Okay, good news/bad news time...

[17WithaCoronetRT]

I have a 68 440 that has AC, PB, and PS, all that stuff aside, when i got the car it had been sitting since 1973, and over the years the valve covers have rusted out on the side of the air cleaner, and the valley pan has either rusted out or been removed for some odd reason, when we drove it half way home we noticed the valley pan was gone and underneath was some sludgy old oil. we then drained the oil and what came out was dark watery oil, but no sludge, there is probably a bit still left in the engine but we'll figure that out later, with the valve covers rusted on the inside sides it looks like the pushrods have some surface rust and sludgy substance caked on them and i want some feedback on if anyone on the site has seen this before and if they think the engine block may still be alright. so here we go... Good news or Bad news...

 

[74Satellite]

personal opinion...you wont know until you crack the engine open..

 

[Patrick]

If the Vally pan was missing you'd have oil all over the place. Seal it up [Vally, valve covers] Change the oil and filter, change the coolent and drive it to see if it runs hot. If it don't run. What you has was condensation built up in it from starting it and cut it off before it reached operating temp. over the years. It'll take about 100 mile road trip to evaporate all of it out. If it runs hot then you have to find out why. Can't go any further at this time for you at this time.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Ahhh, good 'ol fashioned rust. I have seen some pretty ugly parts and they can clean up fairly well with bead blasting or chemical cleaning. Things like push rods and valve covers can get easily replaced. If it were me I'd just pull the engine and go through it. With any luck it will freshen up with a hone and a re-ring as long as the rust hasn't pitted the cylinders too deep, but if you got any water in the piston ring lands that may have caused irreversible pitting damage to the piston/s (and cyls) and at that point you're in for a rebore. Other areas of concern would be the intake valve seats in the heads that have been damaged by water. If the pitting is deep then it would require grinding the seat deeper than what's allowed for a clean up and at that point a new intake seat/s needs to be installed. Do not let someone sink the valves into the head more than what's normally accepted for a clean up valve job. The crank and rods will probably be fine but may have some rust on the I beams or the counterweights. If the block had water in the cooling jacket (not antifreeze) it may be a good idea to have it magged.

 

[darkhorse]

been sitting since 73. i think you need to assume a rebuild/refresh is in order. No use trying to run it, and do more damage to what might be savable internals. imo.

 

[detmatt1]

Can you turn it over by putting a socket/breaker bar on the front of the crank?

 

[17WithaCoronetRT]

we havent tried that yet matt, i just wanted input from you car geniuses before we tried something even as simple as trying to turn it over

 

[696pack]

If there was enough water sitting on it to rust the valve covers out you can bet there is water down in the cylinders. You have to disassemble the engine and determine how far it needs to be bored to clean up. Before you try to go to far with a bore job you will have to sonic check the block for thickness but any good machine shop knows that. The lifter bores will likely clean up with a light hone. Rust sitting in cylinders or lifter hole with a piston/lifter holding it there can penetrate a long ways. Don't start buying parts ahead of time until you know the block is salvagable.

 

[17WithaCoronetRT]

thank you for telling me that, ill let my dad know, i really hope the block is salvagable because its the original motor, but if the block isnt okay we know a guy thatll sell us a 600 hp replacement 440

 

[moparedtn]

If that engine is original to the car, if at all possible SAVE IT.
I can't stress that enough.
Do what you have to in order to keep the matching number engine in the car.
Go through it, rebuild it if you can afford it.

 

[74Satellite]

if keeping the matching engine is important to you...then save the block..even if its is really bad in the cylinders you can have it sleeved.

 

[daredevil]

Pull it apart and do it right. You can still find runner 440s out there for 750. or less. You could swap one of these in while you take your time on the original.

 

[696pack]

Yes, keep the otiginal engine even if it has to be sleeved. That doesn't mean you have to use it but the next guy may want to do it. In fact for a driver car you SHOULD use a different engine and if you bolw it up your original engin is not the one that goes.

 

[17WithaCoronetRT]

im just hoping it doesnt need to be sleeved! i want to keep that motor at any cost

 

[OG max wedge]

i'm a little lost on this part??????

you stated you drove it part way home?

when we drove it half way home we noticed the valley pan was gone and underneath was some sludgy old oil. we then drained the oil and what came out was dark watery oil,

you must have had the motor running, 1/2 way home must have given you some kind of idea it there were any "bad news" problems
then later on you say you haven't tried to turn it over with a wrench..

am i missing something or maybe my morning coffee hasn't kicked in yet....:iamwithstupid:

 

[Cranky]

I was thinking the same thing....and a sleeved original motor is better than one that isn't sleeved but not original.

 

[17WithaCoronetRT]

ohhhh no no no we drove it home on a trailer haha

 

[17WithaCoronetRT]

pics, theres a hole blasted in the bracket for the AC unit? also front and back pics of the missing valley pan and the rusted out valve covers, some pics were taken at night

 

[detmatt1]

If you can't get it to budge with a breaker bar I would pull the plugs now and start loading up the cylinders with a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. If you have some stuck parts in there your going to have to get them unstuck to disassemble anyway and this is a good way to do it. worked for me on a stuck 340 this year.

 

[shag766]

after seeing those pic's don't try to start it. take it out and put it on a stand. 3/4" rachet set on the crank and pray it moves. mat is right on with lubeing the cyl's even if it does turn. it will make the disassembly a bunch easier. meep is right on the salvage process.
- as for sleeves i have only done diesel wet cyl's, not gas dry ones. so no opinion. hope it works if it has to be done.
- put another driver motor in and take your time with the original. they are only orig once.