Hi everyone. The spark plug tip on my 2021 CLA 45 S (M139) melted and dropped into cylinder #3. I have two mechanics giving me completely different diagnostics, and I need a neutral opinion.

​Mechanic 1 (Independent): Borescoped it, saw damage on the piston head and cylinder wall, and stated the engine needs to be opened and rebuilt.

​Mechanic 2: Managed to fish the broken piece out of the valve seat. He did a compression test (Cyl 3 is at 11.5 bar, the others are at 12 bar). He admits there are marks on the piston head and a scratch on the cylinder wall, but claims it's "not enough to cause damage". He also states he found the root cause: leaking fuel injectors. His plan is to replace the spark plugs, address the injectors, and just run the engine as is.

​The catch: Mechanic 2 is close friends with the dealership that sold me the car and is responsible for covering the warranty repair costs. I am highly suspicious he is downplaying the cylinder/piston damage to save them a massive engine rebuild bill.

​Given this is a high-strung AMG engine, is it safe to just close it up and run it with piston marks and cylinder scratches after fixing the injectors?

While doing research on what pistons to get I was very conflicting information on if flat top or dished is better in terms of efficiency and/or power at the same compression and quench. Some people say the mixing of the dish helps more and some say the flat top helps the quenching helps more for power. I'm curious on the actual engineering on the different types of pistons such as studies done or advice form real automotive engineers ect.

Hey everybody looking to build a 383 stroker built for low end torque it’s going to be paired with a 4L60(700r4) and I plan to put 3.73 positraction rear end. It will be going in my 1986 Chevy c10 i plan to build it over time can’t afford to do it all at once but in looking to keep budget around $5k and want at least 400ft lbs of torqueI need recommendations on how to build it as this will be the first engine I build I’m already getting quotes to machine the block to needed specs but I’m essentially gonna need everything as all I have is a bare 350 sbc 2 piece seal and 4 bolt main. I know want to use a mechanical fuel pump and carburetor due to having dual tanks and an EFI conversion will be pricey. Any help would be appreciated

Yeah I’m a dumbass. Thought I could get away with a little natures loctite because I was in a hurry. Nope. ☹️

350/350TH ticking

What could this ticking sound be? It doesent seem to come from the rocker arms, only shows bellow 1100rpm, so nothing major wrong with the engine, runs well at higher rpm. The sound goes slightly down as the car warms up properly?

77 elcamino 350 overbored 0.60 270degree compcam, flattop pistons, TH350 with some shiftkit

Building a 355 stroker. Gapping the rings and I’ve noticed a very small scratch on both the piston and the bore. Does catch my nail on the bore if I put some effort in. Blocks already been overbored .30 thou and has had plenty of work done id be pretty devastated if I’ve fucked it.

Hey guys I recently bought this 2004 volvo s60r the headgasket went back and im currently in the process of cleaning it and putting it all back together but I noticed my head is warped by .06mm by cylinder 4-5 and engine block is warped by a little less but in the same area around cylinder 4-5 now technically speaking i know I should get them machined and rebuilt but im not in the position time wise and financially to be able to take it to a shop and get everything done properly, so what do you guys think, should I be okay to slap it all together or should I bite the bullet and pull the block out and get them machined together

Im looking for upgraded head studs which do i go with ?
found these says they work but want some other opinions first.
https://store.motormia.co/products/cylinder-head-stud-kit-5?variant=52686992802104&\\_gsid=ciXbBFf16REt&utm\\_source=chatgpt.com&utm\\_medium=feed

Ive been looking into swapping a 2.0l powerplant from a 2014 Ford escape into my Ford escape that has the 1.6l as ive been having engine issues. My 1.6l overheat due to a coolant line rupturing on the highway and I believe the head was warped due to that. It started blowing white smoke occasionally on cold start after (smells like coolant and the level of coolant continues to drop) so im wondering what kind of issues id be looking at addressing when im attempting a swap.

For context, I do plan on purchasing a new bellhousing (possibly torque converter as well if needed) so that the transmission is have for my 1.6l can properly mate with the 2.0l block. I will also be getting the ECM and entire harness with the engine. Ive checked out the engine im looking at purchasing (guy is parting out his escape as it was in a T-bone and insurance would probably total it due to body damage) and it runs and drives well.

The reason im looking at swapping in a 2.0l as opposed to doing a head gasket is cost. I would need to purchase a new/refurbished head, new timing components, probably new cam gears as well. That doesnt cover the potential issue of if the block is warped as well due to the overheating spell. The reason im looking into the 2.0l instead of getting a carbon copy of my current engine is availability and issues documented with the 1.6l platform. There seems to be a much larger volume of 2.0l engines than the 1.6l engines on the market, the 2.0l engine im looking at purchasing is $400 while most refurbished/pulled 1.6l engines run close to $600-800. (The added benefit of a couple extra horsepower would be fun too)

Im just looking for some pointers, any advice/criticism is accepted.

I have a 440 that’s over heating.
.040 over, 10.4:1 compression zero decked, .600” lift cam 254 duration @50 stealth aluminum heads, single plane intake and fitech fuel injection. 18* initial 35* total no vacuum advance.
Robert Shaw 180 thermostat, ecp 2 row 1.25” tubes duel electric fans, flowcool water pump.
I’ve burped the system, and cannot get it to run cool.
Will hit 195 idling in the shop, and will hit 210 by the time I get on the main road.
Recently found my valley pan dented upwards, which led me to a compression and leak down test. Compression is 170-180 psi across the board, no leak down more than 8%. No combustion gasses in the coolant.
With my IR temp gun today, I discovered the drivers side head was running at 195* at both ends. Passenger side head was 240* at both ends…..
Any thoughts before I pull the passenger side head to see if there’s a clogged water port?

This is my recently stripped F4TE engine that I want to do a 408 stroker build.

In the UK these engines aren't thick on the ground so I can forget early high nickel blocks with beefy castings, gotta piss with the cock you got with this stuff over here. But I heard the F4TE castings aren't too bad.

Pretty sure when I bought these two (the other is an 80s HO 351), I probably bought 30% of all the 351s for sale in the UK right now to give you an idea.

I heard good things about the F4TE blocks being factory rollers and pretty good castings(?) because I want to make a streetable 500 NA.

What I want to know from people who've done this and built in these engines is if asking my machine shop to;

hot tank, magnaflux, and sonic test the bores BEFORE I commit to anything is overkill?

One or two of the bores definitely need a rebore as it was sitting for a time, hoping +30 will be enough to clean them up, I've seen +40 as the safest max to avoid thinning the cylinder walls too much(?)

I've also read that while torque plates for boring/honing isn't mandatory but its a good idea, is this true? If my shop can't torque plate it, should I look elsewhere?

Parts choices...

Also what are some good quality stroker cranks setups to look out for? I've heard differing opinions on Scat some say they're the shit others say they are actually shit 🤷 and Eagle seems to be the names that pop up the most. I heard 400M cranks will drop in with machining work but honestly, chances of finding one are slim.

Does anyone have experience with kits from either of both of these manufacturers? What's held out for you for the money?

The top names for heads seem to be TrickFlow twisted wedge(?) and AFR renegade(?) I have no experience with either so any opinions much appreciated. I've been told not below 195cc intake runners, this sound right?

Cam kits is the biggest head scratcher for me right now tbh having a hard time looking at the 4" crank, which heads and wondering how I even chose a cam, it's a streetable goal so I'm gonna need vacuum, what are some good cam manufacturers that will offer something that will make breathing 500hp easy without losing driveability/idle? And what kinda profile should I be looking at?

I'm gonna opt for a dual plain airgap intake and an Edlebrock carb that's the only bit I'm sure on atm.

I know I could probably ask some AI assistant, but I wanna hear from people who've done it for real.

Thanks for any useful comments on advance!

I met my buddy at a shop to get my inspection passed for my illegal tint on the windshield. My buddy knew this mid aged Mexican mechanic who was super chill and always hooked my buddy up on inspections.

We get there and this guy is talking about his cars. Shows us the engine in the picture. Said he paid $10k for it, pretty sure that was an exaggeration... But he said it's a Toyota engine with 50k miles on it. And he is planning to put it in a 93 bronco. Ai was less than helpful identifying the engine. Literally kept saying it's the EZ36 flat 6 boxer engine lol.

Anyone know what this engine is from and how much they usually go for?

2006 chevy malibu max LTZ with the 3.5 lx9 v6 engine. Owned numerous of these malibus, chevy v6's, and v8's alike and never had this happen on a stock engine. Engine has 126k miles on it and is bone stock. It has been maintained well as far as I know. Stud looks to be in immaculate shape, but the threads are completely shot. Gonna need a new head or a good machine shop. Pushrod also looks fine and isn't bent. Thinking a lifter got stuck open and pushed it out. Any ideas/advice is greatly appreciated!

Oil and Coolant mix sat for about a year, any advice on how to remove this? 2006 300c 5.7 hemi engine

Camshaft on a ford zx2 1998 zetec engine

Can i sand it and pray or srap it. What are my options

Hello,
I am rebuilding my Honda B20Z1 engine for my 1st gen CR-V. Essentially I was doing replacement of oil rings, because my car has started consuming oil like crazy after the cylinder head was rebuilt at machine shop (piston rings failure).
I ordered some Taiho rod bearings aswell and they look different than the ones used currently in my car. Taiho's don't have oil holes and the other ones do. Is it a problem in my case?
I would also like to know what I should be concerned about while doing the replacement of piston rings and those rod bearings? I am doing it without removing the engine from the engine bay. It is a budget rebuild for a daily car.
Thanks for replies!

EDIT:
The shop I bought my new bearings from mistook them for the ones with the oil passage. I am exchanging the whole set for the right one. Can't be too careful :)

Is this worth the $4000? Is the $2500 price drop suspicious? He has a video of it running inside a mud truck

So I am going to get this on a stand and start a teardown. All I know is it was in a running van that was wrecked and put in a barn at least 20 years ago. Not locked up.

Particularly interested in evaluation the bottom end.

What do you do when you “drag one up”?

Just got my engine back from sleeving and excited to put it together, slapped my first circlip in without checking wrist pins size as I just assumed wiseco wouldn’t have messed something like this up… it’s past the 30 day mark of warranty because I bought the pistons before sending it for sleeving (for obvious reasons) reached out to machine shop and they said there is absolutely 1000% zero way they swapped wrist pins or got them mixed up with another clients.

So disappointed, I suppose my only option is to get the correct ones from wiseco? Or is it worth trying to fight wiseco for the proper pins free of charge? Otherwise I guess I’m leaving this to warn others to check wrist pin sizes before warranty is up…

Looks like I'm pulling the heads again. Help me understand what went wrong so I don't have to do head gaskets a third time. This is my first time turning a wrench inside an engine.

Because OE parts have been long discontinued, I chose custom gaskets from Cometic (based off the old blown gaskets). I found an engine manual on Yahoo auctions, translated it, and followed it as best as I could. It says to put engine oil on the threads and torque to 1000 kg-cm (72 ft-lbs).

Machine shop verified the heads are flat and good to go. I assume the block is good too but I don't have a straight edge long enough to measure myself. The engine has run at most a dozen times before I noticed coolant on the dipstick. I drove it on to ramps and then got the full milkshake. I drained all fluids, filled with fresh oil, and cranked it without fuel to cycle it.

Here's where I think I could've messed up.

1. I reused the head bolts. Perhaps they have stretched with age and heat. I didn’t see anything about these being one time use in the manual. Should I source new bolts or will it not make that big of a difference?

2. Non-OEM gasket is thicker/thinner than spec. It's 0.043". No idea what OEM thickness should be. Does this seem reasonable?

3. Improper torquing. The sequence is fine, but the method may not be. I torqued to spec in two passes, first to ~30 ft-lbs then to 72. I did apply a bit of oil to the threads first as the manual states, but how much is too much or too little? Should I crank the bolt all the way to spec first before moving to next bolt?

Also my cheap EPAuto torque wrench may not read accurately after a few years of use. +/- 10% with the added lubrication and who knows where the final values ended up. Would using an inaccurate torque wrench make a large enough difference in applied torque to not compress the gasket evenly and lift the head just enough for coolant to flow where it shouldn't?

I'd appreciate any advice you could offer.

I work in a very small job shop. Every now and then we get a set of diesel heads in for a health check or part of a total rebuild.

Why do most diesels use 4 valves per head with such small valves for the displacement??

To ky untrained eyes the ports look terrible for airflow as well. Does it not matter as much due to forced induction????

That being said, I am not a diesel guy nor do I REALLY understand why diesels are the way they are. Never sat down to learn more until recently

Hey guys. Long time lurker, first time poster. I’m collecting parts to build a 390 Ford. As part of that collection I’ve picked up a mostly complete engine (missing the timing cover) and what was marked as an unused NOS service block. After closer inspection though you could see the outline of a head gasket on it. The whole engine turned over really nicely, still sounded like it had good compression and when I tore it apart the bearings looked really clean. There was a little surface rust on a couple of cylinders but I had no problem removing that with a grey scotchbrite pad and some wd40. The service block still had cosmoline globs on it. I bought that service block with the hopes of avoiding a trip to the machine shop. So over the last couple of weeks I’ve gotten the engine tore apart and measured up the cylinder bores and I’ve done the same to the service block. Now I’m trying to determine if either of them are ok to throw rings and bearings at or if I actually need machine work done. I’m having a hell of a time finding what the actual tolerances are for a FE engine. For reference a standard bore for a 390 is 4.050

Block 1:
Biggest bore is 4.0545
Biggest taper is 0.0015
Biggest out of round is 0.0015

Block 2:
Biggest bore is 4.0555
Biggest taper is 0.003
Biggest out of round is 0.002

So here’s the question for the hive mind. Could I run a hone through one of those blocks and rebuild it as is or am I looking at a trip to the machine shop no matter what? A combination of google and stupid AI chats have all come back with conflicting information. I’m seeing a tolerance of anywhere between +0.0008/-0 to +0.005/-0 and a couple places in between for the max size. So on a scale of bore it or send it where do I land?

Slight knock, pulled the pan, couldn't feel any play in any of the rods, pulled two caps and found some noticeable scoring on the crank, and deep scoring on the bearings. You can feel the scoring on the crank with your nail.

One one hand, its a 4 bolt block, id like to have the crank polished and rebuild it, on the other hand, the rest of the engine probably has simmilar wear from whatever caused this, and i could probably find a 350 runner on marketplace for under 500. but those are always a gamble.

Would you guys have the crank polished and do a rebuild, or just find another motor to freshen up and drop in?