Waking up a hibernating 327 small bock after a 22 year nap.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Waking up a hibernating 327 small bock after a 22 year nap.

LeeRoy · Guru

Sorry guys. Yes I have tried rotating it with the same result. About 330 deg rotation then a dead stop. Ditto in the opposite direction

65Camino · Uber Guru

if the cam is rotating the pushrods should be bouncing up and down.

67Poncho · Uber Guru

Hmmm.... sounds like corrosion in one cylinder? Did one of the plugs look rusty?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

It sounds like time to shove a camera into each cylinder. Either rusty as mentioned or something has made its way into one of the cylinders. Crazy as it sounds, a mouse can get in past an open valve on some engines. You never know...

LeeRoy · Guru

67Poncho wrote:
Hmmm.... sounds like corrosion in one cylinder? Did one of the plugs look rusty?

All the plugs looked good. No oil in coolant or viceversa.

LeeRoy · Guru

4SPEED427 wrote:
It sounds like time to shove a camera into each cylinder. Either rusty as mentioned or something has made its way into one of the cylinders. Crazy as it sounds, a mouse can get in past an open valve on some engines. You never know...

Engine sat as it was after it was last run. Carb was removed and intake sealed off. Only rodent access would be through exhaust. All the push rods move except a couple when the rotation stops. Lifter(s)stuck? No one agrees with my fuel pump theory? After 22 years should probably pull the motor and tear it down and refresh it? Dont want to ruin a small journal 327 screamer.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

The fuel pump is simple enough, maybe pull it off and see if the rod slides freely? I wouldn't use a 22 year old pump anyway, it's likely going to fail shortly if it's not already bad.

I should have explained the mouse thing, yes I meant in the exhaust valve. I saw this not long ago on an engine that had been sitting in a shed. Mouse nest in a cylinder on an engine with heads and an intake on it.

65Camino · Uber Guru

4SPEED427 wrote:
Mouse nest in a cylinder on an engine with heads and an intake on it.

It is a small block after all.

LeeRoy · Guru

Update. We have free wheeling rotation! Already had the rocker arms removed so injected copious amounts of ( weasel piss) aka auto trans fluid into the cylinders and 24 hrs later voila! Rotating assembly rotates freely by hand. So the plan is to re assemble the top end and see if it will fire off. In the mean time wondering exactly what engine I am dealing with? Casting on the heads is # 3782461. # on front deck of the block is 6621765 stamped. # on rear deck of the block is cast 3858180. Hoping its a good combo to revive and improve on. Was told its a fall of 1966 production. Its not original to the car. Car was born with a 283. Build date March of 1967.

65Camino · Uber Guru

Great news !

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

So the rings in one cylinder were hung up on rust?

LeeRoy · Guru

cdnpont wrote:
So the rings in one cylinder were hung up on rust?

It would seem so? Spins smoothly past 360 deg either direction

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

You may well already be aware but with your engine sitting that long you will want to get some oil circulating before you fire it. Probably easiest with a drill through your distributor opening.

LeeRoy · Guru

jmont64 wrote:
You may well already be aware but with your engine sitting that long you will want to get some oil circulating before you fire it. Probably easiest with a drill through your distributor opening.

Absolutely. A buddy has the drill device. Stupid question from an electrician. Could I not just spin it over with the starter with the plugs out, no fuel and ignition disconnected?

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

LeeRoy wrote:
jmont64 wrote:
You may well already be aware but with your engine sitting that long you will want to get some oil circulating before you fire it. Probably easiest with a drill through your distributor opening.
Absolutely. A buddy has the drill device. Stupid question from an electrician. Could I not just spin it over with the starter with the plugs out, no fuel and ignition disconnected?

Using a drill and spinning the oil pump to prelube the engine will get oil pumping through the passages prior to cranking the engine over. Prelube for a minute or so, put your distributor in and try starting it.

LeeRoy · Guru

seventy2plus2 wrote:
LeeRoy wrote:
jmont64 wrote:
You may well already be aware but with your engine sitting that long you will want to get some oil circulating before you fire it. Probably easiest with a drill through your distributor opening.
Absolutely. A buddy has the drill device. Stupid question from an electrician. Could I not just spin it over with the starter with the plugs out, no fuel and ignition disconnected?
Using a drill and spinning the oil pump to prelube the engine will get oil pumping through the passages prior to cranking the engine over. Prelube for a minute or so, put your distributor in and try starting it.

Thanks for the explanation re the oil pump. Have to pick up some intake and rocker cover gaskets, a new fuel pump, oil and a filter and some new coolant. Probably be a week or so till I get to try to start this sleeping mouse.

65Camino · Uber Guru

Should never start it dry. Prelube it to prevent scored bearings.