Cracked Block

[50 coupe]

I have an old 270 Poly I got from a junk yard several years ago that I finally got around to pulling apart. Found a cracked cylinder ( @ 1/8 inch) and piston with a hole. Can this be sleeved or is it too far gone to be rebuilt and usable?

[Plymouthy Adams]

I would have be very concerned that there is not more stresses in this block than the obvious shown...tanking this block once tore down and ultrasonic testing would be the ideal here to evaluate the block and see if it warrants the time and money....could be the reason it went to the junk yard in the first place.  Be sure the block has not been cut in the past and has necessary metal for clean up...lots of questions to answer before committing to the build.

[James_Douglas]

I would be more concerned about the amount of crap in the jackets from just looking at the photo. Since the cost per a sleeve is several hundred dollars done correctly, you can find a better core for that price.

 

James

[kencombs]

As others said, it would need to be stripped and cleaned at minimum to be able to tell its condition.    That crack is sort of unusual, at least IME.  Probably the result of a cylinder filled with water and frozen.  Last sleeves I had done, about 5-6 years ago cost a little over 150 buck to install 4, plus $60 each for the sleeves.  Those were dry sleeves that had to be bored out to remove, new pressed in and honed to size.  A little different that boring the block directly, but similar time required.

[Andydodge]

I agree with the others, unless the 270 is a must have engine I'd be passing on this one and either chase a better condition one or if you must have a Poly look at a later 318 A Series that Plymouth used till 1966, ideally find a 1962 to 66 engine as it has the easier to swap rear crank flange that suits the later A series engine/trans and still has the nice poly features....Chrysler Power Magazine in Texas have had air gap single 4 intakes cast up, finned rocker covers and all sorts of bits, cams, etc to suit the 57-66 engine........which can be made to look o/k, mine in my 1940 Dodge.......regards, andyd   

[50 coupe]

Ok, kinda what I thought. Not worth it. To the scrap yard with it then. Not easy finding a usable Poly or carbureted  LA small block  in central Indiana it seems. Any suggestions?

[wayfarer]

As said, take the time to clean everything before throwing it away, especially since you say it is difficult to find one.

 As to finding a 'poly' ask around , and don't forget that Fastenal ships small pallets very inexpensively...

[Plymouthy Adams]

I was hoping to ship some light weight but physically large items so I checked into Fastenal's TPS third party shipping and found it only to be cost effective if  you wish NOT to have any insurance added and assume all responsibilities for damage or loss.  The manner that they will insure involved crating that they must approve and for a larger items places this well beyond reasonable due to the trend in shipping x size equal x weight allotment even if  you are not anywhere near that weight, you still pay the offset.  All shipping companies include the PO now do this calculation to net higher returns to their coffers.  Small boxes may be better suited for them and or Greyhound.  

[Andydodge]

I'd be surprised if you couldn't find an A series Poly in old wrecking yards......would also be worth checking thru Chrysler Power magazine and contacting some of the various advertisers who may know of a poly..........from about 1961/62 these engine were the basic grocery getter engine and were summarily replaced with LA and big block engines as it was deemed too hard to hot them up............now of course they are getting thin on the ground but I'd think they will be out there............still might be worthwhile seeing if theres any hope for the 277 but with that damage I'd think it would be a doubtful proposition unless its for a numbers matching concours restoration............andyd

[Plymouthy Adams]

22 minutes ago, Andydodge said:

I'd be surprised if you couldn't find an A series Poly in old wrecking yards......would also be worth checking thru Chrysler Power magazine and contacting some of the various advertisers who may know of a poly..........from about 1961/62 these engine were the basic grocery getter engine and were summarily replaced with LA and big block engines as it was deemed too hard to hot them up............now of course they are getting thin on the ground but I'd think they will be out there............still might be worthwhile seeing if theres any hope for the 277 but with that damage I'd think it would be a doubtful proposition unless its for a numbers matching concours restoration............andyd

I would consider the stock 318 poly at 290 HP from the factory pretty much warmed up.....

[50 coupe]

1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

I would consider the stock 318 poly at 290 HP from the factory pretty much warmed up.....

That would be ideal for what I have in mind. I don't want to build a ground pounder and a Poly motor would be unique. I could call it a 'semi-hemi' and sound cool and all........

Edited August 5, 2019 by 50 coupe

[John32369]

If you lived near NC I have a 270 poly you could have

[Andydodge]

The standard  2 barrel 301 Poly had 200 to 215 hp, add a bore to 318 & add a single WCFB 4 barrel and you got 235 horses, add a pair of WCFB's and you got the 290 nedies......this was for 1957......for 1958 the same 2, 4 and 2x4 carbys setups gave 225, 250 and 290 again hp...........various cam and compression tweeks helped to get the Poly perculating.............for 1959 the 2 barrel was 230hp, the 4 barrel was 260 and the twin four was dropped...........the 2 barrel Poly continued till 1966, the single 4 Poly to 1962 or 1963, with 230/260 the hp ratings..........the interesting thing is that for 1957/58 the twin 4 DV800 318 Fury Poly engine made 290hp........yet when the 340 wedge came out in 1970 it also made 290hp but with a six pack.........interesting......lol..........I've had a twin 4 Poly intake twice.....the 1st time was in the 1970's and I ended up running Offy Cross ram adaptors with a pair of Holley 600's above each rocker cover.........see pic, sold that setup and have had the single 4 Weiand intake since as shown in the previous pic.........a few yrs ago I chased up another twin 4 intake and setup a pair of Edelbrock carbys etc as shown, but ended up selling that recently........the single 4 will do..........lol...............andyd      

[Plymouthy Adams]

another note Andy, per my Mopar factory engine book, the poly continued in "Canada" for the 67 production year.....last US poly was 1966 with the 318 LA introduced in 1967 for US market.  I just recently acquired a 1962 poly 318 that the man swears in blood is a very good runner....tranny problem in that particular car....I can only state it is complete, engine will turn by hand...ALWAYS A PLUS !!!!

Edited August 6, 2019 by Plymouthy Adams

[Andydodge]

Tim........yeh, I knew about the Canadian extra year but didn't want to confuse the issue........lol..........the 62 Poly you have obtained......can you confirm what trans it has?......cast iron or alloy Torqueflite?........thanks, andyd

[Plymouthy Adams]

alloy in 1962.....The 61 I think was the last cast iron body...I do have one of the cast iron pups complete with the emergency brake drum on the back...it is attached to a 360 four barrel small block.  Beast was in a 51 Dodge I parted out couple years back.

[Andydodge]

Reason I ask is that the Oz 1962 Royal like what I used does still have the cast iron trans which was obviously a carryover from the previous year and the last of the Oz Chrysler Royals.........andyd 

[50 coupe]

If you lived near NC I have a 270 poly you could have.

 

I appreciate that. Unfortunately I am here in Indiana so too long of a drive at this point, But, I will keep that in mind!

[wayfarer]

On 8/7/2019 at 1:53 PM, 50 coupe said:

If you lived near NC I have a 270 poly you could have.

 

I appreciate that. Unfortunately I am here in Indiana so too long of a drive at this point, But, I will keep that in mind!

Back to Fastenal.

I recently boxed up a rebuilt 330 and shipped it to a customer in the SF bay area.....less that $200........

2-sheets of OSB, 4-2x4's , a used pallet, a tube of construction adhesive and a hand full of screws..........

I built the same box and shipped an engine to a customer near Detroit for about $300.  It simply doesn't get any cheaper.

 

And, if you are thinking of a v-8 for your '50 then you'll need to check this out  https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lookey-what-i-got-for-a-project-hyfire-poly.360864/