Broken block or poor casting??

[JDEstill]

Did you look at the link to the photo guide that NUTS4LC2 posted? It shows pics of your block and identifies it as an early 4.1L block ('80 is what is shown in the photos). In the early blocks they cast that area kinda thin and then just knocked out the oil drainback holes. For 86/87 that area was thicker and they drilled out the drainback holes instead. So what you've got is normal. Those early blocks do have some smaller oiling passages though if I remember right.

John

 

[fullahotair]

yeah I saw the thing about that casting for a 4.1 Block, however I have also seen that the same casting was used for a 3.8. To further support that, this block has "3.8" cast into it. I haven't ripped the whole engine down yet, but I have doubts the pistons are for a turbo app as it appears the dealer who put this engine in under warranty for the previous owner, was looking to cut corners already as indicated by the non-85 components. I'll probably just figure on keeping my eye for an 86/87 engine for a conversion....


Nathyn