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Well, I've had enough of this 440 Mystery Motor

Rebuild what I have or replace the engine for possible peace of mind?

  • Rebuild it - it'll be fine

    Votes: 25 83.3%

  • Replace it!

    Votes: 5 16.7%
  • Total voters
    30
khryslerkid said:
Do like Furyus said. Analyse what happened first. Might just be a pushrod.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Afraid not in this case - the track record of this mystery motor being a butthead is too extensive. Many, many threads on here logging my trials and tribulations with this dang thing.
I don't know much, but I do know when to stop throwing good money after bad.
 
The original question remains, I suppose...
For someone like me on a TIGHT budget and looking only for a good, solid, reliable ol' 440 that puts out about like the original ones did back then (or a little warmer, I ain't gonna protest :) ), which is the way to go?
 
Ed,
It's your money but I sure would tear that engine down and see how it checks out before spending anything on another block which would be the same as the one you have.
I understand when you've had enough you've had enough! But the block you have could be perfectly fine. And once you tear it down it won't be a mystery any more.
 
moparedtn said:
That's what I'm coming up with for the theory - something is keeping proper oiling from occurring up top somewhere, probably a galley in the block or a cam bearing.
Click to expand...
One of the number one causes of cam, lifter or rod failure is from improperly breaking in thevalvetrain which causes the lifters and rods to not rotate and wears them down (according to cranes)
 
Way back when in the garage, we had a similar situation. The car's owners engine (not a Mopar) was supposedly rebuilt, but found it had a clogged oil galley, so was not supplying enough oil. We always rodded out the passages.
 
A new motor guarantees nothing. Learning what went wrong separates an engine assembler from a engine builder. The engine didn't break itself. The components used failed to work together. You can learn from this. To bad your not closer.
Doug
 
Beekeeper said:
Ed,
If you wanna pull it let me know I will come help you.
Click to expand...

Beekeeper . . . I'm a couple hours away in NC . . . got a cherry picker in the garage and can load it up and give you a hand pulling it . . . yell if you need another set of hands . . .
 
conv67bdere said:
Beekeeper . . . I'm a couple hours away in NC . . . got a cherry picker in the garage and can load it up and give you a hand pulling it . . . yell if you need another set of hands . . .
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan! I have a cherry picker so we would have that part covered.
 
moparedtn said:
The original question remains, I suppose...
For someone like me on a TIGHT budget and looking only for a good, solid, reliable ol' 440 that puts out about like the original ones did back then (or a little warmer, I ain't gonna protest :) ), which is the way to go?
Click to expand...

Mopar engines - crate or otherwise - are not exactly cheap like Chevys. If you're able or can find some help - doing a post mortem on what you have and rebuilding it might be a lot cheaper overall. Just my 2 cents.
 
Looking at Craigslist is a bad idea. You're just buying someone else's problem. Remember, it's an inanimate object. It's having problems because of human error. Check to see if it's getting oil to the top end before tearing apart. Rebuild what you have. That way you can check everything along the way. Have the machine shop check to see if anything is not machined properly. Don't assume anything. Base opinions on facts. Nothing wrong with a cast iron crank. I've had one for 20 years. Same short block.
 
WileERobby said:
Way back when in the garage, we had a similar situation. The car's owners engine (not a Mopar) was supposedly rebuilt, but found it had a clogged oil galley, so was not supplying enough oil. We always rodded out the passages.
Click to expand...
Yessir, I'm betting that's what is up with this thing.
When I did the heads, I found some evidence to that effect in another galley in the block (which promptly got rodded out).
 
dvw said:
A new motor guarantees nothing. Learning what went wrong separates an engine assembler from a engine builder. The engine didn't break itself. The components used failed to work together. You can learn from this. To bad your not closer.
Doug
Click to expand...
Totally agree and no doubt I'll do some rudimentary teardown out of curiosity, even though the engine is gonna be outta here no matter what.
 
conv67bdere said:
Beekeeper . . . I'm a couple hours away in NC . . . got a cherry picker in the garage and can load it up and give you a hand pulling it . . . yell if you need another set of hands . . .
Click to expand...
Love you guys to death for even considering helping, mean it. :)
I have a picker and stand and so forth, so I have that part covered at least.
I'm also thinking from an ease standpoint that I'm going to tear it down to an extent while still in the car - a sort of reversal of what I did when I swapped heads.
Tear it down to the block before looking to yank it sort of thing.
Gotta be easier on a fella. :)
 
furyus said:
Looking at Craigslist is a bad idea. You're just buying someone else's problem. Remember, it's an inanimate object. It's having problems because of human error. Check to see if it's getting oil to the top end before tearing apart. Rebuild what you have. That way you can check everything along the way. Have the machine shop check to see if anything is not machined properly. Don't assume anything. Base opinions on facts. Nothing wrong with a cast iron crank. I've had one for 20 years. Same short block.
Click to expand...
I hear you, believe me. Logic should rule the day, especially in matters inanimate, for sure and I'm usually Mr. Tangible - but in this particular case, I'll admit to having a personality clash with this particular bottom end. :)
For emotional peace of mind, unless something glaring exposes itself during my impromptu teardown, I'm pretty sure this short block will become a core or a selling off deal.
As far as CL goes, it's best used as a reference for local professional services and such as far as I'm concerned.
If I run across something like a date-correct block that has a good crank and rods in it for cheap, perhaps I could run it over to a trusted machine shop to check it out, too.
After all, I'm in for the whole she-bang in rebuilding something anyways, this block or another, right?
 
Did you prime the engine with oil pump rod? Check to see if oil is getting to all rockers and top end? Don't forget, the camshaft needs to be turned in order to get oilt both banks of cylinders. You could have a cam bearing not allowing oil circulation...............................MO
 
moparedtn said:
Has anyone heard of/dealt with these folks?
Seems very reasonable:
http://www.cmengines.com/se2/oemupgradelongblocks.aspx
Click to expand...

The problem with a lot of remanufacturers of engines and components is that they strip down everything they receive back as cores and throw all alike parts in a big bin with hundreds of others for eventual inspection, reconditioning and re-use. Thus when they assemble an engine, spray it with paint, strap it to a pallet and re-sell it, you just end up with a hodge pod of parts. You may get a cast crank or a forged crank. Some rods may be this and some that.

If you can find a remanufacturer who actually re-builds an intact engine keeping all the salvageable parts together that might be something to consider.
 
This sounds a lot like a problem I had this summer. Ended up with a bent pushrod, lifter that had bottom ground off by the trashed cam lobe. When I tore the engine down, I found the real problem. Only 2 of the cam bearings were installed properly with the oil hole. One was completely blocked and two were more than 50% blocked. Previous owner put in a Comp Cams and obviously failed to do bearings correctly. Rebuilt with Lunati Voodoo cam (and several other parts) and all is well. Like Cornpatch mentioned above, I would guess cam bearing oil circulation.
 
Lazerwolf said:
This sounds a lot like a problem I had this summer. Ended up with a bent pushrod, lifter that had bottom ground off by the trashed cam lobe. When I tore the engine down, I found the real problem. Only 2 of the cam bearings were installed properly with the oil hole. One was completely blocked and two were more than 50% blocked. Previous owner put in a Comp Cams and obviously failed to do bearings correctly. Rebuilt with Lunati Voodoo cam (and several other parts) and all is well. Like Cornpatch mentioned above, I would guess cam bearing oil circulation.
Click to expand...
BINGO!
Exact same symptoms.
Yep, I already guessed the same with the cam bearing thing.
Has to be, since that's where the oil comes from for valvetrain parts, right?
466_newoilgallery-1.jpg
 
AR67GTX said:
The problem with a lot of remanufacturers of engines and components is that they strip down everything they receive back as cores and throw all alike parts in a big bin with hundreds of others for eventual inspection, reconditioning and re-use. Thus when they assemble an engine, spray it with paint, strap it to a pallet and re-sell it, you just end up with a hodge pod of parts. You may get a cast crank or a forged crank. Some rods may be this and some that.

If you can find a remanufacturer who actually re-builds an intact engine keeping all the salvageable parts together that might be something to consider.
Click to expand...
CME actually offers the choice of forged or cast. Interestingly, not much price difference.

If I am to fetch another engine from anyone, I'm pretty sure I want them to dyno it and send me video, dyno sheet, etc.
I'm serious about this being the last time I'll be able to do this work - it literally is, assuming I can even pull it off this time.
That means it's gotta be right when it goes back in, wherever it comes from.
 
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