Broken Rod Replacement

[duke16]

I just back from some four-wheeling, and managed to some how get water in the engine. Consequently, it sounds like a broke a rod. How easy is it replace one of these? Can I get to them by taking the oil pan off, or is it going to require an entire engine overhaul? 5.0 V8 by the way.

 

[MustangP51]

If it is a broken rod, you are going to have to pull the engine out of the truck. You will have to remove the pistons to get to the wrist pins, and unfortunately. Pistons can not be remove from the block through the oil pan. You will have to pull off the heads to get to them. Hopefully the cylinder walls didn't get gouged, but from my own experience there will be damage, you might be able to get the block bored and honed to get rid of the gouges, but this will require you to replace your pistons with oversize ones to match the bore. (.030, .040, etc)

Sry to break it to you, you might want to look at getting a replacement engine if there is damage.

 

[duke16]

Bugger...

Any easy way to verify that it is a broken rod?

 

[fobrnno]

remove the oil pan and have a look.

 

[duke16]

Ah, cool... alright thanks.

 

[mrboyle]

Typically when a rod breaks it takes out a lot more than just the rod.

 

[duke16]

Can the oil pan be removed without pulling the engine?

 

[duke16]

I just tried getting the pan off. Took the collector bolts off the headers but couldn't get any movement out of the exhaust. Does anyone know if there is enough play to remove the pan without having to take anything else off? Or would the axle and exhaust need to be removed? (i.e may as well just pull the engine out).

 

[MustangP51]

Pulling the engine would be the best choice in my opinion. This way you wont get dirt in the engine and you get to inspect everything throughly.

 

[duke16]

Is there a brief overview of all the things involved in pulling the 302 engine on the board anywhere? I'm little concerned about the AC line that is going right across the top of the engine. By the looks of it, that's going to have to go... which means draining the freon.

 

[chriswells78]

Yup, no way around losing your freon that I know of when pulling these engines.

Can you crank the engine at all? Usually you will bend a valve or a pushrod long before you will break a connecting rod. What is the engine doing?

 

[duke16]

Well at first I couldn't start it at all. What had happened is I'd driven through this rather large water hole, and just as I was on other side the engine cuts out. So I go to start it back up and it won't crank. After a couple of tries it finally cranks and then I hear a kind of clanging sound, just like a broken rod would make I imagine.

 

[duke16]

Yup, no way around losing your freon that I know of when pulling these engines.

Is this something I can do myself? Or would a specialist have to remove it?

 

[chriswells78]

I won't advise you do do something illegal

You can never tell what that clanging is unless you look. Pull off your valve covers, it could be a broken valve clanging around, or a broken rocker, or a broken pushrod clanking around in there. Valve covers are much easier to pull than the pan and it could save you from pulling the whole engine if you find the problem.

 

[Turdle]

I need this short block outta my garage!!!

 

[duke16]

Yup, I will let you know. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what to do. If I pull the engine, it means I'm going to have to first tow it out somewhere to have the freon removed. So, I'm trying to see if it would be best to find someone who will pull it for me, but finding someone reputable is tricky.

 

[Turdle]

Yup, I will let you know. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what to do. If I pull the engine, it means I'm going to have to first tow it out somewhere to have the freon removed. So, I'm trying to see if it would be best to find someone who will pull it for me, but finding someone reputable is tricky.

Hmmm
if you have the resources-a thing to consider-

maybe buy a reclaiming unit, and resell it when you are finished with it?

http://www.2ndlifetools.com/ac.htm

ebay item

230219683791

 

[winsorcoke]

Are you sure you got water in the oil? What does the oil look like?

You could take the heads off and spin the crank and watch the piston movement. That might give you an idea of whats going on. If a rod did break, I would think you would see some difference in piston movement. I assume the knock is VERY loud?

My neighbor just let his freon fly. I told him not to because it's illegal and bad for the environment, but he did it anyway.

 

[duke16]

It doesn't look like the Mobil 1 I poured in there. It's all murky (looks muddy, but I doubt it's mud). Yea, it was loud. And to actually getting it going after it stalled I had to hold the ignition in and give some throttle for at least 30 seconds before it finally turned over. Then it revved really REALLY high, and CLANG CLANG CLANG.

 

[winsorcoke]

Water and oil mixed turn kind of like a mocha cream color. It doesn't resemble oil at all. I guess the high rev could have caused the problem, but you would know if you had water in your oil. At least you would if their was enough water in their to keep the oil from lubricating. I would pull the valve covers first and go from their.