[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Those pics are really great and show allot. IMO, you have so much damage and variable amounts of wear throughout, the safest approach would just be a complete overhaul and measurement of all the components. Just no way to determine the level of parts replacement necessary to make the engine 100% again.

I'm there with you. I don't think there's anything to reuse other than the bare block, assuming it's ok. Would be a shame if it's not since it's original to the car. On every build in the past I've had to compromise somewhere. I'm in a spot now where I can go slow and build this thing the way I've always wanted to. I've also picked up a ton of knowledge since the last time it was built, but I still feel like a neophyte even after 30 years with this car.

Originally Posted by mgarblik

I can determine a couple of things from the pics. No way in IMO, that crankshaft can be used again without grinding and polishing correctly. You can polish that thing till the cows come home and all your going to get is a smoother, out of round and tapered crankshaft. So it needs attention. While it is being reconditioned, the serrations can be dealt with as well. The root cause of the majority of the damage was a dirty assembly from what I see. I also see evidence of cap grinding that was done with a "packed" grinding wheel. Meaning the wheel was not dressed properly to open the grain and it leaves a burnished finish rather than a cool, clean ground surface. I can see this on the main caps and rod caps.

I'm really impressed what you can pick up by looking at the pics. It speaks to your experience. Obviously I'm disappointed in the outcome here, mostly because I held the shop that built this engine in high regard. I'm almost certain the death knell was when it ate the valve stem seals, which was their fault also for being sloppy with the valve guides.

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Possibly the cylinders can be saved with just honing for a 2618 alloy forged piston. They can run up to .006 clearance which gives you some room to work with. The cam and lifters look to be in about the best condition of what I see in the pics. Sorry for the bad news. At least you caught it before something came apart or overheated and seized. It can all be fixed. FWIW, I prefer the 2-piece BOP seal. Easier to install and I have never had one leak. Other people have had different results.

Yeah, at least I got it now instead of too late. The signs were there. When it was built, the machinist told me to use 10-30, but I was never comfortable with the oil pressure at that weight so I ran 20-50 to compensate. In the back of my mind, I knew something was wrong.

At this point, it seems I should start by getting the block checked out to see if needs if it needs to be bored, then I can move ahead choosing the stroker assembly parts. Seems like a 4.25 stroke and 6.8 rods are a given, just need to figure out the specifics of the pistons.

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

The BLOCK , FIRST.. Can it even retain oil ???

I've got some parts coming this week and will try the test you mentioned with the flashlight. There was a good collection of grease behind the power steering pump by the fuel pump. Could have been from the front seal.

Might be a dumb question, but presuming it has been align bored, couldn't you get a thicker bearing that would put the crank back in the right place?

The other bright side to all of this is my 14 y/o son has taken a deeper interest in the car than he ever has. He was really into tearing it down and wanted to know about each part. He asked me why the cam and pushrods were in the trash today. In my mind I was like "Yes! He recognized a cam and pushrods!"