Classic 44 Year old, seized, corroded V8 rebuild thread.....

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If i remember correctly the 3.5 gudgeon pins are a press fit into the conrod and the gudgeon pin bears on the piston. They need to be pressed in or out. With the amount of water damage i would say if the pistons are seized to the gudgeon pins they are scrap.There was a tool for removing pins and refitting pistons to the conrod. But it's a long time ago since i have done any 3.5s.
they are pressed in to con rod,and piston needs supporting carefully otherwise it will distort
 
After a bit of time, and careful work the pins finally removed.

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Spent the next couple of hours in the spirit washer and scrubbed with some Scotch Brite and a tooth brush.

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Don't use a wire brush on the piston else you'll damage them....After scrubbing with Scotch Brite, they were placed in the soft jaw lathe and spun with Scotch Brite pad to polish them up a bit......then I hit my thumb on the chuck of the lathe....WHICH FECKING HURT.......

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Next up is to remove the old piston rings and clean the grooves....

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My thumb really hurts!!!...Only took a chunk out of the tip, but still enough to bleed like feck and for me to swear profusely!
 
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Same....

I was spinning up the pistons in the lathe and running the Scotch Brite pad over them when I got my thumb to close to the spinning chuck and mashed the end my thumb.....

Luckily I cleaned the blood of the Piston before I went and bandaged it up!
 
"Gotta figure a way to get the old rings out.....they are stuck fast!!!"

electrolysis ?

i was wondering, with a tub big enough to set the block in, would electrolysis have worked to free off the the pistons and gudgeon pins in one hit.

maybe a bit 'heath robinson' but from the chemistry of it it would theoretically work would it not ?

With the piston rings a small tub could be put together easily ? again with the chemistry of it it would theoretically work ?
 
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If this engine is recovered. i seriously want Ant to have the honour of first starting and think it should be on video too.

Also, when the Suffix A is done, Ant gets first crack behind the wheel too !

Edit to add.. second thought.. i'll put Ant as an additional named driver on the policy !
 
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I have a ring removal tool, thanks for the offer, but the rings are so well seated and stuck in, that there is no discernible gap to get anything in to spread the ring, not even a tiny punch or drift...I even sharpened a small watch makers screwdriver to a very fine blade and still no joy in getting in the tiny gap.....very mindful not to damage the land or groove....

I am desperately trying to save this engine, I think it can be done, and whilst I have rebuilt a few V8's I have never done one this seized, caked in corrosion or been left for so long with the spark plugs out allowing the world into the bores!!

once I get the rings out, it is time to turn attention to the heads.....which I think is the part I am really not looking forward to, as the valves, guides, seals and seats are no doubt shot.....

I have looked through our machine tools and I don't have a 46deg cutter of the right size to clean the valve seats, so hoping they are not too shot and can get way with a good scrubbing.....The LR tool for valve seat cutting is not a stock item, lead time is after Christmas and is about £140....

https://jlrequipment.service-solutions.com/en-GB/Pages/ItemDetail.aspx?itemID=47239&catID=331790

So that's out.....with luck they aren't burnt, pitted or cracked.....looking at how the rest of the engine has cleaned up not to bad, it is hoped the heads will do the same.

Researching other makes of 46deg cutters....America looks like the most common place for them

Once the heads are stripped....time for a cleaning spree...
 
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