I'm posting this information to show what the results were from improper machine shop work, and how it was corrected by a experienced shop. This is a 1961 '519 block that was rebuilt by a inferior machine shop 1 1/2 years ago and waiting for assembly. It sat before the owner asked me to take over and finish his restoration, acquired a few months ago from a good friend in NY. I decided to have the engine completely rebuilt again as a short block, at my new(to me) machine shop locally here in Vero Beach Florida, American Cylinder Head, Inc. Lynn is a very experienced machinist and he gave me much advice when I had a nightmare with that '60 engine with identical problems with deck surfaces resulting in combustion gasses in the cooling system.
This '61 pictured below, had it's decks sanded on a flat table belt sander by that "other" shop, assembled as a short block, and given back to my friend. I didn't want to go through another nightmare with this one, and I told him I was bringing it to Lynn to rebuild from scratch. Lynn and Jarod rebuilt those '60 heads for me after I discovered similar improper work several months ago. Unfortunately, that '60 block never got back to ACH.
First up, I got a call from him saying that there was a problem with this '61 block. I took a ride over and he showed me what was inside the oil galleys. Rusted crud, never cleaned out from the other shop. And the lifter bores were a mess as well. As you can see, it's just like the '60 engine after first run when I drained the oil and found magnetic particles at the bottom of the oilpan.
Second up, he re-machined the block decks, in 3 passes of .004" each for a total of 0.012" to get them flat. He used blue dye to show telltale imperfections and "radiuses" in all edged surfaces. As you can see in the sequence of pictures, the blue disappears after machining in several stages.
Now that I have a "properly" rebuilt short block, I have confidence I'll get this one running without combustion gasses in the coolant.
Rich
Note, due to this site's link restriction in a post, you'll have to click to view.
oil galleys, etc
decking process
This '61 pictured below, had it's decks sanded on a flat table belt sander by that "other" shop, assembled as a short block, and given back to my friend. I didn't want to go through another nightmare with this one, and I told him I was bringing it to Lynn to rebuild from scratch. Lynn and Jarod rebuilt those '60 heads for me after I discovered similar improper work several months ago. Unfortunately, that '60 block never got back to ACH.
First up, I got a call from him saying that there was a problem with this '61 block. I took a ride over and he showed me what was inside the oil galleys. Rusted crud, never cleaned out from the other shop. And the lifter bores were a mess as well. As you can see, it's just like the '60 engine after first run when I drained the oil and found magnetic particles at the bottom of the oilpan.
Second up, he re-machined the block decks, in 3 passes of .004" each for a total of 0.012" to get them flat. He used blue dye to show telltale imperfections and "radiuses" in all edged surfaces. As you can see in the sequence of pictures, the blue disappears after machining in several stages.
Now that I have a "properly" rebuilt short block, I have confidence I'll get this one running without combustion gasses in the coolant.
Rich
Note, due to this site's link restriction in a post, you'll have to click to view.
oil galleys, etc
decking process
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