Major engine issues.

[phil moulton]

Yes this is "RV" related so bear with my story...

Purchased a 83 Southwind with 48k on the engine.

Started up slow but expected it.. Drove it 15 miles to nearest Oil place to get all fluids gone threw,

Died in parking lot.. Had it towed to local shop.they said "bad fuel" replaced some fuel lines to aux tank and got it running (I asked them after the fact and they said they did check fluids) Drove it 10 miles. blew the engine large bang. Had it towed home did compression/leakdown tests 7 were fairly good/even #4 was toast. pulled heads,manifolds .. Heads and carb are rebuilt. I cannot even turn crank to try and unhook the trans . it ate #4 piston and rod.(also dropped a "keeper" into the oil pan (along with the rings of #4 - see photo i have NO clue what this near 2 inch keeper goes to) and imploded the piston when the old intake gasket dumped all the antifreeze in the cylinder. cranked it over for comp tests and flushed it with kerosene . took 2 weeks to get the pan out (eventually cut it out) and the kerosene i think seized all the bearings/rings. i need to turn crank 1/8 turn to get the rod in #4 out to even look at the cylinder damage.(no it has not "ran" since it went bag other than comp and leakdown tests.) Replaced the balancer bolt with a milodon and a 4 ft breaker on 3/4 drive stock will not turn it. (it did turn it tighter by 2 revolutions but I stopped at that point in tightening it.) impact wrench no joy.. i need a 13/16 3/4 drive socket to loosen the mains with the 4 ft breaker (on my list)

Looks like engine comes out the front. As I am as of yet unable to turn crank at all. I have no clue about #4 and for sure cannot pull it loose from the transmission. (Engine is down to a "short block" and both engine and trans is loose.

(NOW the RV part)

I could not lift the block high enough to get the pan out , i even trimmed the wood inside the doghouse/rv floor a small bit "IF" I can break the crank loose and could disconnect the transmission and I need a short block. can/has ANYONE pulled a 454 out of a Southwind. I have been told that a RV Shop would just lift off the body. But that kind of repair is way beyond my budget.. 

And No I  cannot take a sawzall to it. it was purchased as a home for my ex-wife and she is now living in it.

[Mike]

[postman]

Rick,

The gap in that "New" ring is about the diameter of that pencil, yathink?

[phil moulton]

found a "old timer" he says the clip is a really REALLY streatched out rod pin keeper..

the rings on #4 are out in pieces and apparently part of the piston is cracked off.

fault was it appears  was that engine warmed up after 10 miles, the intake gasket across from #4 blew inserting coolant into #4 which blew into vapor at that time engine never has ran again. i did crank it by the starter to do compression and leakdown tests before pulling heads all looked good cept #4.. it took 2 weeks to get the oil pan off (eventually cut it out) after it blew and i pulled the heads i dumped kerosene in cylinders and turned it over slightly.. then sprayed it all with light oil.. my guess is during the two weeks antifreeze got into the piston bearing surfaces and rusted it tight..  the oil/antifreeze when drained was NOT mixed but separate within 12 hours of original issue. 

[Mike]

Since the heads are off can you chip or cut the piston out in pieces from above?

Edit: also you could try using two big screwdrivers one on either side of the flex plate and pry against the teeth. Maybe you could rock the engine loose by prying back and forth.

[Rick Faunce]

Remember this one Mike?

  ""Reply by Mike on September 7, 2013 at 6:42pm

The W85 is the old "granny gear" 4 speed (or; 3 speed with low).

That's what you'd expect to find after a 327 from an old 3/4 or one ton Chevy, back in the day.

Great tranny but exhausting to drive. :-0""

The W85 was behind the 327 on 3/4 ton Chevy's? Quite the expert you are sir since the W85 is a Toyota transmission.  The Chevy, and Ford and Dodge for that matter used the 420, 465 and 435 in that order of age going up. 

It has been a couple years since I have been here but now I see you are the resident expert here so I will move on and leave you alone to say as you wish. 

Good luck Phil, by the way, neither antifreeze nor kerosene will rust metal.

[postman]

Hey Rick!

Just a sec, let me get a chair to stand in because this went over my head - 

"The Chevy, and Ford and Dodge for that matter used the 420, 465 and 435 in that order of age going up."

and you splain it to me again.

Just glad my 50 mile drive home went so smooth. She started right up, drove smooth just louder inside than expected. Kept my fingers crossed because of tire dry rot, but made it home.

[Mike]

Another option if you wind up pulling the engine and want to leave the torque converter:

If you separate the engine from the trans an inch or so, you can get a 9/16 wrench between the block and flex plate.

You have to back all the bolts out a couple turns at a time because if you try and back just one all the way out, you won't have enough room and your wrench will be stuck.

[phil moulton]

thats doable without rotating the crank ??

[Mike]

Yes