Always a good idea to Magnaflux the block.......

[turbodave231]

Here is an engine I recently disassembled. The pictures tell only part of the story. Blown head gaskets and 6 bent con rods......but the engine ran before it came apart.

 

[turboclam]

Wow

 

[750H.P.V6]

Looks like time for a new one.

Neal

 

[blackgn1]

Wonder if that was crank flex? Another 109 bites the dust.

 

[Grumpy]

Been there an done it... People would always question a "mag" job on the block , crank, and rods.. It was part of my build process. Only had one 9k mile block that was cracked BUT it ran fine with a little knock up top. Cranks we had a few along with the rods.. ALWAYS do this before ya tie up some $$$$ in an engine.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

But guys are going 8's with stock blocks. Was this block going 7's? Check everything before building.

 

[m233roller]

Yup, I always mag. everything. Why put all that time and money in something that may be cracked??

 

[turbodave231]

I was looking closely at the main caps today......guess what? Found a crack in the #3 main cap too!!!! This engines was ready to launch the crank out the bottom!!!!! I'll post up a picture of that too.

 

[turbo nasty]

Recently had a used long block that was checked out in our club that had cracks very similar to this.

 

[BEATAV8]

What was that motor doing when it was running?

 

[turbodave231]

Steve,

I don't know exactly how the engine was being run, this was a "core" short block I took in on an engine build. I know that the engine blew headgaskets on 2 separate occasions. The last HG's were the RJC "blow proof" gaskets. The 2 center mains also show severe fretting (you can't see that too well in the pictures)

Just goes to show the destructive force of detonation. Bad thing are gonna happen when detonation occurs!! I feel that steel main caps would not have prevented the damage to the block. The steel caps would survive, but the cracks in the block tell the real story.

 

[BEATAV8]

Steve,

I don't know exactly how the engine was being run, this was a "core" short block I took in on an engine build. I know that the engine blew headgaskets on 2 separate occasions. The last HG's were the RJC "blow proof" gaskets. The 2 center mains also show severe fretting (you can't see that too well in the pictures)

Just goes to show the destructive force of detonation. Bad thing are gonna happen when detonation occurs!! I feel that steel main caps would not have prevented the damage to the block. The steel caps would survive, but the cracks in the block tell the real story.

I bought a used short block a few years ago. I knew it was a good runner and that it had made some decent power. I tore it down and had it magna-glowed and check for deck flatness and such. Fortunately it was in great shape but looking back on it now.... wow what a risk! Buying a used motor can be a mess! Don't think I would do it again....

 

[TurboBob]

................ Buying a used motor can be a mess! Don't think I would do it again....

Me neither...... My shortblock project started as a "good, used shortblock, just needs a little freshening", sigh......

Bob

 

[trbojo]

Those look like the same cracks on my #2 register. My shortblock was machined and ready to be assembled, and the guy calls me and tells me he has bad news, he found a crack. I go off on him, because he told me he had checked it weeks ago, and he says "well the crack isn't in a spot where they normally crack". I can get you a used block for $700. I'm really starting to smell the bullshit here.

 

[gnfanatic]

At least he told you. He could have built it that way and you might have never known.

 

[m233roller]

Yeah, good he found it now, BUT !! $700 for a 109 block?? I smell a RAT !!!

 

[trbojo]

Yeah, good he found it now, BUT !! $700 for a 109 block?? I smell a RAT !!!

Exactly. And when I asked him about a n/a block he told me they're different which I hear from here is BULLSHIT.....

 

[gnfanatic]

The 3.8 na block is different when it comes to strength. lifter valley is not as strong as well.

 

[tonysmach]

That was my block. No it did not run 7s. The story would sound better if I did...lol. The story is I bought a nice solid GN and had no way of knowing that the engine was beat up. I had never taken it to the track, only driven on the street and taken to car shows. After the second blown HG I decided it was time to rebuild. The rebuild turned into more like a new engine. Thanks to Turbodave231, I now have a forged stroker. See my avatar for picture. I am just glad I decided to pull the engine.

 

[gnfanatic]

I didnt know TurboDave sold stroker kits