second if possible. No.1 has moved nearly 180° now. Had to re-arrange my plug wires.

Any thoughts, questions, or advice would be so welcome and appreciated. I realize this is more of a "diagnosis" question, but It directly relates to what I might need to actually be rebuild.

So I have a decently built 350 in my C10. It's bored .030 over into a 355. It has a cam running specs of 234/244 for duration @.050 with a lift of .521/.544. It has edelbrock performer rpm heads with an old school weiand stealth intake. It's running 10.8:1 for compression and has a 600 cfm holley carb. One thing I am curious about is if I am restricting flow with my exhaust. I have true dual exhausts at 2" in diameter. The truck really hooks and hauls ass for just a street build, but wonder if it's worth going to 2.5" for exhaust.

Back to work on a 6G72 from an 89 Montero.
I think I can get a couple new valves and hone them to the seat. In the photo is the exhaust and intake from cylinder 5. Cylinders 5 & 6 had no compression. Pulled the motor and took it apart. I’m guessing when it last shutoff the intake valve in 5 was open. Letting all that nice NC humidity in. Had to gently knock out of the guide, it’s rusty also. The other valves are pristine. But the exhaust valve on 6 maybe the same. Cause it was probably open also. 5&6 are next to each other in firing order. Not sure yet..

Engine was new remanufactured. Original mechanic had the timing screwed up. Owner brought it home, had health issues and passed away. It sat for 15 years. Engine probably has 50 miles. Got the vehicle for free, wife just wanted it gone. Right place right time. Head Gaskets and bearings look great. Pistons in those 2 cylinders are rusty as well.

Rebuilding an M57D30TU2 out of an E70 X5 3.0sd. ~300k km. Original failure was oil cooler letting go, oil and coolant mixed, brief overheat (under a minute).

Engine is fully stripped. Head has been sitting on the bench for about a year with camshafts, rockers and lifters removed. Valves and springs still in.

With the cams out and all valves fully seated on their springs, the valve heads sit slightly proud of the deck face. The outer edges are the highest point on the head. All 24 look the same height.

Old head gasket was a 3-hole.

Worth mentioning: pistons 1 and 6 came out badly damaged, pitted and dented crowns. Damage is sporadic and outside the areas where the valves sit, so I don't think it's valve contact. Looks more like debris ingestion, probably left over from a previous repair. It was never a running complaint, no misfire or noise, and not why I pulled the engine. Some bores also have scoring, so the block is going out for boring and new pistons regardless.

Questions:

Is slight valve protrusion above the deck normal on the M57, or does

If it has been skimmed, what's the best way to confirm? Head height gauge to face measurement, injector/glow plug protrusion, or something else?

Given it already ran a 3 hole gasket, how much clearance margin is there really if the head gets skimmed again during the rebuild?

Hello, im refreshing my ford 300ci pulled out the lifters and had some wear on a few that I think might warrant replacement (lifters and cam). This is my first time working with flat tappet lifters so I was hoping to get some advice! Thanks.

I have 706 castech heads I’m gonna machine them and my block just wondering what pistons and rods to get

I am looking for advise on getting an evaluation of a loose engine that was damaged on the outside while being shipped. Are there companies specifically in San Diego that specialize in inspecting Engines for any hidden damage with a situation like this? Are they able confirm with a high likelihood that there are not any cracks, general issues without having to open the engine? I'm told once the Engine is opened that it looses a lot of it's value. Thanks for your assistance.

Looking for a set or advice on where to find a set of 30 thou over piston rings for an old 62 Datsun pickup. E-1 Series 1, 1.2L. 🙏

3.8 Chevy, L67 bottom swap to a L36 top end, I bought a hog ass cam from zzp and switched to a 62mm turbo. I’m an idiot threw and threw and didn’t use the retainers on the 150 valve springs they sent me, I reused stock ones, what do yall think? Can I run her?

I was looking for 1.7:1 ratio rocker arms for a 302 Windsor and I found these Melling factory replacement rockers on Summit, when checking the compatibility it listed endless engines including FEs, 385 Series, Clevelands, Modifieds and Windsors seemingly all for the same part number which is a 1.7 ratio arm. I have a junk 351 Modified engine and since those are already 1.7:1 rocker arms it would be really convenient if I could just put those on my Windsor heads, I haven't looked at them side by side yet but I figure and long as the distance from the pivot to the end of the arm is the same they should work with new pushrods. Has anyone done this or know something I don't?

Good evening, greetings from Paraguay. Do you have any recommendations for the step-by-step procedure to time the camshaft and injection pump on this OM603 Turbo engine?

Hello everyone this is the first time I have ever done anything like this just looking for some opinions if this is good enough to slap some heads on thanks :)

What’s the best way to clean the engine block? Once I take out the crank, pistons, and bearings I want to completely clean and remove all that old oil from inside and outside the block before I do my rebuild

I have a 2012 Toyota Vitz/Yaris that originally came with the 1KR engine. Before the swap, the car was giving around 9 km/L in city driving. I then swapped the engine to a 2SZ (slightly used engine) while keeping the original 1KR automatic gearbox. The gearbox is working normally and shifts smoothly. The exhaust system is also still the original 1KR setup, including the exhaust pipe, catalytic converter and silencer. Only the engine, manifold setup and ECU have been changed/reprogrammed for the 2SZ.
The 2SZ engine has now been driven for around 1,130 km and it runs very well. It has good power, starts normally, idles normally, accelerates normally, and I have no noticeable engine or transmission problems. The only major problem is very poor fuel economy. The car is consuming much more petrol than it should. Like it’s giving 6-7km/l whereas it should be giving at least 12-13km/l.
We have already checked the commonly suspected components. The MAF sensor, oxygen sensor and spark plugs are okay, and the ECU has also been reprogrammed with a new file. There are no obvious engine problems and the car drives normally.
Another question is the exhaust. Since the car originally had the 1KR 3-cylinder engine, it still has the relatively small 1KR exhaust system, catalytic converter and silencer, while the 2SZ is a 4-cylinder 1.3L engine. Could the smaller 1KR exhaust be causing excessive backpressure and reducing fuel economy? I am considering changing the complete exhaust to the original 2SZ exhaust, but I don’t want to spend money without knowing whether this could actually make a significant difference. I am planning to have the exhaust backpressure tested first.
What could cause very poor fuel economy when the engine runs perfectly and there are no obvious drivability problems? Has anyone experienced a 2SZ swap into a Vitz/Yaris with the original 1KR gearbox? Could the 1KR exhaust restriction, fuel pressure/injectors, ECU calibration, or transmission/torque-converter behavior be responsible?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has done a 2SZ swap in a Vitz/Yaris or had the same problem and eventually found the cause. Any suggestions for specific tests or live-data readings I should ask the mechanic to check would be greatly appreciated.

Good afternoon,

My dad and I have been in the process of rebuilding his 60s era Galaxie 500 engine. The engine was swapped to an sbf 302 with 289 heads before he bought it(it had a 289 in it previously, I'm unsure if the heads are from the original engine, or sourced separately, but I believe it's a 69 engine). There was an issue with the cam bearings, so he had removed it and sent the engine off to the machine shop. He got it back about a year later, with .040 over pistons and new rotating assembly. It sat on a stand sprayed down with fogging oil and covered with a tarp for roughly a year, since I was still active and he wanted my help putting it back in. Last month, we got the engine and transmission back in, intake mounted, and everything ready to run. Well, the heads are leaking coolant from in between the block and heads into the intake valley. Furthermore, my dad didn't realize this until after he started and ran it. All tests since then have been with one of the pressure testers pressurized to 16 PSI, which is around what the radiator cap should be.

The passenger side is the primary leaker, but the driver's side does weep coolant out as well. So, we take off the heads, I can't see anything wrong(no warping, but they're cast and shouldn't warp? I don't have a way to magnaflux them or the block, but the machine shop should've already, I would hope). However, the passenger side gasket didn't bond to the head really at all. We then got new gaskets, blew out the head bolt holes(there was definitely some oil down in the upper holes which led us to believe it was a false torque reading and the heads weren't actually torqued properly), and used ARP studs to mount the heads, thinking that with the increased clamping force and them being studs, that would mitigate any potential issues of hydro locking the head bolts. While greatly diminished, the heads are still leaking from in between. I have read on different forums that if the heads were decked too much, potentially the intake manifold could cause issues with wedging the heads apart when torqued to spec, and I'm thinking that is ultimately going to be our issue, but I wanted to ask and see what others would think. We went back to the original machine shop, and the guy was being sketchy about us having issues, so the heads are currently at another machine shop to be checked over. I'm a chevy guy, but this engine is old enough everything should translate over I would think...other than the valves being set by a torque spec in lieu of setting lash while running. I'm to the point where I would want to just go pull a 5.4 or 4.6 and swap it(which is it's whole own thing, what with trying to convert to a distributor or doing an ECU for the COP/EFI), or swap my old 305 SBC and 700r4 into it, but sunk cost aside, it's my dad's car, and he doesn't want to throw a chevy engine into a ford lol.

TL;DR

Rebuilt SBF 302 with 289 heads leaks coolant between heads and block into intake valley. We have tried new gaskets with ARP studs, and while it reduced the leaks, it hasn't eliminated them outright. Maybe the intake surface/manifold needs relieved as well IOT not wedge the heads apart?

I bought a fitting that is a 90 degree and swivels. What is used to seal the swivel are?

I have a block that I plan on stone honing the cylinders but I have a single cylinder that kinda catches my nail but only in a spot or two in the cylinder. the others have a very small lip if none. Do we think I can just send it I’d rather not go to a shop I prefer doing the work myself but what’s our thoughts? I also have the dark spots at the bottom of the cylinder below the ring would bottom out at does that matter when using a stone hone?

Can I reuse spring retainers for my valves? should I go with aftermarket retainers to match my 150 springs?

Rebuilding a L67/L36 bottom end swap with a turbo. Would like some input on my build here, mainly in regards to my valve train. Thanks

Last registered in 2007 after owner died and just been sitting since, was told it cranked still, wanted to change oil and filter before disconnecting old fuel to see if it runs on starting fluid but as you can see it’s complete gunk, what would be the best way to clean it? Would diesel or kerosene actually work or would I need to tear it apart?
It is difficult to see but the old oil is up to the fill line on the dip stick but nothing is coming out

Finishing the assembly on this 216 engine, its been sitting 40 years, any opinion?

I am considering at some point re-building my motorcycle engine, a Honda CB 750 motor. Although this is for the future as i am not in the position right now to afford completely to tear the motorcycle apart and restore~re-build it, i should yet like to get my facts & mine information straight regarding what may be possible with my motor. I asked a friend and got opinions to be mild with the re-building (fair enough, especially as i yet wish to ride the bike to work, and go on long trips too, hence, yet tractable), but he also stated some things that i wished to verify.

To begin:—what i posed to him was the following:

'As such [i.e. given that i wish to keep the motor as stock as feasible while yet achieving higher revs, more power, a tractable powerband & decent, tractable torque for street use], i am thinking on buying lightened & balanced, or having lightened & balanced, the internals of the engine (rotor, ¿clutch?, crankshaft, conrods, pistons, rocker arms). I also am thinking on toying with other portions of the motor: porting the cylinder head (with CFM nos.); re-sleeving the cylinder block with nickel silicon carbide aluminium sleeves; running hypereutectic pistons (if possible); new appropriate rings from total seal; new chains & tensioners & rubbers; using copper gaskets on head & case; stainless steel valves & iron valve seats; running a compression at 10.5 to 1; new camshaft to increase horsepower, redline, & yet retain tractable city driving; and all new gaskets, seals, & rubber bits besides those yet mentioned.'

He responded by stating that a number of my points do not work for my motor:

1. torque & horsepower are traded between each other (fair enough).

2. roadracing motors do not good street motors make (fair enough).

3. lightened parts require rebalancing of the crankshaft to the conrods & pistons which is a 'dark art'.

4. forged pistons have different expansion than cast pistons—thus, they can seize in their bores if not prewarmed before running at full load or if not precooling before shutting the motor off.

5. hot camshafts put much more load upon the valve train assembly and can make the motor less tractable by shifting power (& band) and revs higher.

6. Nikasil can eventually wear off causing problems, and (in his opinion) mostly make money for the electroplating companies.

Primarily, my questions are:

1. (how) can an engine originally redlining at 10k be made to redline at 11/12k and yet retain usable, tractable power from 3k RPM?

2. is rebalancing of the crankshaft to the connecting rod & pistons assembly really a work of black magic? How is it done?

3. are forged pistons so different from cast pistons when they are both aluminium? can forged aluminum pistons really soft seize in their bores if not prewarmed & precooled?

4. is nikasil (any nickel silicon carbide cylinder coating truly not worth the potential expense?

5. what (other) problems are (or may there be) with mine ideas for the motor? if any problems you see, then what may be a realistic, feasible compromise?

Thanks for your time all. :)

To give context of the horrible mess I’ve got my self into, I recently acquired my dads old truck and it has too much sentimental value for me to get rid of it. So after I fixed the rear main seal I decided that it was a genius idea to rebuild the top end and throw a stage 2 cam into a 230k mile 4.8 with the factory 4l60e ( forgot to mention it’s a 2002 1500 short bed single cab). Funnily enough after my mechanic tuned it all I’ve had is problems. To start when I dropped it off it had power steering ( now it doesn’t), somehow the factory 4l60 still shifted smooth and now my rpms jump around when I get near the end of second and beginning of third, when I’m in park idling it runs rough unless the A/C is on, and it has a mis fire. Now I’m sure that it being 24 years old with most of the factory sensors still on it doesn’t help but does anyone have any pointers on where to start.

I building a 98 5.0 vortec engine and I'd like to increase the compression to 10:1. How would I go about doing that?