The block and head are at the machine shop now. They don't seem to think it is a crack because the mark is horizontal and there were no fluids in any of the piston cylinders. According to them, the cracks are usually vertical. They are going to clean it and magnaflux it. If checks out OK, I will have it honed out, get new rings, bearings and valves. Also have it balanced with the flywheel being resurfaced. They haven't given me a quote because they want to see how the block checks out. I've been told by others that it will be around $1000.00-$1200.00. I hope that's all. I want to keep the original motor with the truck. That's why I really don't want to do a swap of motors.
The head is already done hopefully the block will go easy on you however every time I walk into the machine shop it smells like money might as well spend it not going to take it with you . Have you got the firewall frame & inner fenders cleaned yet ?
I spent all weekend cleaning up the frame, inner fenders, tranny, etc. Not going all out and painting everything. Just cleaning up a bit. It's not a show truck... just a nice weekend driver... Someday it will get a total frame-off...
Motor update..... block is cracked beyond repair. So, thinking this might be the case, I've been doing some looking in the meantime. I want to stay with a 230 motor. I'm sure everyone thinks I should drop a new crate motor in, but I just like to keep things the way they were (except for some cosmetic things). Anyways, I found a place on the web called S&J Engines. They will build a 230-L6 as needed for $1156.00 plus $200.00 core. I emailed them to get some info and this is what they had to say. There's also some links to videos of the process they go through. Any comment/thoughts would be greatly appreciated! > Each engine casting is cleaned in a steel abrader. The steel abrader > blasts > steel shot at the casting, cleaning it, while at the same time > strengthening > the integrity of the castings. > After cleaning each casting, cylinder blocks, cylinder heads and > crankshafts they are checked for cracks, using an electro magnet and > fluxing > powder. All cylinder blocks, cylinder heads and crankshafts have all bolt > holes cleaned and taped. > The cylinder blocks are precision bored to the exact same size as > the new pistons being installed. > The cylinder blocks are then precision honed with a diamond honing > machine. This process is very important to the longevity of an engine. The > honing process gives .0015 to .004 of an inch clearance (depending on the > application) between the cylinder wall and the piston. It also machines > the > cylinder walls with a fine cross hatch finish for proper piston ring > seating. Today's engines require a much finer finish then they did in the > 80's and only the newest diamond honing technique (not stones) can > accomplish this finish. > The crankshafts are cleaned again with fine wire brushes through > each individual oil galley, ground on the latest model crank grinder and > polished to a mirror like finish. The oil galleys are cleaned again with a > white cleaning rag. NOTE: 80% of all engine manufactures warranty claims > are > cylinder head related. Consequently, we take great care to make sure our > cylinder head machining and replacement parts are as good as possible. > The cylinder heads are machined to accept new valves only, not > centerless ground many boast, that is a used valve, nor do we use thin > cheap > guide liners, we use original equipment guides only. After rough machining > is accomplished on the guides each individual guide is diamond honed to > fit > the new valve stem. This process is very expensive and time consuming; > however, this is the only way to accomplish the critical finish today's > engine required between the valve stem and the valve guide. The valve > seats > are precision ground using the latest three angle cutting machine called a > Serdi. The Serdi automatically cuts (not grinds) a three angle seat > pattern > for the individual application. The cylinder head is then taken to a > broach > machine. This machine mills the cylinder head surface (not grinds) to > insure > a smooth surface and proper sealing. After the machining is finished the > cylinder heads are once again cleaned and assembled with new valves, valve > springs, valve keepers and high temp seals. The cylinder heads are then > put > on a vacuum tester, this tester assures all valve seats are sealing and > checks the casting integrity for cracks a second time. > The connecting rods, which have been cleaned and shot peened, are > resized to conform to the rod bearings being used. Pistons are hung and > piston rings installed. > The completed bare machined cylinder block, crankshaft, connecting > rods, and assembled cylinder heads are now ready to be assembled into a > long > block. > The cylinder block is now in the prepping area, here all the brass > soft plugs, oil galley plugs, and cam bearings are installed. High > pressure > air is then blown through all the oil galleys and water jackets once again > to be certain all contaminates are removed. The cylinder walls are then > wiped down with clean white towels. > The cylinder block is then moved to the assembler, here the main > bearings (tri metal only) are installed, a special prelude called AL22 > (cost > $155.00 a gallon) is used to coat the bearings. This lubricant is a Teflon > coating substance that reduces the danger of a dry engine start (no oil). > The crank is then assembled into the block. The pistons are then coated > with > AL22 and slid into the correct cylinders and attached to the crankshaft > with > the tri metal bearing and more AL22. A new camshaft and timing components > are installed. The cylinder heads are now installed on the short block. > All > new rocker arms, hold down bolts, push rods and lifters are then installed > to complete the long block. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ0k9oYTN6k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKwDvQRvOOw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfYVk2qdgmg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsMyKDjisxw&feature=related
I've used this on my 283 when I changed all the gaskets out. So far no leaks after 2 years. Also I reccomend checking the block and head for warpage. Use a metal yardstick and place it across the block and head in several locations. You can just look for light our use a feeler guage to see if the are any big gaps. If there are any big gaps then you will need to have that part machined. http://auto.sears.com/LOCTITE-HI-TA...catalogId=10623&N=600025668&productId=2019809
