Motor Blown! Rebuild or Crate It?

[vettej1]

Well I got the motor out. Threw a rod just like I thought. One cylinder wall is cracked. I dropped it off at a good local machine shop that I know, and they will disassemble it the rest of the way and advise. If it's not too bad they said they could sleeve it to save the original block. I wonder how reliable that would be. The owner there told be that they only sleeve motors they could gaurantee.

Thoughts?

John

 

[craig32]

Well I got the motor out. Threw a rod just like I thought. One cylinder wall is cracked.
Thoughts?

John

As much as I'm a 'rebuild it' kind of guy, I'd have to advise against it this time. Rebuilding is great for tired engines lacking compression due to worn rings or smooth cams, but not for one that had an explosion in it.
It sounds like if you threw a rod, you probably weren't babying the car! If that is the way you want to drive it, then buy a crate engine that will satisfy your needs. Like the others said, if it is for you and not the next owner, make it please you. You got 34 years of service out of it, that's outstanding! Imagine one of today's engines holding up that long.
Just my opinion.

Craig

 

[Jack]

Well I got the motor out. Threw a rod just like I thought. One cylinder wall is cracked. I dropped it off at a good local machine shop that I know, and they will disassemble it the rest of the way and advise. If it's not too bad they said they could sleeve it to save the original block. I wonder how reliable that would be. The owner there told be that they only sleeve motors they could gaurantee.Thoughts?John

First, VERIFY that it is the original L48 motor ... matched to your car. If not, you have all options.

If true match:
More often than not, when sleeving a block, machinist decks block to level top of sleeve with deck ... in doing so ... more often than not ... he removes the serial & vin ID stamp numbers from block. IF ... IF your guy can sleeve & level with deck without disturbing the stamped numbers ... then have him sleeve it ... otherwise, find another block to build or buy a crate. A properly sleeved motor is just as reliable as an unsleeved motor. If you sleeve that motor ... suggest a complete overhaul and include a mild upgrade (flattop pistons & a mild camshaft & fresh valve springs). As you consider costs to buy another rod & reburbish the others and cost to repair/grind crank ... note you can buy a new set of scat/eagle rods for under $200 ... a new crank can be bought for under $150.

Let us know if the block can be sleeved ( & without removing stamp ID?) and what cost estimate is for sleeving 1 & boring all to oversize (i.e. +0.030")?
JACK:gap

 

[gmjunkie]

Well I got the motor out. Threw a rod just like I thought. One cylinder wall is cracked. I dropped it off at a good local machine shop that I know, and they will disassemble it the rest of the way and advise. If it's not too bad they said they could sleeve it to save the original block. I wonder how reliable that would be. The owner there told be that they only sleeve motors they could gaurantee.

Thoughts?

John

I've got 50,000 miles on a sleeved LS6 454!!! Not a problem!!

 

[vettej1]

The motor is the original for this car. I wouldn't consider a repair if it was a replacement.
Eventhough the shop I took it to understands the importance of keeping the numbers intact, we had a lengthy conversation about it just to make sure.

But I don't want to get ahead of myself here. We still need to see the results from the cleaning and magnaflux. I should get a call from the guy Tues. or Wed.

Thanks again guys for the input and support.

John

 

[L48]

All I want to add is that if the machine shop says the block is bad, don't send it in for recycling right away. It might be too expensive or impractical to rebuild it now, but later the value increase might make it worth it.

At the very least get a second opinion.

 

[vettej1]

"Motor Blown" Update

After the shop got a good look at the engine block and heads they quoted me on fixing the original block. It would need two sleeves and a new crank. I'm not going there. The cost would be prohibitive and I wouldn't feel confident with the motor after all that work.

Found a '71 corvette block one of my friends had in one of his closets, (sign of a true motor head), along with the crank.
So I'll have that block freshened up and build a "new motor". Should be back n the road in few weeks!

Thanks to all,

John

 

[Jack]

After the shop got a good look at the engine block and heads they quoted me on fixing the original block. It would need two sleeves and a new crank. I'm not going there. .........Found a '71 corvette block.....along with the crank....... So I'll have that block freshened up and build a "new motor".Thanks to all, John

All I want to add is that if the machine shop says the block is bad, don't send it in for recycling right away. It might be too expensive or impractical to rebuild it now, but later the value increase might make it worth it.

As said ... don't lose track of its original matching motor ... I know of at least one fellow who'd choose to repair & rebuild its OE motor. G'Luck!
JACK:gap