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'50 Coronet engine cracked.


librado65

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3 hours ago, Doug&Deb said:

With the Gyromatic it’s important to keep your carb and distributor especially if you find an engine from a different application. You just need a good short block. All of the ancillary components can be taken from the original engine.

Thanks this info made me feel alot more educated now knowing whats important when considering a replacement

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23 hours ago, librado65 said:

 

Do you know if it'll bolt up to my gyromatic transmission? 

 

Another interesting thing that's come to my attention as I'm on the search for a replacement engine. On the "flathead 6" facebook group that Ive posted up...One guy stated that Studebaker shared the same block from 1939-1954. Can anybody confirm that? Its just interesting to me

The Studebaker engine was designed by the same group of engineers. It does look very similar but I don't believe anything interchanges.

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3 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

The Studebaker engine was designed by the same group of engineers. It does look very similar but I don't believe anything interchanges.

 

Yeah one of the guys from the FB group clarified that...studebaker block does not interchange with mopar block. Thanks for also confirming

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Today was Sunday and I spent the evening draining the fluids out of the cracked and old engine.

 

When I unplugged the oil drain...what looked to be radiator coolant came gushing out first before the oil. I also drained the coolant from the radiator as well too and noticed rust sediments from the radiator hose that connects to thermostat.

 

I had watched a video posted by @keithb7 awhile ago on his YouTube channel where he talked about draining the block. Now Im starting to realize why my engine cracked and exploded on me in the middle of the highway. I would change fluids but never drain the actual block. Here's the video link in case anyone wants to know what Im talking about. 

 

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3 hours ago, librado65 said:

 

I had watched a video posted by @keithb7 awhile ago on his YouTube channel where he talked about draining the block. Now Im starting to realize why my engine cracked and exploded on me in the middle of the highway. I would change fluids but never drain the actual block. Here's the video link in case anyone wants to know what Im talking about. 

 

 

 

Thanks for watching my videos.  I suspect there may be a misunderstanding. You don't need to drain your block on a frequent basis. It is a good practice to drain coolant and flush your block every 2-3 years or so. The passages that I refer to in my video are cooling passages. The water or other coolant, circulates inside the block. This area is not part of the crankcase or combustion areas of the engine.  The  block coolant passage area is prone to rust and scale build up as shown in my video. It causes overheating problems if left ignored for half a century. Which is indeed often the case that many of us are dealing with these days.

 

My understanding is your crankcase, which holds the engine oil, may have been diluted by gasoline. Highly flammable stuff. Somehow the explosive gasses in your crankcase ignited and caused an explosion inside the crankcase. I can see how this indeed could split a block, causing massive destruction. 

 

A well worn, tired engine, that may be over-fueled, with dead cylinders maybe not firing, with a carb float stuck open, could have raw fuel going past the piston rings into the oil pan area. Also known as the crankcase area.  The gasoline there gets hot, and evaporates. Now you've got all the ingredients for a laboratory explosion.

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36 minutes ago, librado65 said:

Oh man Ive had a stressful week at work...and now Im stressed out even more because I havent been able to find any engine locally. Ive been asking around with friends and their friends. ? Just my luck smh

Why are you stressed? This isn't a contest,and you are not going to die if you don't find an engine this week.

 

Keep looking and sooner or later you will find one close enough to go get that will be at a reasonable price.

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On 7/29/2021 at 4:27 PM, librado65 said:

So theres a guy out in Alabama who says he has 1959 230 engine that turns over and "feels good" from his deceased fathers shop. 

 

He provided these pictures of the numbers on the engine. Can anybody confirm its a 230 with these pictures? 

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Does anybody know anything about shipping engines? I'm interested in buying this engine in Alabama but have never shipped something as big as an engine. I am also not familiar with what prices I should be paying to ship. 

 

Engine pickup would be Trinity, Alabama 35673 to delivery Sebring Fl 33875

 

I spoke to guy over the phone. He's an older guy who said his deceased father had a shop. He even invited me out to Alabama to go over to search through all the parts such as generators, starts, carburetors his father still has laying around the shop. But he told me the engine has been kept in shop since his father took it out a vehicle and it turns over. Feeling kind of excited now.

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FWIW, when I bought my 230 last year I had it shipped from French Lake, WI to San Angelo, TX for $225.  But that was from a wrecking yard, not sure how that would affect the pricing.  I did need lift gate service, which can be an extra cost. 

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4 hours ago, librado65 said:

 

Does anybody know anything about shipping engines? I'm interested in buying this engine in Alabama but have never shipped something as big as an engine. I am also not familiar with what prices I should be paying to ship. 

 

Engine pickup would be Trinity, Alabama 35673 to delivery Sebring Fl 33875

 

I spoke to guy over the phone. He's an older guy who said his deceased father had a shop. He even invited me out to Alabama to go over to search through all the parts such as generators, starts, carburetors his father still has laying around the shop. But he told me the engine has been kept in shop since his father took it out a vehicle and it turns over. Feeling kind of excited now.

I shipped a engine and transmission from a 37 Dodge 2 ton truck from NC to Texas a couple of years ago,and used  the service provided by a company that specializes in selling nuts,washes,bolts,etc,etc,etc named "Fastenal" . I don't care where you look,you will not find a cheaper reliable source.

 

The downside is they don't pick up or deliver. The upside is they have stores all over the place,even small cities.

 

At a minium,you will have to strap it down to a pallet so they can load it and unload it from their trucks using a forklift.

 

I built a crate to ship the complete engine and trans in because I didn't want anybody stealing parts off the complete engine while the truck was parked at a truck stop somewhere.

 

You take the engine to a local store where they can use their forklift to unload it,and when they have a truck coming it that is going in the direction you shipping it,they will load it and ship it off. When it gets to where yuo send it,the local store will call the guy you shipped it to and have him come pick it up. Once again,they will load it in his truck for him,

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Every shipper of anything that heavy will require it to be on a pallet at minimum.  That is so it can be handled with a forklift.  Some will also require a full enclosure.  If your shipper does, be sure to make the box sturdy as they will probable be stacking other items on it.

 

That is a good idea anyway to prevent damage to the distributor and carb, if they are on it

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On 7/30/2021 at 9:47 PM, librado65 said:

Found another potential engine...its in Minnesota. Guy says it has 38k on it and off a military fire truck. He's asking $800 for it plus shipping. Is that a good price? 

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Been doing some research on this Dodge m37 military 230 engine. The horsepower and rpm for the military engine is lower then engine that was originally intended for the car. If I wanted to put the military engine into the car, the lesser weight of the car would offset the horsepower and rpm of the military engine? Am I correct in that theory? 

 

Dodge 1950 - 1953 with 1 Barrel Carb (for passenger cars)

Max Brake Horsepower: 103 @ 3600 rpm
Max Torque: 190 @ 1200 rpm
Stroke: 4.625
Bore: 3.25
Compression: 7.0

 

vs 

 

Dodge M37 Specifications

Model: T245 Dodge.

Type: "L" Head, 6 cylinder.

Power: 78 bhp (58.2 kW) at 3200 rpm.

Displacement: 230 cu in (3.8 L)

Bore: 3+1⁄4 in (82.6 mm), Stroke: 4+5⁄8 in (117 mm)

Oil capacity: 6 US qt (5.7 L)

Radiator capacity: 25 US qt (24 L)

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Also been looking into shipping...freight shipping has gone up like crazy. Im getting quotes from $800 and up to ship. The cheapest I found was $500 but the engine would have to be secured and on a pallet ...and dropped off at a terminal which one of the sellers told me he would not be able to do due to his age. 

 

I was originally thinking of engine located in Alabama ...I was thinking of renting a UHaul. The only issue was seller said he did not guarantee it to run and its been sitting since his father passed away. He was asking $400 for it. But after talking to my dad he said the military engine might be a better choice since seller says it has only 38k on it and was rebuilt previously. Seller wants $800 for it. Shipping would be about $900 with it being in Minnesota. Im beginning to lean towards my dads advice on the military engine. 

 

Decisions. 

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4 minutes ago, librado65 said:

 

Been doing some research on this Dodge m37 military 230 engine. The horsepower and rpm for the military engine is lower then engine that was originally intended for the car. If I wanted to put the military engine into the car, the lesser weight of the car would offset the horsepower and rpm of the military engine? Am I correct in that theory? 

 

Dodge 1950 - 1953 with 1 Barrel Carb (for passenger cars)

Max Brake Horsepower: 103 @ 3600 rpm
Max Torque: 190 @ 1200 rpm
Stroke: 4.625
Bore: 3.25
Compression: 7.0

 

vs 

 

Dodge M37 Specifications

Model: T245 Dodge.

Type: "L" Head, 6 cylinder.

Power: 78 bhp (58.2 kW) at 3200 rpm.

Displacement: 230 cu in (3.8 L)

Bore: 3+1⁄4 in (82.6 mm), Stroke: 4+5⁄8 in (117 mm)

Oil capacity: 6 US qt (5.7 L)

Radiator capacity: 25 US qt (24 L)

i am no authority on this,but I SUSPECT you could change the camshaft and up the compression ratio and have car specs out of the military truck engine. If you had ever been in the military you would know everthing is geared superlow and most convoys move at 45 mph on the open road due to the low gearing more than the lower horsepower. The military is more concerned with pulling weight up hills and through mud than freeway speeds. Even the trucks that will run 65-70 mph have governors on. The old GMC 6X6 2.5 TON trucks are a good example of this. We had one in our camp in VN that had the governor removed or tinkered with,and it would almost run 70 mph wide open. A feature that came in handy on PX runs from Kontum to Pleiku and back.

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You probably known are taking chances with any used engine. Especially sight unseen. I’d probably feel better about buying a core, seized or whatever, and rebuilding it. Then you’d know exactly what you have.  

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4 minutes ago, librado65 said:

Also been looking into shipping...freight shipping has gone up like crazy. Im getting quotes from $800 and up to ship. The cheapest I found was $500 but the engine would have to be secured and on a pallet ...and dropped off at a terminal which one of the sellers told me he would not be able to do due to his age. 

 

I was originally thinking of engine located in Alabama ...I was thinking of renting a UHaul. The only issue was seller said he did not guarantee it to run and its been sitting since his father passed away. He was asking $400 for it. But after talking to my dad he said the military engine might be a better choice since seller says it has only 38k on it and was rebuilt previously. Seller wants $800 for it. Shipping would be about $900 with it being in Minnesota. Im beginning to lean towards my dads advice on the military engine. 

 

Decisions. 

Shipping fees ain't all that has gone up. I had to buy a new battery for my 2016 pu a couple of days ago,and it was $160 plus a core charge if you didn't have one to turn in. This was a nothing special regular battery with posts.

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5 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

i am no authority on this,but I SUSPECT you could change the camshaft and up the compression ratio and have car specs out of the military truck engine. If you had ever been in the military you would know everthing is geared superlow and most convoys move at 45 mph on the open road due to the low gearing more than the lower horsepower. The military is more concerned with pulling weight up hills and through mud than freeway speeds. Even the trucks that will run 65-70 mph have governors on. The old GMC 6X6 2.5 TON trucks are a good example of this. We had one in our camp in VN that had the governor removed or tinkered with,and it would almost run 70 mph wide open. A feature that came in handy on PX runs from Kontum to Pleiku and back.

 

???

Thank you for this answer. I didnt even realize this. So the stock engine is geared lower. I will be calling him tomorrow so I will have to ask him if the engine was modified. 

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4 hours ago, librado65 said:

 

???

Thank you for this answer. I didnt even realize this. So the stock engine is geared lower. I will be calling him tomorrow so I will have to ask him if the engine was modified. 

Engines are NOT "geared lower". Differentials are. Military vehicles generally had lower compression so they could run on lower octane gasoline without knocking. IIRC,maximum speed on military vehicles is 45 MPH while driving in convoy's on the open road. Engines that make high horsepower are not needed.

Edited by knuckleharley
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In addition to the RPM and compression ratio I mentioned earlier there is a third thing to consider.

 

The military ratings are always on the low side,very low.  The little overhead valve aircooled engines that they used on generators, pumps and other uses for instance.  The ones they rate at 3 hp have been tested at over 8!  They were produced in one, two and four cylinder versions all with similar rating and actual tested performance.  The 4s have been popular in ultralight planes so the hp isn't a guess, it must be where tested in order to work.

Edited by kencombs
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