Question about a stuck 326 Dodge engine

[57fury440]

That actually does not look that bad. The oil we had to use back in the fifties and sixties was nothing like the stuff we have today. I've seen old engines that had so much sludge built up that all you could see was holes where the lifters and push rods moved up and down.

 

[fury fan]

Agreed, the sludge is not bad at all.
And those crossover passages can get fully plugged, these would still be capable of doing their job.
I've had 2 318s and they both did it to me, fully plugged. One one of them, the 2nd time it plugged it was so far down near the end of the passage I would've had to pull the head and 2 valves to clean it all out. Bigblocks - never had one plug on me.

I removed an 80s Cadillac valve cover years ago and it purdnear looked like it still had one on it.
Amazing how some engines can endure anything and some engines fail because of .001" somewhere.

 

[MoPar~Man]

Because these engines are built with a road draft tube and not a PCV valve, do yourself an ENORMOUS favor and put in a small spacer plate under the carb (don't forget to check aircleaner clearance to the hood) and fit a PCV valve where the road draft tube connects to the right valve cover. Your engine will be VERY greatful.

Hey @kmccabe56 I was going to send you a pm but your mail box is full...

 

[3175375]

That actually does not look that bad. The oil we had to use back in the fifties and sixties was nothing like the stuff we have today. I've seen old engines that had so much sludge built up that all you could see was holes where the lifters and push rods moved up and down.

I have seen the push rods ‘disappear’ into a blob of wax in an engine that exclusively used Pennzoil.
I remember my dad putting a quart of Rislone in an old Ford and that car instantly started smoking like no tomorrow.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

Got the heads pulled today. Cylinders look better than expected. Don't see any major scoring, rust or ring ridge. Still could not get the engine to turn over. Valves look a little rusty.

 

[fury fan]

Those 2 exhaust valves in the middle, top of picture, are exaclty the condition I was thinking of when I mentioned pressurizing the cylinder and popping the valve stem with a deadblow hammer. Lots of crust would be coming out of those 2.
What would remain of those seats would probably be enough for it to run poorly, and likely burn the valves, but as longs as you got all the crud out, it wouldn't harm anything. But it didn't unseize, so it's a moot point.

 

[Just Carbs]

Looks good. The chances of getting the motor apart look good.

 

[Jakter]

If that engine doesn't have a spun bearing preventing it from turning, I'd remove whatever gunk I could scrape up, scrape and power wash inside the coolant passages, clean those heads up and lap in the valves and probably clean the lifters, put it back together and run it.

It would be mostly labor and not much in parts and you might get lucky in having a decent running engine.

I say that only to me pulling an engine in and out of these car is pretty simple and to me worth the risk of having to remove the engine again for a rebuild.

 

[Just Carbs]

If the pistons can be worried out of the block, and the cylinder and piston pitting is minor, and it doesn't take "any or much" material removal from the cylinders to clean them up with a hone: I would hone, re-ring, and run.
Hopefully the cam and lifters clean up good with whatever the appropriate cloth is. I would be surprised if the crank and bearings aren't clean.
The heads? Well, that remains to be seen. 50/50 on that. I expect some iffy valves, seats and guides.
I wonder what the oil pump looks like. And the oil gallery system?

I say this knowing very well the cost of overbore and pistons. I would rather run a properly machined factory original motor that has been cleaned up than a rebuild job.

 

[WikedPlymouth]

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