Winter 2020 (Now Spring 2023) 350 Fresh-Up Project

That would be me. Glad it helped some more Buick guys out.

 

Ordered Friday evening, arrived already! Now I just need an engine to bolt it to!

 

Well, I'll be! My perfect record of breaking at least one manifold bolt per head is broken. Maybe the curse is as well!

My method (gleaned from much advise and a few youtube videos) is as follows:

• Remove motor (LOL) from car for easier access (not optional with impact method)
• Soak in the penetrating oil of your choice a few days before. I used SeaFoam Deep Creep.
• Apply heat to head area surrounding bolt. This can be difficult with the center Siamese port in the car but possible with motor on stand.
• Tap bolt with hammer immediately after heating head/manifold.
• On through bolts, drop some wax on the back side of the bolt where it sticks out of the head.
• Apply lightest possible reversing impact to snug-fitting 6-point socket.
• If bolt does not move, change to lightest forward impact setting for no more than 2 seconds and repeat previous step.
• If all else fails, turn up the impact and resign yourself to the fact that it may not come out as a single bolt.

The gods of grease and rust were good to me today.

 

Nice work getting those bolts out in one piece! Good feeling when something goes just as you want it to! Hope the rest of your project goes smooth as well!

 

what happened to your engine?

 

Engine is getting freshened up with a few upgrades, converting to a 200-4R and had the rear gear changed to a 4.10. Reservation’s are made for Bowling Green, just need to get it all back and together for the drive. No aluminum heads though, budget wasn’t there.

 

that should be a great upgrade!!!

 

My best mod. You'll luv it too.

 

That's awesome

 

I tried heat and the tapping method as well. I knew instantly on a few of them that they'd break. The car sat for over 30 years only getting started once per year. That may have made it worse in my case. Either way the ones that came right out sure were nice. Im stoked for you. Drilling and tapping definitely sucked and made me nervous. Glad you didn't have to deal with that.

 

Yeah, I've usually had to fix at least one or two per job. This is an all original 71 motor with 91k. I don't think it ever had anything but oil changes, standard maintenance and tune ups done to it.

 

Well, there is a fair bit of sludge in the oil pan, maybe a little aluminum looking tint to some of it but for 92K miles, it doesn't look too bad on the top end.

However, I forgot to take the harmonic balancer bolt out while it was still in the car and my engine stand can't accommodate a manual flywheel. On top of that, my impact isn't breaking the bolt loose. I put a couple of flywheel bolts in and wedged me biggest screwdriver in there and the impact still can't budge it.

What's my next option?

The other two bolts that are giving me grief are the heat pipe on the driver's side head. They are rusted down to at least an undersize. 6-point 1/2 inch slips on them.

 

Huh, those heat stove bolts came out relatively easily for me. Of course my engine has "only" been together for 30 years and 50k miles...

I have the below tool which is good for breaking those stripped heads off, then you can use the drill. LOL. Actually now that I think about it, I used that on the broken off remnants that had already lost their heads. Not even sure it would fit on you stripped bolts? Maybe the vice grips?

https://www.amazon.com/ARES-70016-D...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Getting that balancer bolt off does take a LOT of force. Not sure how go after that with the engine out.

 

BFB & a BFP.

 

Hopefully this is just a photo thing, but looking at this picture it looks like there are cracks around the base of the forward exhaust port in the head?

 

If you can find longer Bolts with the same thread as the flywheel bolts, put 2 in , then a long pry bar leaning against them on opposite sides of crank. and the engine stand arms then get a big breaker bar on the crank bolt. Get some help holding engine stand just incase.

 

Is that tool able to grab on to a flush 1/2 hex head bolt? If so, I might give it a try.

I'll check it out but it is probably just where the penetrating oil and heat were applied to that bolt.

I've got a few bolts in the flywheel flange and my biggest Craftsman screwdriver in. I about turned over already twice trying to break the bolt loose. Impact just sits there and goes no where. I'd apply heat but I don't know where it would do any good with the front cover still in place.

 

I've never needed heat for this, just the biggest breaker bar and extension you have (as pictured LOL).

 

Well, finally had to use an old floor jack handle to get it to break loose. I'm also going to have to get a set number stamps. None of the rods are numbered.

Timing chain is all in one piece but a lot of slack. So far, so good.

What is the easy way to get the mains off? I've always just worked them back and forth but the thrust and rear are not moving very easily.

 

OK, heads are off. Low compression 71 motor. Anything obvious on the top end I should check out closely?

Things I observed:

• All the head bolts came out easily
• Lifters are worn about what I expected
• Not much visible ring groove for 92K
• Head gaskets appeared to have sealed well, not combustion leaks
• Lots of sludge on the top of the head gasket around the heat crossover
• Plugs weren't bad, didn't appear to be burning oil
• Valve springs have an orange/yellow paint on them
• Rockers looked OK
• Combustion chambers had a little carbon build up and some chalking on the exhaust valve

The bottom end is next. Taking most of it to the machine shop tomorrow or Tuesday to get checked out.