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ACS · 02-19-2017, 05:06 PM

I bought the truck knowing it wasn't running, the seller mentioned it started making a rattle and he shut it off and couldnt get it started again. This was a couple of years ago. I hoped maybe time had headed it, or it was something simple like valvetrain related noise.

I put a battery in and could hear the starter click, but nothing else. With a breaker bar on the crank pulley I couldn't get it to turn. I pulled all the plugs. No signs of rust or mechanical interferance, but the breaker bar still wouldn't turn the engine.

I put some atf/brake fluid mix in each cylinder and left it for a few days. Still no signs of movement after soaking. This usually works for rings rusted to the cylinder walls.

I drained the oil, no water in it, a bit of ATF as expected and no metal paste or bits. I was sort of torn on the next step at this point. Pull the heads or pull the oil pan.

I went with the pan. Interstingly, this truck still has the two support rods between the motor mount and the flexplate/flywheel cover:

Some how not one bit of this mess came out with the oil. Looking up from below the journal on the crank was scored and pitted. The rod was twisted around and jammed up into the cam. The one cam lobe was gouged from the rod being hammered up into it. A piece of the block at the bottom of the cylinder was chipped out as well.

Here's a rod bearing:

The motor is junk, there didn't seem like much point in putting the pan back on, so I worked to get the torque convertor bolts out since that has to happen at some point. I did some pretty unmentionable things with a sledge hammer to get 2/3 of a revolution out of the engine and get the bolts out.

I had been hoping to at least get it running, even if poorly so I could move it around a bit. Time to hunt down an engine.

02-19-2017, 05:06 PM	#4
ACS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 133	Goodwrench 350 I bought the truck knowing it wasn't running, the seller mentioned it started making a rattle and he shut it off and couldnt get it started again. This was a couple of years ago. I hoped maybe time had headed it, or it was something simple like valvetrain related noise. I put a battery in and could hear the starter click, but nothing else. With a breaker bar on the crank pulley I couldn't get it to turn. I pulled all the plugs. No signs of rust or mechanical interferance, but the breaker bar still wouldn't turn the engine. I put some atf/brake fluid mix in each cylinder and left it for a few days. Still no signs of movement after soaking. This usually works for rings rusted to the cylinder walls. I drained the oil, no water in it, a bit of ATF as expected and no metal paste or bits. I was sort of torn on the next step at this point. Pull the heads or pull the oil pan. I went with the pan. Interstingly, this truck still has the two support rods between the motor mount and the flexplate/flywheel cover: Some how not one bit of this mess came out with the oil. Looking up from below the journal on the crank was scored and pitted. The rod was twisted around and jammed up into the cam. The one cam lobe was gouged from the rod being hammered up into it. A piece of the block at the bottom of the cylinder was chipped out as well. Here's a rod bearing: The motor is junk, there didn't seem like much point in putting the pan back on, so I worked to get the torque convertor bolts out since that has to happen at some point. I did some pretty unmentionable things with a sledge hammer to get 2/3 of a revolution out of the engine and get the bolts out. I had been hoping to at least get it running, even if poorly so I could move it around a bit. Time to hunt down an engine.