hey folks. Been a while since I’ve been inside an engine case. Is there a quick and dirty guide to inspecting a pulled motor (prior to purchase)? Rotating crank, compression test etc.
Your thoughts are good as to what to look for. These days there are nice little inspection cameras. Some are cheap that hook up to a smart phone or tablet. With them you can look in the cylinders, exhaust and intake ports. Even look inside the cooling system. This one is less than $15. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterproof...=40110609059444687b45b3044a59888aa00cb4b2b43f
If you can't see/hear it run, or you can't take it completely apart and magnaflux and measure every part of it, don't pay more than core/s**** value for it. Other than that...good luck. If it turns, and there are not holes in the pan or loose rods, all the valves are where they belong, then it might or might not be a good engine. There might be clues, including indications of previous work, cleanliness, visible wear, slop, etc that will help you judge it. But in the end, you're gonna be taking a chance.
I have to agree with Jim 100% there. If you can't hear it run it is a rebuildable core. Unless it comes from a source that is known to be reliable. I wouldn't bat an eye at taking the word of a friend who owns a local wrecking yard on an engine's condition but a craigslist seller better have some do***entation. Last engine I sold as a runner I took the buyer for a ride in the car and then pulled the engine and delivered it to him.
For me, even if it runs doesn't necessarily mean it's good. Until it's been torn down and magnaflux, and specs ok for a rebuild, it's a **** shoot. I always ask for a refund if no good. Buyer doesn't want to do that, I don't bother and walk away. Ask me how I know!
Having bought & sold hundreds of used engines. I pull the spark plugs and look at them. If they are oil fouled you know its a oil burner. Wipe your finger in the oil fill if you get a gob of sludge its suspect. A bore scope and compression check can be helpful. jostle the crank back &forth to determine how much slack is in the timing chain &gears. Jan ist. of this year I bought two used engines that have been setting in a ramshackle shed for decades. One is a 62 390 ford T bird mill. The other a 56 GMC -(Pontiac 316) engine. I soaked the cyls and got them rotating. Pretty soon I will pull the oil pans and inspect for metal. and if it checks out I will fire them up. The spark plugs look ok. However any used engine is a gamble even one you can hear run. So never pay more than you can stand to lose.
After getting burned a few times I figure there’s got to be a better way . So here’s how I do it . Tell the seller I’ll show up with cash and I’ll tear the motor down right there . If it is what he says it is and what it’s supposed to be I’ll load it up and go. However if it’s not we will renegotiate if I choose and if we can’t reach a deal I’m leaving and not putting it back together . Then I ask him again are you OK with that. If he says yes we go look at it and if he says no there’s a reason. I figure it’s probably in need a a few gaskets anyways.
The last engine I sold was a 390" Cad. I knew it came from a friend's Cad, was pulled out to put in his other Cad. His wife was fooling around with an attorney, who advised her if she was kicking my friend out, make sure she got the pink slip to the shiny Cad! My friend got wind of this, did NOT replace the smokey tired engine, gave the recent rebuilt one to me. The attorney won her the divorce, and ended up with her...and a smokey, shiny Cad. I didn't need the engine, so I advertised it, a man and his little son came and bought it. He was concerned with buying a Cadillac engine 'in good faith', but gave me $550.00 for it, then called me up 2 months later. Thanked me very much, the engine went into a Fad T bucket, ran smooth as silk.
If it's a fresh pull at a wrecking yard you could get away with reading the plugs and check for sludge. If it's been laying around for awhile plan on dis***embly, inspection, maybe reringing and a fresh gasket set at best. I understand that v8 flatheads are prone to cracking in the deck surface so that's a gamble right there. Look for freeze cracks on the block if your up north. Either way, it's not like your going to toss some performance goodies on it and go. Unless, of course, the engine is guaranteed to be good.
I sold my fully build clean never fired 261 inline for what I had into it. To do that I pulled the oil pan and valve cover and told the buyers if they where willing to give me $40 bucks for a head gasket I would pull the head. I sold that engine for asking price. Unless it’s in the car and car be heard running, get it up to temperature etc. If you don’t know the seller take it as a good buildable core. Of course if it’s just a long block it’s one price A complete engine air cleaner to oil pan with manifolds brackets etc is worth more. But still just a buildsble core.
Thanks for all the input folks! I figure paying the going rate for s**** metal is a pretty good route to go. I think I’ll roll the dice on this one. Could be a small price to pay as entry into a hobby that may just last for years to come! Cheers!
Before you try and start a zombie engine. Pull the oil pan and check for sludge. pull the valve covers and be certain al the valves move up and down. Suspend a small gas tank and gravety feed the carb fuel that has a 1/2 pint of 2 cycle oil to each gallon of gas. That 2cycle oil will give it a top end lube.
This is my approach.i have a tool that cuts the top of the oin filter.pull.the pleated filter out..fold it up and set it in the vise and squeeze all the oil out of it Now pull it out to fully expand the paper.check for metal flecks or excessive sludge.its a cheap and easy way to check out a used engine.i do my own engines after every oil change to catch problems before they get serious. Sent from my SM-G960W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Jalopy Journal
