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Need help with an engine problem

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    Posted: Apr/16/2014 at 2:36pm
I have a '69 Javelin with a 343 engine. A long time ago (my guess,10 yrs) I took the heads off the engine to get them rebuilt. I covered the short block with a fender cover and got busy on redoing my AMX. I have since sold the AMX and wanted to get the Javelin running. When I removed the fender cover, I found that even though the car was stored in my garage, mice had set up home in the intake valley. I have gotten all of the damage taken care of, other than 1 cyl. getting rusty on the lower side of the bore. I have tried using scotchbright and it made the cyl. shine other than where the rust is. When I run my finger over it, it still feels rough. What would be your suggestions? Thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote whizkidder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/16/2014 at 2:45pm
Hard to say without knowing the exact depth of the rust pits, and their location with respect to the travel of the rings in the bore. If below the rings, you might get by as is by honing the rust down to the surface of the metal. However, if it is rusty in the ring travel area, it may need to be bored, or at least that cylinder sleeved and bored to fit the existing piston.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amxdreamer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/16/2014 at 2:59pm
You have no idea were those little buggers traveled and urinated etc. as they can get into REALLY small spaces. I would pull it, tear it down and check it all while apart. New bearings are cheap and you might get away with a hone, some rings and a gasket set. Spend a ton of time with some rifle brushes cleaning every oil passage etc.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote THE MENACE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/16/2014 at 3:48pm
Originally posted by amxdreamer amxdreamer wrote:

You have no idea were those little buggers traveled and urinated etc. as they can get into REALLY small spaces. I would pull it, tear it down and check it all while apart. New bearings are cheap and you might get away with a hone, some rings and a gasket set. Spend a ton of time with some rifle brushes cleaning every oil passage etc.
 
Good advise, X2 on above!!
 
You might find more problems (non mouse related) or wear that needs to be addressed while you are in there.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boris Badanov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/16/2014 at 5:35pm
Overhaul it...
 
Mice and moisture are a bad thing.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncljohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2014 at 7:03am
To answer your question as best as I can, obviously AN answer is a full rebuild, all new parts, hone and or rebore, have the block tanks and yadidi yadidi and yadadi.  That is an easy answer.
On the other hand many years ago under different circumstances and a different engine I put an engine in that had rust damage in a cylinder and that cylinder was cleaned out, using a wet dry sand paper sanded with probably 200 or so and then 400 or so (it was a long long time ago) and some light oil like WD-40 and assembled and a lot of miles were put on it. So if you have a HONE and some wet dry paper and some time and all you want to do is make it work. My guess is you can.  A decent set of basically cast iron rings are probably in order but maybe what you have would work just fine.
Your engine, your decision and if you get done it goes vroom vrioom you win and if it doesn't if you don't care, don't worry about it.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FSJunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2014 at 12:14pm
Mouse piss is just about the most corrosive chemical on Earth...

Short of the crap KDOT spreads on the roads around here 6 months out of the year. I swear it is pure sulfuric acid.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Boris Badanov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2014 at 12:31pm
Here in NH it's a diabolical mix of salt, sand and calcium chloride.
Add to that our rain forrest like weather and few cars last more
than 10 years on the road.
 
I have four cars over 10 years.
A 1992 Corsica (last winter was it's first ever on the road)
A 1994 Chevrolet Z-28 (never seen the road in winter, and it's for sale)
A 2000 Mecury sable wagon (California car till last year)
And a 1974 AMC V8 Gremlin :-)
 
My 2006 Dodge Dakota has seen 8 wintahs and is disintegrating :(
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wrambler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2014 at 3:01pm
If it is a ring of light pitting, crescent shaped. You can even get by with dropping the piston to the bottom of the bore and running a ball hone with lots of oil. you can build a damn of petroleum jelly to keep any flakes abouve the piston top then carefully scrap it off when done.
   You may notice some oil use, perhaps that cyl may oil the plug a bit. Maybe even need to clean it once and a while. But, I'd bet it will run ok.
   When you have a scratch running vertically up the bore is when you loose all compression. a Sideway collection of small pitts does not allow as much compression and oil to pass.

  If the heads are off? I'd pull it. If it's all good but that one bore, get it baked, boiled and a sleeve with new cam bearings etc; You'll know what you have then and probably not totally break the bank. cast iron rings a pretty cheap and seat in fast. We're just talking a lowbuck build.

  On the negative side; if the mice were at home in the valley, what's the cam look like?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Xplorer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2014 at 3:12pm
Originally posted by uncljohn uncljohn wrote:

To answer your question as best as I can, obviously AN answer is a full rebuild, all new parts, hone and or rebore, have the block tanks and yadidi yadidi and yadadi.  That is an easy answer.
On the other hand many years ago under different circumstances and a different engine I put an engine in that had rust damage in a cylinder and that cylinder was cleaned out, using a wet dry sand paper sanded with probably 200 or so and then 400 or so (it was a long long time ago) and some light oil like WD-40 and assembled and a lot of miles were put on it. So if you have a HONE and some wet dry paper and some time and all you want to do is make it work. My guess is you can.  A decent set of basically cast iron rings are probably in order but maybe what you have would work just fine.
Your engine, your decision and if you get done it goes vroom vrioom you win and if it doesn't if you don't care, don't worry about it.

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