Anybody thrown a rod? What to expect?
 

Threw a rod in my 454 last year at the Richmond Radar Run. I am getting ready to take the engine out for repair and am wondering if I can put a new rod and bearings in the one hole and be done with it. Stock crank, stock rods, Keith Black hypereutectic pistons.......The motor started after it threw the rod (had to get out of the channel!!) and ran, not well of course....
Thanks,
Ken

I doubt you actually "threw a rod" If it ran after that, you probably just spun a rod bearing.
If you threw a rod, you'd have a hole in the side of your block. More than likeky if its just a rod bearing, you will have to pull the crank and have it machined and install new bearings. If you are going to do that, you might as well have the entire engine gone through.
If you actually broke the rod, chances are the block is trashed.

Won't really know what's trashed till ya open it !

been there, done that
 

I bought my boat with spun bearings in one motor. I "thought" I could do a good rebuild at a modest cost. One rebuilt motor broke after only 10 hours and I got to do it a second time (Turned, polished and reused the original crank. Even though it checked ok on mag test it broke in two after only 10 hours with no real hard running). If I had it to do it over I'd just by a 502 long block, it would be less work and negligible difference in cost (probably less if you can't do all the work on the rebuild yourself).

Anyway, here are a couple things to think about:

Spun bearings put trash everywhere.

Plan on complete disassembly, hot tank block, remove all oil plugs and brush all galleries at least two or three times, blow out with air inbetween to dislodge any stuck junk

trash crank (see above) and replace with new

new rod (actually I'd do a full set, weight matched. If reuse the old ones they all should be checked and sized if needed and get new rod bolts)

new psitons (Probalby all, again weight matched set. Make sure you have appropriate clearances for a boat motor.)

new lifters (and maybe cam, again you can't tell if any metal made it into the lifters or not and cam may show some pitting) and pushrods (another place metal can hide)

all new rings, bearings and gaskets (too inexpensive to try to reuse any from old motor)

don't forget to flush all the external oil lines and put in new oil coolers (you can never really clean the junk out of an old one)

-Greg

By the way, the motor still ran with the 2-piece crank, but it sure did knock a lot and oil pressure was ziltch at idle.

When something like this happens it's kinda like Christmas, you gotta open it up to see what you got.

I never thought about the crank letting loose. I definitely have a hole in the side of the oil pan where something came apart!! Sounds like my .060 over block is most likely toast then. 40 hour $4000 rebuild:mad:

might be time for a short block, less time to get back on the water. And if you look around I bet you can find one better than you had for less than 4k.

I'd agree. If there is a hole in the pan "I" would take off the heads and accesories and throw everything else away.

-Greg

If there is a hole in the pan one head might need some work or be junk too, who knows how far up the piston went before it went down and out.

I threw one out of the car window at a road sign one time. made a heck of a racket,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I have a short block for you $2500.00 or one that needs to be rebuilt for $1000.00 call me

thanks Phil (714) 241-3600

I have a good running 454 420 long block with ignition, distrubitor and mechanical fuel pump. 3K. Call me at 340-779-2666 or PM me here.

Mongo

Kinda in a cash crunch right now. Starting my own biz and am looking at building a 350 I have in the garage for $1000.......Wife'll kill me if she finds out I am spending that much on the motor.......but I got to boat this summer!!

time to refinance the house. if your block is junk your going to need about $3500.00 if you want to do your project right

I have a 330 HP Mark IV small oval port motor that spun a bearing out of my 1989 Formula. Motor is going to the junk yard soon unless someone wants it they can take it away. Still ran but had a rod knock. Motor had 360 hrs on it but block has never been apart. Block still looks good, but was raw water cooled.

Well klmken looks like you are headed to Norwalk, CT And I have also seen Chevy motor run and drive on 7 with the rod hanging out the bottom. But 80% of what you own (motor) is now junk. :( Rag's

Damn, that was a brand new cam, lifters, pistons, bearings, pushrods, oil cooler, and plenty o' cash at the machine shop!:hothead:

Here is the original post with pictures!!

klmken - since your "local", call Cobe Marine (between Annapolis and Baltimore) at 410-255-9488. They had a complete new (rebuild?) 454-330 motor for about $2500, which I think is a pretty good price. Should get you on the water for the season about as cheap as you'll get. Also might give Art Lilly a call, they sometimes have some good used engines from boats they've repowered.

-Greg