My new 347

roscoe 0202 · December 20, 2016

nice motor if you could get to stay together. just a thought but i would get it magnafluxed or pressure tested by the shop

Dono · December 20, 2016

I dropped the short block off, and showed the machinist the bearing bits that I had in a baggie.
I then explained the ongoing issues right from the beginning and basically wrote him a blank cheque. I told him to take the time and do whatever he thinks necessary to make this ongoing problem motor work.
The shop is super busy, so I don't think he will be trying to earn a retirement income off of me.

skpyle · December 20, 2016

Good luck, Dono.
Hopefully these guys can get it right.

Seth K. Pyle

CDW6212R · December 20, 2016

That sounds like a good plan, the knock sensor is a great idea. I'm planning to do that also, insurance for that kind of engine is worth it.

vroomzoomboom · December 20, 2016

so it might not be untill feb that you get it back?

Dono · December 20, 2016

I have no idea. Might be.
At this point, if its the last time its worth it.

He did want the block today, specifically. I think it's his plan to get started right away. The new bearings should show up tomorrow, and I'll run them straight down to him.

Josh P · December 20, 2016

Santa needs to put a 363 under the hood

vroomzoomboom · December 20, 2016

Josh P said:
Santa needs to put a 363 under the hood

and twin turbos! i'm sure i could find another one for you on kijiji (canada's craig list). isnt that how all this mess started in the first place lol

Dono · December 21, 2016

Yea, I think the mess really started with creating an oil leak installing the headers.
The turbo system has been flawless.

My wife always tells me bigger is better. lol. Unfortunately (or fortunately, it depends how you look at it) , I'm stuck with what I have. I just need to make it work.

This time new head studs are going on the heads also. I have to wonder if this has been part of the issue all along, as it could be false torque readings as the heads are being torqued down to proper spec. I bought the head studs used, thinking they are re-usable so why not?

So, block checked and fixed (de-decked, new bearings, and who knows what else), heads checked carefully (I know one is flat and straight), new mls gaskets, new head studs. If both surfaces are super flat and straight, head gaskets are new, new head studs.....what else could it be?

Bearings are out for delivery, so I'll have them at the machine shop today.

CDW6212R · December 21, 2016

Sounds good, and if the machinist is proactive, show just enough excitement to keep them on it. The key to any machine work is how they see the customer, as a hard up racer or a broke and slow tinkerer. If they are active with it, be active in showing interest and mention your plans for a timetable to finish the reinstall. Good luck,

Dono · December 21, 2016

I dropped off the bearings, but I probably should have given the crank a pull before ordering them. The thrust bearing is gone. They haven't pulled the crank yet and the machinist doesn't see it as a big deal.

Their thinking is that the last machine shop didn't seat the thrust bearing properly or check thrust end play. I don't know for sure, but I do know this is the first thrust bearing issue I have had, so its not the torque converter pushing on the crank.

He said he understands exactly what I've been thru and will go easy on me. I in turn mentioned not to bother wasting time on an estimate and just do what you feel is required.

On the part that I am having fun with, the jands safeguard is going to be a fun project. John at j&s has been crazy responsive to my technical questions on how the logic of the vampire works. He also has different firmware's, depending what you are looking for. He's super passionate about what he does, and I love that.

p.s. my wife knows nothing about this. I'd be out of the house with no vehicle if she knew.

vroomzoomboom · December 22, 2016

Dono said:
p.s. my wife knows nothing about this. I'd be out of the house with no vehicle if she knew.

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLY.........

Josh P · December 22, 2016

Dono said:
p.s. my wife knows nothing about this. I'd be out of the house with no vehicle if she knew.

My wife let's me have my toy cars, I'd be out of the house cause of my frustration.

Dono · December 22, 2016

My frustration is obviously leaking everywhere. Being down a vehicle for extended periods isn't helping the household temperature either.
Of course, when asked what I want for Christmas, the answer is nothing. The truck is more than taking up my Christmas gift money.

The Safeguard unit does make for a pretty cool gift though. No one that isn't in to this stuff could ever really understand why though.

Dono · January 11, 2017

Ok, small update as I need a break from thinking about work stuff.

Short block is in at the machine shop. I checked with them last week and they had stripped the short block. Very unusual wear on the cylinders. Looks like really bad piston slap kind of wear. Measurements hadn't been taken yet, so there is no conclusion yet.
My personal conclusion is somewhere along the line, the holes became to big for the slugs. I'm drawing my own conclusion, but hopefully the machine shop can just find another block and re-machine it to my current rotating assembly. That's probably going to be the cheapest solution. More to come on this.
No point in sweating it. Friends and relatives of mine are being diagnosed with cancer these last few weeks, and I know they would much rather have my problems.

I have my J&S Safeguard. Its too cold to want to be in the garage, or I'd be looking for a hole in the firewall to run the wiring already. I don't think it would have worked very well anyway with all that piston slap going on.

I ordered a new oil pump, as the last one is clearly trash from all the different metal bits running thru it. I thought about a high volume pump, but there are risks with to much oil flowing (running the pan dry(might be a wives tale as at 60psi the pump dumps the excess right to the pan anyway)). The stock oil pan can't support a HV pump anyway, as the bottom of the pump will not allow the oil pan to go on properly (A hv oil pump is longer). So, the next best thing is a Melling 10687 race pump. I also read about blueprinting a pump to make sure it runs optimally.

I found a thread over on sbftech (See below for quote) on how to blueprint. The only thing I will do is check the gears heights to the bottom of the pump plate. I'll make both gears the same height, and the bottom pump plate to gear measurement .006. Should be easy. Who knows, the 'racing' pump might already be extremely close. I don't have to worry about a freeze plug as the 10687 pump has a screw in plug.

Here's my shameless cut/paste on pump blueprinting.
"Just so happens I have a book that says the following about blue-printing a pump. It's called Mustang Performance by William R Mathis. Hopefully the info is not too out-dated or anything but here goes; everything here is going to be copied directly from his book.

Step 1. Completely disassemble the pump, inspecting every piece for unusual machining marks, burrs or casting irregularities. This includes the removal of the plug that secures the oil pressure spring (pry it out or drill a small hole and use a slide hammer to remove it)

Step 2. Secure the pump housing in a vice with soft jaws, and carefully radius and blend the oil port with a Dremel or porting tool. The port-to-block exit should be ported out to the diameter of the gasket.

Step 3. Mic the thickness of the two rotors and lap the thickest piece on 180-grit wet/dry sandpaper until the two pieces are matched in thickness.

Step 4. Install the rotors in the housing and check the clearances as follows: rotor to rotor .003" to .006"; rotor to housing end .002" to .004"; rotor to housing, internal .006" to .011".
Use a rotary flapper wheel to increase clearance on the inside of the outside rotor to increase clearance on housing for the outside rotor or to increase clearance on housing for the outside rotor. To decrease clearance on rotor to housing end, lap housing on 180 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Do the same to increase clearance except sand the rotors. Take your tim, and check clearances often. It's a lot easier to take more off than to add it back. Make sure the sandpaper is on a flat surface and use generous amounts of water or cutting oil.

Step 5. Once the proper clearances are set, use a dremel or high-speed rotary file and put a slight chamfer on the edges of the rotors, both top and bottom.

Step 6. If you have the bucks and the time have the rotors coated with one of the slick processes provided by HPC or Poly Dyn. This will significantly improve the life of the oil pump. If you are a road racer this is particularly important to you.

Step 7. Lap the inside surface of the end plate on 280 grit wet/dry sandpaper secured to a flat surface. Alternately, valve lapping compound on a flat steel plate or thick piece of glass can be used. It is very important to get this piece smooth and flat.

Step 8. Clean all pieces thoroughly with Tide soap and a bottle brush. Flush all pieces with plenty of water, then rinse with clean var-sol or spray with a water displacing fluid like WD-40.

Step 9. Reinstall the stock oil pressure spring. Shimming the end with two (2) 3/8" SAE washers. This will bring the oil pressure up to 100 PSI cold. A new plug should be installed. These are generally available at any auto parts store that carries Dorman Freeze Plugs.

Step 10. Reassemble the rotors, coating each generously with petroleum jelly. This will ensure immediate priming.

Step 11. Install the end plate using grade 12 bolts that have been drilled for safety wire. Safety wire the bolt heads.

Step 12. Clean the pump-to-block mating surfaces with lacquer thinner. Install the pump to block with a new gasket using grade 12 studs with nuts and bolts that have been drilled for safety wire. When installing the oil pump be sure to include a new competition oil pump driveshaft. This is cheap insurance against high-rpm failure.
The oil pump driveshaft has a retainer disc on the distributor end that prevents the shaft from being pulled out of the pump when the distributor is removed. Failure to observe the correct installation procedure (retainer end into distributor shaft) will become apparent the first time you attempt to remove the distributor and the shaft takes a bath in the oil pan. When the pump and shaft have been properly fastened, recheck the pump shaft one last time and then safety wire the pump to the block nuts and bolts."

CDW6212R · January 11, 2017

Stay with a normal volume oil pump. The high volume pumps put a lot more stress on the pump drive shaft, and the gears. You want those parts to live, and the extra volume isn't needed.

My best wishes for your relatives and friends.

Josh P · January 11, 2017

363 short block is a must.

Dono · January 11, 2017

Josh P said:
363 short block is a must.

You must have caught me drueling over a dart block. I'm sure no one will ever really know what happened to my stock block.

This is my last try though. If I get another fail, a stock block 302 is going in with my tw heads and intake.

Josh P · January 11, 2017

Dono said:
You must have caught me drueling over a dart block. I'm sure no one will ever really know what happened to my stock block.

This is my last try though. If I get another fail, a stock block 302 is going in with my tw heads and intake.

It is insane how much a stock 302 block will flex under load.

CDW6212R · January 11, 2017

A stock block should do fine with mild boost, the 10psi level and good A/F plus timing should not be too much for the block. I know the argument, and I'm going to go the same route with mild boost on the stock block. I want to get the entire operating system sorted out well, everything outside of the longblock, before investing in the high dollar stroker.

I think you are almost there Don, that engine just seems to have had a few details holding it back.

My new 347

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Elite Canuck STOCK SUCKS!

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Elite Canuck STOCK SUCKS!

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