Indeed they were. Gave some thought to dropping the crank out the bottom and sticking another in its place...... for about 0.367 seconds.

 

Simpler for sure!

 

No doubt, but given the damage I can't trust the #4 pot, and I'm not entirely sure I want to reuse that rod either.

I've scheduled some free time after work tomorrow..... hopefully I can get it down to bare block and find out for sure where I am.

 

I wouldn't chance it either.. I know your funds are low, but better to be safe than sorry if you missed seeing some other damaged part

 

Oh I agree. I'll spend whatever it takes to get reliable. I just mentioned low buck because I'm sick of dumping money into this thing. I'm at a power level I can live with, and I just want to be able to get in it and go. Whenever, wherever, regardless of whats hitched to it.

 

I look at it this way, no matter how much money I dump into this thing, it still beats making a $600+ a month truck payment.. and have a machine you can actually work on..

Did you find anything else pulling it apart yesterday?

 

Not yet, but didn't get it all the way stripped. Couldn't find Dave's puller and forgot mine, so I couldn't get the dampener off. Hope to get back over there for a minute Saturday and finish the job.

 

Sorry about that its on top of the beer frig in a Holley air cleaner box .

 

Amen. Wise words...

An $600 on one of these new ones would require one to put a LOT of money down.

 

Little bit of progress... Still have not found any damage to the block. Going Saturday to pick up a low mile engine with a cracked block. Going to scavenge parts from it. Just need to collect new gaskets, bearings, and a lpop, and I should be ready to rock n roll.

With any sort of luck at all......

 

Well I'm having any sort of luck. Unfortunately it's all bad.

Got the block wiped down and the mains removed and found a crack in the main bearing journal...... Right across the oiler hole.

So..... Anybody have a line on a good block? Or a used running engine?

 

Crap! Well, I know where one more is...

 

Found one just up the road from you:

Parting out 2000 f350 turbo diesel, although someone's already been wrenching on the motor so i dont know how viable that one is. Looks like a work truck too, so probably super high mileage.

 

That Suck's.. Sounds like you have my luck when things go wrong. not much you can do at this point but sit back, try to relax some and start plan B.

 

Yep. We went and got it last night. Got back to the shop around 9 last night and tore it down. The bottom end looked surprisingly good for a 96 with a gazillion miles. There's actually a little glimmer of hope.