If I had a rear engine I might have waited, but my front leak makes the whole bottom messy to work on (free undercoating!)

If the endplay hadn't been so bad I'd run to Milford with it. Specs call for .006-.010 inch and my crank was easily 10 times that. I didn't measure it with dial gauge but eyeball was enough to see way too much. I was afraid the rods and crank might start clanging each other and tear out the whole bottom end. Oh well, thanks to all for the encouragement!

Steve, I had a beater Ford 3/4 ton ~1976 with some large engine and the granny 4 speed. It started blowing up oil filters so I decided to drop the pan, no need to remove any obstructions to accomplish that. Figured while I was in there I would check rod bearings etc maybe give it a treat. It was going to take two thrust washers to remove endplay, mega over size for all bearings to take out the other 2 degrees of freedom so I just put in the new oil pump, pan gasket and kept on keeping on.
Strangely it had good oil pressure, did not knock over the other noises emanating from that area and actually burned little oil. Since it was a beater it kept on for about a year until someone came by wanting it more than I did. It started first crank every time and had few bad habits unless you looked at moving parts shielded by serious iron.

It's great to see somebody with the courage to undertake such a big job. But the good news is that you know what you're doing. I remember taking on jobs and learning while I was doing them. What a PITA.
Jim

Wow, I'm three weeks on the road and just catching up with this saga. I must say Steve, you really are an Iron-man of this community and set a terrific precedent for others to roll their sleeves up and dig in. These experiences are never easy, but......it feels so good when it stops

I ain't dead yet... but it won't be long! The latest: Engine is sitting on blocks under mounts with chains on each rear corner to plank above.

You can't take the front driveshaft out without removing the back one first, then the center bearing, then the front shaft. Sooo, now I'm getting those new u-joints I was thinking about (later!)

Rear crossmember is unbolted, torque converter unbolted, etc. I am making a plywood box to straddle the trans pan (and lift by the edges) then I'm six bolts from pulling trans away...

The flex plate, and bearings are all that's left to lower the crank...

I'm not quite over the mountain yet but I can see the peak! Once the old crank is gone I'll be scraping and cleaning for most of tomorrow, then I can think about reassembly. Oh boy!

The new crank is here, rest of parts tomorrow, radiator on Friday. I didn't drop off the driveshafts to the shop yet but they will be done by Fri I'm sure.

Many photos to follow

I know you must have the greasiest camera on Barthmobile.

It got cold Wed nite (upper 20's) so I stalled by cleaning parts yesterday.

The trans is unhooked and resting about a foot back from normal, the crankshaft and all old bearings, etc are now gone. Front and bottom engine gasket surfaces are all cleaned up.

Gosh, I guess this means I'm HALF done "replacing crankshaft!"

I think I have all the engine parts now. I still have to pick up the driveshafts and the radiator.

Then we'll see if it all go back together and what's left over!

Come on Steve.
Post some pics.

quote:

Originally posted by dustyjeeper:
Come on Steve.
Post some pics.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:
The latest: Engine is sitting on blocks under mounts with chains on each rear corner to plank above.

How high did you have to raise the engine? Front and rear or just rear?

I was getting tired last night. Here are some updates.

The engine is raised up on two 2x4 blocks in front (took 3 to get the pan out but I still had the flex plate on then) It took me a while to find the harmonic balancer puller. (DO NOT USE REGULAR PULLER!)



Back end on chains:



Cleaned up front end:





Check this out... Does that say "hi perf pass?" COOL!



trans had to move back too: (Built a plywood box to straddle the trans pan)



Rear trans crossmember (unbolted) just slides back with trans, holds up tailpiece for now, (wood block at front so jack can't leak down)



no mo crankshaft! (In these photos you can still see the top rear bearing half and the fried thrust face)





Now for some new parts! I made a cradle to raise the new crank in.



Many parts to clean and paint.



Hope to hoist that 80 lb shaft in today.

Yeah, yeah more pics later. (Got you guys hooked didn't I?)

"Nothing in the world can take place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent....."

-Calvin Coolidge


....and I've been avoiding replacing some exhaust hangars 'cause I don't want to crawl around under the coach...Why do I now feel like I'm just a lazy bum?....

I salute you!

Steve,

Interesting on the high perf pass, one would expect the truck version. What is the block casting sequence. Let's see what this engine was designed for.

Oh my
I've put off replacing the front seal on the 350 in the toaster.
Thanks for the pics.

quote:

'cause I don't want to crawl around under the coach...Why do I now feel like I'm just a lazy bum?....

Lee, you are not alone. .....if I were sold and the buyer paid with a penny he would be due change.