cylinder wall pits

[64dartgt]

I am just lucking out with my 73 charger.  It had been idle for about 8 years.  Fired it up after replacing the whole fuel system and it seemed to run okay, but the 904 was shot.  Rebuilt the 904 and the 318 developed low oil pressure.  The shop put some motor flush in it, but all it did was trash the motor apparently as after they changed the oil pump and pickup it developed a bad bearing.  Picked up a "rebuilt" 71 340 off ebay for $1000.  Heads are new, but someone just reringed it.  The shop is saying the bores are too pitted to run and that I should bore it.  I am willing to go that route, but man this thing is killing my wallet!  How much pitting is too much?  They said the back yard hone that was done is pretty poor.  Do I need to be concerned about removing too much metal if I decide to just hone it out again and ignore the pits?  This will just be a driver and I am not concerned about the last ounce of HP.

Thanks,

Bob

[The70RT]

I guess you wouldn't know till you ran it. The pitting will allow oil to stay in the pits then be burned, so it will be about oil consumption. I would mic the cylinders to see what's up with it.

[64dartgt]

I didn't get a chance to see it yet, but will go down Monday.  These days a 340 block isn't cheap, so I don't feel bad about what I paid for it, especially as it has rebuilt heads (596 casting, if I recall correctly).  Since I don't have to do the heads, rebuilding the rest of it will be a little cheaper, but I think it will still be $2K or so, including parts and machining.  However, this is my first rodeo getting a rebuild.

[64dartgt]

Ouch.  Checked out the pitting.  Pretty bad in about every other cylinder.  Looks like the engine sat with the heads off for a while and got rusty.  Good news is that the pitting isn't that deep, but definitely needs to be bored out.  Hopefully that is all it is and there are no more surprises.  Checked out the heads and they are totally rebuilt 596 castings with what looks 2.02 valves.  Hopefully the lower end it tight and the block is good, but I have to wonder if they even touched the lower end if they just reringed it.  Probably not, so I might as well have them do it right since it will be apart and at the machine shop.   

[The70RT]

Ouch.  Checked out the pitting.  Pretty bad in about every other cylinder.  Looks like the engine sat with the heads off for a while and got rusty.  Good news is that the pitting isn't that deep, but definitely needs to be bored out.  Hopefully that is all it is and there are no more surprises.  Checked out the heads and they are totally rebuilt 596 castings with what looks 2.02 valves.  Hopefully the lower end it tight and the block is good, but I have to wonder if they even touched the lower end if they just reringed it.  Probably not, so I might as well have them do it right since it will be apart and at the machine shop.   

Sounds good. You only want to do it once 

[Cooter]

Sounds like your alot like myself when it comes to this type thing and having it bite you in the a$$....Get the entire engine gone through, even the heads. You never know, they couylda been done as badly as that "hone" job...

[Patronus]

Is that in internally or externally balanced 340? Either way, I'd get the short block balanced and save you the headache

[64dartgt]

It's a 71, so internal I believe.