Friday excitement and a surprise

Drove my Epup to work Friday. It was running great with the new distributor and carb. However, 3 miles from home, I lost power and heard a very bad cyclical clatter... Uh oh! I got a tow home, assuming I'd biffed a rod.

Saturday, I started tearing it down for diagnosis. I pulled #1 spark plug and it is destroyed. I dropped the oil pan - Lo and behold - seven main bearings. I checked out the bottom end. No discernible end play, so thrust is OK. #1 con rod is a little "loose" but not so loose it would make the clanking sound I heard. Timing chain has about 3/4" slack. I decided to pull the head.

The first thing I saw when the head came off is the pistons are dished. My suspicions of my engine not being a 170 were now confirmed. The second thing I noticed are the top of #1 piston has the snot beat out of it and what I think are remnants of a valve seat.

So, somewhere along my trucks short road life (it's got 61,000 miles on the odo), someone swapped in a 200. the casting marks on the head suggests it's a 1965. That's what I ordered parts for anyway.

I hadn't planned on doing an in frame rebuild but this is what it's starting to look like.

Man, sorry to hear that...but it sounds like you've got a plan of attack for it. We'd love to see some pics as you go through it for future reference if we happen to run into the same situation. Good luck with your project.

Some days are better than others!

A little progress update. The engine is for sure a 200 and it's been bored .030" over according to the tops of the pistons.

The cylinder head went to a rebuilder in Sylmar called Cylinder Head Exchange. He didn't have an exchange for me, but luckily mine was in good shape core wise. New valve seats, guides, seals, etc. And six new exhaust valves  Two of the freeze plug holes in the intake manifold were too rotted out to take the new standard plugs, so he put the expanding neoprene type. Dennis and his crew there really seem to know their stuff - I recommend them. He had the head done in two days and the price was not outrageous.

I managed to score a single .030" oversize piston from Rock Auto. Everyone else wanted to sell a set. I got a full set of new rings so I decided all the cylinders were getting new rings. I put those in yesterday morning. While I had each piston and rod out, I noticed all of the top side rod bearings had worn into the copper. So all the rods are getting new bearings now.
I installed the new timing chain and gear set without incident. I did have to put a sleeve on the harmonic balancer because of the groove worn into it where the front seal rides. Maybe the timing cover will stay clean for a while now.

I used a hydraulic press to get the rod out of the old piston. I wasn't re using it, I figured I could risk damaging it. I installed the new one by heating the small end on the stove for a few (this will cause a smell, so if you do this wait til the wife is out). The amount of time heating it was the same as the time I spent rehearsing the process making sure I had the oil squirter facing the right way. Because you only get one chance. I got that part right, but came up a little short on the depth (hesitated, my bad). I wound up pulling it the last quarter inch using a 1/2" fine threaded bolt, a 1" bronze bushing, and some thick washers.

Now I'm an hold until I get the rod bearing set and the new lifters come in.

Pictures? I'm not doing pictures. I'm bad at it and there's plenty of good ones (and videos) out there.

Sounds like you dodged a bullet and it's going to be in fine shape when you get it back together.

Thanks!

I got it running last Sunday. It sounds much better now! I got the belly pan on and it fit perfect (Thanks No1 Rascal)!
Unfortunately, the house AC went "Tango Uniform" that afternoon, So I had to abandon finishing up and work on getting the house cooled down (new blower motor).

It's been too hot out here in the afternoons, so next Saturday morning I'll button it up and give it a test drive then change the oil filter.
My wife has a long list of truck honey-do's... mostly runs to the dump. I think I might stop by Winfield's (it's on the way) if they're open and see what's cookin' there. I want to see the Pacifica.

Back to the dump runs - 2 of the items that are going are a blue leather sofa and love seat. I'm thinking I may "skin" both of them and hold onto the fabric for re-use on the interior. I think I'd have enough to do the visors, headliner and doors- I've also got matching color door pulls from a Mercedes 300SD. I think it would look nice or at least different... I've never even attempted upholstery before, I may save up and take it to a shop.

I'd like to hear ideas and opinions on this. Heck, I may even take pictures of it then.

Smart thinking on saving the leather! Years ago I helped a buddy restore an Austin Healey MkIII. He wanted a brown leather interior and couldn't find the right shade and grain to save his life. Wanted the same color as what his neighbor had in his rec room on the sofa and loveseat. We went to look at it and the neighbor's wife said they were getting rid of it and getting new furniture. He got em both for $50! Had more than enough of some excellent quality leather to do the complete interior and more. The upholsterer said it was some of the nicest leather she had sewn in quite some time and that he probably saved himself $5-700 easily in just leather.