Technical SBC block damage is it savable?

Wanted to ask y’all about using blocks that have threw a rod, has damage on bottom of 2 cylinders real good all together 4. It’s below the ring lines but not sure if it effects the piston skirt. What’s the rule of thumb on this? Nothing horsepower monster or anything.

 

There's a difference in the damage you can see with your eyes, and the damage you can't see. Could have a crack in the cylinder wall. That's my opinion

 

If you can have block PSI checked for cracks no water jacket leak,you can just clean up all ruff corners* an hone. Your good to go. But there are a lot of SBC blocks around an finding one with out damage should be fairly EZ.

 

I am with Dana,,,,there are a lot of SBC blocks around,,,very reasonable price too .
Does this block have any important significance to you,,,sentimental value ?

It has a lot of damage to the bottom of several bores,,,and it’s a 2 bolt main .
Assuming it hasn’t got a crack in some area that you can’t find ,,,,and even if it pressure checks good,,,it could end up costing more than it is worth .

I would weigh what it would or could end up costing,,,compared to a replacement block .
Good luck .

Tommy

 

I am with this ^^^^^^^^^^ If it is NOT then replace it be cheaper in long run or even short for that matter.. People are almost giving that style of block away.

 

Thanks guy that’s kinda where I was at myself. No value, was given to me and was gonna teach nephew on his first engine. I just never really had any dealings with anything other then a minor chip. Did manage to score a good set of 041 heads off it lol. Again thanks

 

Well, get something that resembles a piston (like an old piston) and put it in the bore, push it down so the top is at least 3.5 inches from the deck.

Now look up under it, skirts have full contact with the cylinder? If so, the die grind it up nice and smooth. Find more old/free parts and screw an engine together with the nephew.

 

If an heirloom, pressure test...if ok...sleeve it...

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

We'll just "guess" it's a 2 bolt 350 block? Based on the potential for stress risers where the breaks have occurred, it would be better to just find another block. Either that or let your machine shop give their opinion. JMO.
I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I was thinking it was just a teaching lesson to be put together and fired off on a stand.

 

If it passes a pressure test,I would clean it up and run it.
It's a early 2piece rear main,if it still is the 3.48 stroke you will be fine.
The later vortec 880 castings are 1/2 shorter on cylinder length.
Why, saving money I guess,the later blocks are difficult to stroke because of the cylinder length.
Even with the cagank you have more effective cylinder than a late model
Hope this is helpful

 

Make sure the heads haven't been beat to hell with the piston tops.... I'd send that block to the scraper and get another one.... But, that's just me.....

 

4" bore? 302 time?

 

Ask yourself this.......
Would you build your house on sand, no foundation, no piers...... just start construction on sand?

Teaching....

Would you teach someone to build on sand?

You have to build off the rock, a solid foundation. Without a solid foundation all work, the labor and the expectation ; which is the true cost, can be for naught .
I’m all for old time methods like in chassis overhauls, checking specs with feeler and mash gauges, valve lapping by hand or drill and doing minor trueing with a file. These methods are sound and are great skills but ( and it’s a big ..... but) you have to start with a sound foundation.

 

Besides the missing chunks the bores look scored and dinged. Hardly seems worth trying to save.

 

I'd have to agree that the only actual viable reason to try to save it is if it were indeed a special block and that would probably mean that it was out of a vehicle that you were helping him restore back to stone stock and it was one of those cars that the brand and model groups get real nitpicky on things like correct matching numbers.
The out of pocket cost to have it properly checked for cracks is going to be more than what a decent 350 core is going to cost.
Then if it does pass muster you or he get to spend a good number of hours rounding off all those jagged edges so they don't in turn create cracks. that is just time and some grinding stones or burrs but it is still time and bucks spent.
On the other hand you can't hurt it worse than it is already hurt by using it as a training aid and teaching him how to check and cut the ridges out of the cylinder walls if they are still there and how to hone the cylinders and other things where it may increase his comfort zone a bunch when he is doing it for the first time.

 

If you cannot answer yourself with dial bore indicator and such, take it to your machinist...