Submerged 300

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Mar 12, 2005 | 06:18 PM

300 4 ever

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From: Southern Illinois

Submerged 300

I'm getting ready to take the motor and tranny out of an early 80's model F-150 later this month. Its a 300 with a four speed. The truck has been sitting in a flood plane for the past 4-5 years with no hood and no carb. It has been submerged a couple of times and therefore it probably has some water in it. I was going to cut the motor mounts and cut out the front of the frame to pull it out, along with the tranny mount. Then unhook the driveshaft somewhere and pull it out the front. I'm hopeing the block and head are not cracked but I won't be able to tell until the tear down of the motor. What are the chances of the block and head being cracked? The outside of the motor looks good considering everything. Am I right by saying it needs to be magnafluxed to check for cracks? This is my first tear down/buildup, assuming nothing is cracked, and I live in southern Illinois so I know the water had to freeze sometime. Any input would be apperciated.

Mar 13, 2005 | 12:40 AM

Col Flashman

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From: La Verne, California

After being submerged even once, Your biggest worrie should be if the bloody thing is Rusted Solid inside, which is more than Likely the case.

Mar 13, 2005 | 02:10 AM

200000+F150

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From: Hendersonville, TN

Ditto that. I'd pull the head before bothering to pull the whole thing. A little rust can be overcome by soaking the cyls w/tranny fluid for a couple of weeks, but if there's very much then it's a boat anchor.

Mar 13, 2005 | 07:19 AM

cdherman

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From: Parkville, MO (KC)

There are rare old engines that I have heard of people salvaging after amazing ammounts of rust. The 300 is not one of them. For a first project, why not just go find an old tired one that is at least not siezed up and start from there?

Mar 14, 2005 | 12:20 PM

MRStace84

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My guess would be like the others, pull that head.. I bet what you see won't be pretty. Water that go into that motor through the intake and such would not drain out. Just lay in the motor and rust it.

Mar 14, 2005 | 07:05 PM

300 4 ever

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From: Southern Illinois

I will pull the head and see what it looks like. That way I can see what I am getting into. Its a shame the motor had to go through that, it deserves better. Thanks for the thoughts.

Mar 14, 2005 | 11:09 PM

Argo

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From: Sussex County, DE

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdherman

Do yourself a favor and listen to this man. There are hundreds of thousands of 300's in much better condition laying in the local u-pull it yards all around the country. Why waste the effort on one particular engine that has been decimated by the elements? Please do not take this as a condescending or insulting remark. I am by no means calling you stupid. I just would hate the thought of you (or anyone) wasting a ton of money and time on trying to overhaul a rotten hulk of an engine when tons of rebuildable cores (and even strong running mills) are languishing in the nation's boneyards, almost for free. You deserve better. The hell with what the engine deserves. I love the 300 as much as anyone, but unless you are a multi-millionare, money is tight. Why spend more than you need to for the same stuff?