Found a new project. Ram D250

[33 IMP]

So the engine is apart. #3/4 rod bearing were spun and melty. Journal on the crank looks like you would expect it to look. Also, #8 rod journal is grooved and catches a nail.
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Also, there is a tight spot when turning over the crank with a wrench. I haven't pulled the caps off yet but they are loose.

Block looks fine.

I can get a remanufactured short block for $1059, or do I have this machined and worked on?

That depends....
Do you trust the rebuilder?
Do you have a competent local machine shop/crank grinder that you trust?
Does it look like you'll need to bore it, or just re-ring?
In the old days, I would have just bought a crank kit from a rebuilder shop, and sized a couple rods (or bought a couple already done).

 

[33 IMP]

I think I am going to modify my engine hoist by welding up the pull arm in the long position and adding a longer arched strap on top.

Longer boom doesn't help much without longer legs.

 

[threewood]

Longer boom doesn't help much without longer legs.

It would be factory longest setting. Problem is there isn't much meat on the extension so it was flexing down.

 

[threewood]

That depends....
Do you trust the rebuilder?
Do you have a competent local machine shop/crank grinder that you trust?
Does it look like you'll need to bore it, or just re-ring?
In the old days, I would have just bought a crank kit from a rebuilder shop, and sized a couple rods (or bought a couple already done).

I don't know any shops nearby and have only done a quick search in nearby cities. The bores look good so I would keep stock pistons and run a dingle ball hone with new rings.

What does a crank kit consist of?

 

[Triplegreen500]

It would be factory longest setting. Problem is there isn't much meat on the extension so it was flexing down.

Probably easiest to retract the boom one or two positions into the base, sleeve the lift end, and put an extension there. Then add your larger upper strap brace.

 

[threewood]

I can get a remanufactured crank for $375, plus new main/rod bearings, rings to get it going.

 

[Triplegreen500]

What does a crank kit consist of?

Generally, the crankshaft (pick your size for mains and rods), bearings (again, pick your sizes), end seals and gaskets. You can also decide if you want to do a stroker at this point...

You'll need to have a machine shop work your block first though, so you know what size bearings you need to get for the mains (i.e. how far they had to bore the bearing surfaces to clean them up). Then you get your "0.0xx oversize" main bearings, for whatever size crankshaft journals you go with. Same deal if you're keeping the rods - have a shop clean up the journals and spec the oversize bearings for them, to match whatever journal size is on the crankshaft.

Or...depending on your budget and desire, you can get a "balanced assembly" of crank, rods, pistons, bearings, etc, that are all weight-matched and balanced as an assembly - but again, get your block work done first so you know what sizes you'll need (main journals, final bore size).

 

[33 IMP]

I don't know any shops nearby and have only done a quick search in nearby cities. The bores look good so I would keep stock pistons and run a dingle ball hone with new rings.

What does a crank kit consist of?

Reground crank, matching main and rod bearings. Google'd 318 crank kit, found one for $188, plus shipping and tax. I don't know if that's with or without a core.

 

[threewood]

Reground crank, matching main and rod bearings. Google'd 318 crank kit, found one for $188, plus shipping and tax. I don't know if that's with or without a core.

Gotcha! The one I found for $375 shipped includes the bearings. I need to pull the crank, see what I have and take some journal measurements.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Get your block line-honed first if there's any sign of wear or damage to the journals. Hell, get it done anyway. better safe than sorry.

 

[33 IMP]

Pull the main caps, looking for a spun main bearing. If they're good, no need to send it to a machine shop, unless you wanna check for cracks (a good idea!).

 

[threewood]

Should I replace the 2 rods on the spun journal? I haven't measured anything yet, but could the heat have ruined them? I'm assuming they need worked on for roundness and I was already budgeting new rods cap hardware.

 

[33 IMP]

Should I replace the 2 rods on the spun journal? I haven't measured anything yet, but could the heat have ruined them? I'm assuming they need worked on for roundness and I was already budgeting new rods cap hardware.

They need to be resized and new bolts, or replaced, 100% ! I would do the third one on the rough journal too.
Personally, I'd replace.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Have a machine shop look everything over, machine the block, and give advice on rod/crank replacement after they're done. There's no way to diagnose stuff like this over the internet.

Do you want it to "work"? Or do you want it RIGHT?

I had an old jeep years ago, got it for $400. Dead miss on #1. Turns out, piston was shattered and in the oil pan. I dropped the pan, slapped in all new (standard size) bearings - rods and mains - pulled a used rod/piston assembly out of a core motor I had here, slapped it in #1 after a ball-hone and fresh (standard) rings, slapped in a hi-vol oil pump and tossed it all back together. Never dropped the crank, never pulled the motor, never pulled any pistons (#1 was already gone, so that one doesn't count really). Did it all in the truck, around the front diff.

I had a half-second of BRAAP every single time I started it from a combination of piston slap and rod bearing noise, but once that oil pump kicked in it was relatively quiet. And it ran for four years, daily driven, after that. "Right"? No, definitely not. "Worked"? Yup, I guess - for a $400 Jeep. Would I do it again that way? Nope.

Do it right. Find a machine shop. Have the block checked/line honed. Have the rods evaluated, and either properly sized, or replaced, based on what they find. Go from there.