connecting rod numbers

Gigem, I'm pretty sure this engine did not come from the factory with the rods stamped this way. Either it's been gone through before or someone started to go through it and decided to patch things up for a while. I wouldn't be too concerned about the miss-numbered rods. But I would have them all checked for straightness, size and defects at the machine shop. Zero oil pressure means your bearings are badly worn. Replace all bearing including the cam bearings during your rebuild. You are burning oil on at least 3 cylinders so that could either be rings or valve guides so get your heads rebuilt too. Choose a reputable machine shop to work with you that has experience with marine engines. This is all very general and I'm sure there will be other posts with more specific detail. Good luck!

I've got 1-8, the factory numbers are never easy to read, at least I've never seen any engine and I've seen a few that actually had a good clean number stamp on the big end. I stamped my big end one time but that's another topic in another thread.
We have a great machine shop here in Wrongview and he did the last engine I did and it's still running. This one is actually rebuildable. The first one is owned by a good friend and we were on the lake and he was lettin er rip so to speak when all of the sudden, bam bam knock knock,.. I checked the oil and there was none on the stick. Needless to say I have him checking the oil and even as important I always ask him water temp, amp guage, and oil pressure guage readings when we crank it and several times during the day. He's the one who turned me onto CC's. I wanted to buy this boat I doing now but had to get what I got which I am very happy with and the trans is still in one piece and shiftiting quite well. Forward has a slight drag to it so I ordered a bottom clutch plate and had 25 thou machined off the clutch plate side and will do a swap one of these days.
Back to the motor, I'll definitly have the heads checked, new guides, valves if necessary, 3 angle valve job (of course), cam bearings, rods and mains, new oil pump. Seals and gaskets, which reminds me, this is an 83 or 84 and the rear main seal is a one piece seal. I never really did check the engine rotation but I'm assuming its RH but will look at the camshaft and starter rotation to make sure. I was thinking about going 30 over on the bore but then again let's assume these will be around and functioning for the forseeable future and will be rebuilt again in 20 years. That would leave no room for a bore if needed. So I think I just talked myself into only going over as far as necessary to get to spec. I've got the PCM manual with the piston to wall clearances and everything so I won't need to bore any of you with questions like that unless something doesn't jive with the junk in my head, then I'll humbly ask for advice/personal engine only experieces. Thanks for reading a rambling post! have a good un!

anything seasoned as Munday says is superior to new, believe it or not, blocks are through the work hardening process from use and the heating and cooling which relieves all the stress, actually BMW racing buys thier blocks from boneyards puts them out the back door of thier shop and pees on them for a year or so and then off to the machine shop, but Munday is pretty much on the money with the staggered numbers, chances are the engine came from a volume rebuilder.

Gigem, i have .045 thick steels, you remove a .058 and swap and this gives you the clearance you need on the forward pack

Gigem I have a slightly used set of Silvolite Keith Black Hypereutectic pistons. The part number is KB181. They are .030 over. I bought them (and other parts) to rebuild the engine in my 88 Ski Centurion. I sold that boat before starting this project but still have some of the parts. One of the pistons is galled but the other 7 are in great condition. Let me know if you are interested.

Okay, just let me know if you change your mind.

Thanks, would that be a FOR-351WMLB-R?. What would I gain by going that route rather than assembling a long block from the original engine myself.

It's a PCM 351 LH. did mic one of the rod journals in between building more workbench space in the new shop and it was 2.314 which the according to hoyle is right in the middle of th specs.

Gigem, mopar 318 rods, chevy 5.7 pistons your block and you get a 372 stroker, i believe the article said around 400 ponies, i gotta find the article...it was real interesting and very cheap to do this because all the parts were from stock engines, i think the biggest part of the machining was to get the rods to fit the wrist pins of the bowtie pistons

sneak it into your friends

Quigs85SN2001 wrote: Nuttyskier, How much are you asking for the pistons? I've got a block at the machinist right now. Brian

Quigs, I paid $100.00 for them and don't care to make any profit. I'll let them go for $80.00 plus shipping. If you want pics, I'll be glad to post a few. Again,... one of them is slightly galled and your machinist might want you to buy a new one. The other 7 are in great shape. Thanks for asking! Just let me know. Oh... sorry for the delay, I've been very busy the las few days. Talk to you later!

Brian

Kool,....don't let him bore the block 'til you give him the pistons first (no matter where you get them from). Also, make sure he bores and hones for the clearance recommended for marine use.

Are you going to be installing GT40/P heads? If so I have some tips for you about your block.

Brian

thats a good sign

Interesting, the pistons I pulled out of this motor have a "D" shaped recess in the top. Is that stock or do I have some additional things to consider?

Mike, I did not mean to imply that D shaped pistons are rear, in fact they are quite common. But what is not common on a stock engine is to have a deck height/gasket thickness (quench) of .040 - .045". This is where the added attention to detail comes in to play. Most modern Chevy small blocks came from the factory with this quench set to .060 - .065". I'm unfamiliar with Ford's numbers. A Ford guru will need to chime in here for this.

Yes, that's the principal. It's sometimes called quench because when the combustable gases are squeezed tightly between the large flat area of the piston and the flat part of the cylinder head, the gases are somewhat cooled by the coolant passage in that part of the head. This keeps the mixture from reaching a high enough temperature to self ignite in that area. Also, this squeezing creates turbulance which keeps the air and fuel mixed for better combustion.