Snow! What to work on?

It snowed.  Unfortunately it meant that I couldn't go out and get the rocker installed into the car.  The snow itself didn't melt fast enough, and with the wind it was to cold to really do anything outside.  So what could I do?  I really wanted to work on the car, but with the current weather, it was difficult.  Wait a sec.  I have the engine downstairs, on an engine stand, ready to be torn apart.  I know what I'm going to do this week!

So I got everything together, pulled on some gloves and dug into it.  The intake came off really easy, I was admittedly a little surprised.  I pulled it off and found out why.  Someone had been in the engine before me!  All the rods had been pulled and were sitting in the engine.  Oh bugger, I hope that doesn't mean that there is something seriously wrong with the block.  Everything came off the way I would have expected it to.  Drained the oil and what came out first was a bunch of water.  Uh oh.  It might just be from sitting outside since I haven't seen any real issues yet.  Just the expected rust in the water passages.  After I flipped the block over, I got a good look at the bottom end.  I noticed that all the pistons had been stamped with numbers.  Looks like this isn't the first rebuild for the engine.  Everything was coming off relatively easy.  All the bearings had scoring and rust pitting in them.  Checked the crankshaft and camshaft, and sure enough, there is rust on them.  If I reuse any of these parts, they will definitely need to be machined.  I will probably try to sell it all as I plan on stroking the engine. I did notice as I removed the pistons that one of the rings was broken.  It probably was burning oil.  Makes me wonder what the PO did to this thing.  I might be spending time cleaning these parts if I can't get back to the sheet metal anytime soon.

I also pulled my upper hinge out of the molasses chelation bath where it had been soaking for several weeks.  I grabbed my brush and cleaned it off in the sink.  Pulled out the wire wheel and proceeded to strip off all the paint.  Repainted it with Zero Rust and put at all back together.  Had to take it to work and use the press again.  One thing is for sure, these rebuilt hinges should be stiff for quite some time with all the trouble it has been to put the pins in.

Backyard

Backyard from the deck.  Looks like 3 or 4 inches of snow.

Front yard.  At least the roads stayed clear.

Poor car is covered in snow.

Hey!  Those rods don't belong there in that configuration!

Rusty water passages.

Right side

Left side

Top end pulled apart.

Just confirms that I have a 351w.   In fact, everything seems pretty much stock.

The lifters actually seemed brand new.  There was no determinable wear pattern and only some minor surface rust where a couple of them were sitting against the camshaft.

If I have deciphered all the casting numbers correctly, this is a pretty desirable block.  The D4AE blocks were the  last heavy duty blocks before the EPA got involved with all their regulations.  I think this block was cast in 75, if I read the code right.  It is hard to see in the pic, but it says 5K6, so Oct 6th 1975.

Look at all the silicon sealant under the water pump.  It was used way to thick everywhere.

The timing chain was rather loose, and more sealant.  It's even on the chain!

That isn't chocolate milk, that's water in the oil.

Bottom end with the pistons still installed.

Pistons removed, front.

Pistons removed, rear.

All the parts pulled and neatly stacked.

The bore is still the standard 4.000 inches.  That is good news for me.  I can get it bored .030 over .

After looking over it as best I can, everything on the block looks great.  I didn't see any cracks or anything out of the ordinary.  I will still get it magnafluxed of course.

All the left over parts.  Not sure if I want to try reusing any of this or just play it safe and buy new stuff.

After I pulled it from the molasses bath and cleaned with a brush.

Other side after cleaning.

Stripped of paint.

Painted with Zero Rust.

Reassembled!