401 needs a little...help.

[aallison28]

I got a 401 that was reciently rebuilt .030 over. Actually I bought it in a Waggie parts jeep. THe PO told me the motor was built for a mud truck and only had a couple passes before he got it. The mud truck dude just wanted more power. So Waggie guy just ran out of money getting it installed. I've never heard it run, neither has the waggie dude. Anyway, it's been sitting for a while. I pull the oil pan and intake manifold and see some...ookie stuff. So I pull the heads and the walls of the cylinders have a fresh cross hatch. THe motor also had a brand new felpro gasket set.

BUt it appears, the ambient moisture (or some muddy water) in the air has gotten in and caused a little surfact rust to form. It also has some....thick muddy looking stuff in the cylinders. BUt it cleans off with a good cleaning with WD-40 and a rag. Same with the heads. THer was also some of the gunk in the oil pan. So I'm betting it got in the oil pump as well.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc19/aallison28/401%20build%20picts/102_0524.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc19/aallison28/401%20build%20picts/102_0528.jpg

After a little rag and WD-40 work
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc19/aallison28/401%20build%20picts/102_0538.jpg

Right now, I'm thinking I need to take the valves out and give them a good cleaning in the parts washer and reassemble the head. Then take the pistions out and......what, hone the cylinders? Then give everything a good cleaning and reassemble the bottom. SInce it's already 030 over, I don't want to bore it anymore. And I don't think it needs it.

I'm real good at following directions and I have several shop manuals from Jeep that I can follow.

Or how much would it cost me to take to a machine shop and have the lower end done? Couple hundred to pull everything, clean and replace as needed?

I'd rather do this myself if I could. I have never really worked on motor internals but I have always done my own work on the cars.

What do you guys think?

[jeepsr4ever]

Definately savable! I would dissasemble and check the bore and clean everything at a minimum. You COULD...I mean COULD turn it over by hand and really hose is down with wd40 and run it if everything is fine but now you have a little rust abrasive in the ring lands.

[tufcj]

I'd definitely pull the pistons and possibly replace the rings, with a quick ball hone of the cylinders. You probably have rust in the ring lands that will need to be cleaned out. Like MC said, it's VERY abrasive. With the head off, pour a little gasoline in each valve pocket. If none comes thru to the cylinder side, the valves are sealing fine.

Definitely a salvageable motor. Looks pretty good just with the cleanup you did.

Bob
tufcj

[aallison28]

Thanks guys. I know it can be saved but I want to make sure it's done right.