I tore down my 330 Desoto Hemi the other day to get it ready for the machine shop. The cylinder walls looked good. The rod bearings looked like they could go another 50K and same with the main bearings. The crank looked perfect. When I pulled the main bearing caps something looked odd in the bolt holes. Stuck a wire in the bolt hole and WTF do I pull out, SAND. Coarse grit sand like used in a blast cabinet. I go to the next bolt hole, same thing. All the main bearing caps had sand in the bolt holes. How did the number one enemy to a motor get into my block? Any one else ever find crap like this in there block?
Who cleaned the block before it was assembled last? Had it been reworked since sent off the assmebly line? I have my second engine assembly in my hands and reputation. Look to avatar. After receiving the block from the machine shop, I used a coat hanger tool to stab thru coolant passages and head bolt holes to attempt to hit any leftover core sand and residual rust in the water gallery of a SBC. The carwash trip with the same coat hanger born tool and the wand reveiled a bunch of rust flakes and core sand that would've changed cooling capabilities of the machined block along with washing out any unknown machining junk and shit and stuff that would shred bearings while having been left in the oil galleries. How much do you know about it and what happened?
Before assembling any engine I always use soapy water and an assortment of bottle brushes to clean out every area of the block, then blow dry with compressed air. Usually get about a table spoon crap you don't want inside of your engine.
It's typical to find sand from the casting process in water jackets and what not. Found pieces of wire as well. Not heard of it in threaded holes, but I suppose it's possible. Good cleaning and inspection and you'll probably find everything is fine. Things were quite a bit different back in the day, and yet they built some amazing engines! Interesting find...
Never thought to put a magnet to it. It looked like sand, smelled like sand, and taste like sand. It looks just like the coarse grit Black Beauty I use for sand blasting. The block has already left for the machine shop, so too late for magnet test.
The first motor I built, more years ago than I care to remember, was all assembled, running, in the car, and for some reason I pulled the fuel pump. I reached inside the block to pull the fuel pump push rod and came back with a finger full of oil and metal shavings from the machining process! I sold the car.
A friend of mine wraps his engine blocks in a couple of burlap bags and rolls them down a hill in his yard! It helps to knock loose any casting sand left in the block. Then a final wash and scrub before the block is boiled out. ready for a complete rebuild.
The Jalopy Journal
