Winter is here
Well I finally broke down and called it quits for the season, it's just not warm enough to be comfortable driving the Essex.
So now working on the list of todo's begin.
I got all the parts for doing the cam and valve seals so pulled the motor and trans over the last couple days.
A little shocked at what I found when I opened the motor up, it's a real testament to how good and forgiving these old GM 350's are.
Valve seals are not going to fix these heads. I took the springs off 1 intake and 1 exhaust and found a minimum of an 1/8"side to side play in the valves. These heads are the very undesirable 624 casting, so will not gat any money spent on them.
Next I pulled the pan to check the bottom end, bearings all look good but I found a little pitting in #3 & 5 cyl where they sat for three years with a little moisture in the, nothing real bad and it will hone out easy. so I pilled all the pistons. This is where I got my real surprise, five of the eight pistons had broken top compression rings with two of them having the rings in more than four pieces, don't know how the cylinders aren't scored. Engine is twenty over, pistons look good, so I'm going to hone the bores put in new rings and find a set of heads.