My New, New 347

[Dono]

hard to tell without being there but that looks repairable to me
roscoe

How would you repair that? I'd think you could take material off a block, but can't add material.

 

[gmanpaint]

Mill it down, and a larger bearing cap?

 

[Dono]

Mill it down, and a larger bearing cap?

I think that's it also. I think you can do this if you have a undersized crank, but I don't think there are bearings available for an undersized block. If this is the case, then I'm out of luck.

I should know by Thursday if that can be cleaned up. I don't want to slow things down, so if on Thursday the news is bad, and either Tim or myself have not found a block, I'm going to give the go ahead on the dart block. It is confirmed as being in stock at the Canadian supplier. I just want this build to get moving.

 

[CDW6212R]

I know you don't want to spend the money for a better block, but have you browsed the Corral forum for one? I see one every few months, but they are usually bored near the limit, or the price is almost the new price. You would need one close enough to ship feasibly of course, and many other non Dart blocks are older, more used, and have more risks. It is tough, I see one in my future too, and prices have gone up a lot in the last 5-10 years.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

I know you don't want to spend the money for a better block, but have you browsed the Corral forum for one? I see one every few months, but they are usually bored near the limit, or the price is almost the new price. You would need one close enough to ship feasibly of course, and many other non Dart blocks are older, more used, and have more risks. It is tough, I see one in my future too, and prices have gone up a lot in the last 5-10 years.

the big difference, if i find one for him, its free

 

[Dono]

My price on the dart block came in quite a bit better than Summit, but its still about $3500 more than free.

 

[roscoe 0202]

a good machine shop can fabricate a sleeve and cut it in half the pin it in and align bore
if I was going to buy a $3500 block I would find out where your thrust is coming from because it will take out that thrust no matter what the block cost
roscoe

 

[Dono]

Great news!
I was suffering from premature stress.
A re-tank, a shot peen, and a line bore and Dimas thinks the block will be perfect

Tim had my back the whole time with vehicles picked out that he could rip to pieces in a hurry. Problem is, because of insurance, etc. I wouldn't be allowed to go do the rip and tear anyway. This would mean Tim would have been doing all the work. I wasn't cool with that.

Anyway, it looks like its all going to work out saving Tims energy, and saving me $3500. I'd love a dart block, geez that's a lot of cash I don't have right now. And, do I need it for my power goals? Doubt it.

The engine builder just bought himself an engine dyno, so he's in Minnesota now picking it up. He's hoping my motor will be the first motor on that dyno. Problem is, more delays while he's distracted building a room and setting up the dyno. Slooooow build.

1. I hope the results are worth it.
2. I really, really hope I have taken care of the hydraulic pressure on the torque converter (I'm as sure as I can be that this is fixed).

 

[vroomzoomboom]

sweet. so your motor will be the one that breaks his dyno's cherry! thats cool! it will also be the most powerful one he has had on a dyno at his place to date

 

[Dono]

I ran across video's by Ford Strokers showing the ****tiness (Is that a word?) of the Eagle crank.
I sent the link to the engine builder.

He sent me pictures of the same crank I ordered (Not mine, unfortunately). This crank is for a different build.
Looks pretty good to me. He also mentioned that only the best of the cranks get selected for coating. That would make sense, as if you had to turn the crank to fix journal run out, you would be shaving the coating off. So, that would be a warranty claim on the new crank. These pics look good to me.

I asked for a pic of the thrust surface (Last pic), and it looks good also.

This is taking so long, I'm now faced with fixing the piece of crap I'm driving. It barely starts, but has a new battery. I guess I better start diagnosing and fixing since it sounds like my crank might not show up for another month.

 

[Dono]

My block getting bead blasted with stainless steel shot.


Definitely no issues with the thrust surface of the block. I'm sure the block is better than it was off the factory floor.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

I’d be tempted to tell him screw painting it, just clear coat it!

 

[fastpakr]

No kidding. That's gorgeous .

 

[Dono]

Thats a great idea. I guess end of the day no one will be able to see the block at all anyway, so it doesn't much matter. But, the block would look good cleared with the aluminum heads, for sure.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

in hind sight however, the clear would end up turning yellow over time and look yucky. after seeing the pictures now on the computer (yes don, its still working lol) i cant believe its the same block that was in celly's truck!

 

[Dono]

My crank still hasn't shown up.
I moved my truck to an insurance storage policy. I'm wishing I would have done that 6 months ago.

Iv'e been sinking cash in to the piece of crap I'm driving unfortunately. On the fortunate side, I at least have wheels to get to work.
I just might be installing my motor in spring the way this is going.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

when its done, we will find a way to heat it. its going in no matter what!

 

[Centaurus5.0]

Can't put a junkyard motor in until the new one is build? You'd at least be able to drive it until next year and get some use out of the rig

 

[Turdle]

Man, I want one of those grit blasting machines. It would be so handy.

Heavy Charcoal powder with Casper clear ( flat clear) will result in a sparklymetallic, just blasted look which will come clean for years, if you can find a coater local to you. Masking will take hours though-

 

[Dono]

Jon, I'm just not willing to spend the money or time to make the block that pretty. Maybe if you could actually see the block (And my truck was more of a show truck) when its installed I'd consider it.

I thought about having a used explored motor shipped to me from another part of Canada, but then the exhaust won't line up because of the aluminum heads, and I open up all kinds of pain points and fitment issues. Not to mention the builder will need the aluminum heads for the build. Ah, the misery of modifying the crap out of things.

Yea Tim, I do have that 220v heater in the garage. I need to come up with some kind of a really big and cheap fan I can run at low speeds to keep that hot air moving around. The words Big, cheap, and wall mountable with a small footprint just doesn't seem to come together. Id love a ceiling fan if I could find one that fit tight against the ceiling. The roof om my garage is soooo low.