Loren Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 I got my engine back from the machine shop (been there since October thanks to COVID) and I am doing my usual inspections and thread chasing. On examination of the front end I noticed an obstruction in the space for the water distribution tube. With all the cleaning and tumbling the block had gotten something either fell in or shock loose. I tried fishing it out with a pair of needle nose pliers. After much playing around with it I finally twisted it and was able to get it out. It's about the length of a ball point pen. I first thought it was a piece of carburetor linkage but then once it was out I understood what it was. Can you guess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg51T&CWagon Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 a. Some sort of grease fitting? b. part of what someone repurposed to pull the water tube out in the past?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 remains of the casting process.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 Surprized they didn't find that when flushing the coolant passages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted August 30, 2020 Report Share Posted August 30, 2020 barrel of a pistol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loren Posted August 31, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2020 3 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said: remains of the casting process.... I take it to be a sprue. It is cast iron, which I figured after moving it around a little, so I was careful not to try to bend it. If I had snapped it, I knew I'd have a devil of a time to fish out the other piece. Usually you find wire in the water jacket but this is the first time I got something that substantial. Happily Chrysler gave us nice big water jackets. I can tell you, you'd never get a piece like that out of a Ford V8! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted September 5, 2020 Report Share Posted September 5, 2020 OK. So what do a sprue do? And do you now have a good water tube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loren Posted September 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2020 A sprue is a channel for air to escape the mold as the metal is poured in. They are usually cut off and remelted. This one originated in the water jacket somewhere and fell back in when it was "broken off" or otherwise separated from the casting. The water distribution tube pushed it into a corner where it had been for decades. Once the tube was removed it fell out and made its presents known by wedging near the opening for the WDT. Usually you find wire that held the core together in water jackets. The foundry rarely gets it all out. I make a point of looking for stuff like that. The machine shop pulled the WDT out and I replaced it with a stainless steel version. BTW The one I put in is going to be in there a very long time as I really had to hammer it home. It seems it needed a little more "forming" to slip in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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