Topic: Argghhh! 350 f'in Cylinder head stud!

[Dirtyenginehugger]

Everything was going so well and in a complete state of zen commenced doing the last torqueing on my cylinder head reassembly  and the one cylinder head stud where I noticed some extra carbon outside the cylinder during disassembly seemed to be turning a bit too much with out any wrench click. I double checked some of the other studs and decided to give it one more turn and Crack! So...I havn't even checked to see what it will take to get the broken half out but jumped on the forum to see where I can get a new stud. Anyone on the forum have a disassembled motor with some extras lying around or know where I could get a new one? This was intake side 3rd cylinder attached a photo with the broken section and the location of it. Photos of the project to follow when I get the damn thing back together.

[Zaipai]

Man that bites.. Guess you have to take it apart to replace it.. Sucks..

.: Scott :.

[camelman]

I'm cursing your engine for you.  That is a major letdown.  At least you didn't run it, so everything can slip off and back on without replacement.

I'm out of studs, but it might not hurt to check eBay if you can't find one on this forum.  I snapped some bolts pulling a 400F engine apart a couple weeks ago and found exactly what I needed right away on eBay.  sometimes it provides... sometimes it does not.

Camelman

[Dirtyenginehugger]

Got the old stud out pretty easily, did drop a brass washer into the crankcase . It's time to take a breather I think. May have sourced a used stud on ebay but still up for any leads on a set of new ones now that I'm in to it this far. Also anyone got a home made trick for compressing piston rings to reassemble the cylinders?

[MoMo]

When reassembling 350 or 400 fours I use my fingers as a ring compressor. Never broken a ring. I put a bent coat hanger under cylinders 2 and 3 to hold the pistons level and very gently compress the rings while slowly lowering the cylinders down. As long as you keep an eye on the rings and move your point of compression to an area that is not compressed the cylinder will move down. Then switch the hangers to cylinders 1 and 4.  The taper of the lower cylinder wall allows the cylinder to slide down with minimal ring compression. It is easy, just take it slow,  Larry

[ekpent]

Have you tried good quality hose clamps for the rings?.Works on the 750's,not to tight now.

[Dirtyenginehugger]

Thanks for the piston tips, I'll try the monkey grip and if I can't get it, hose clamps sound perfect. Got my copper washer out of the crankcase had to use a blow gun and wire to fish it out. Figured since I have to wait for a cylinder stud started cleaning parts and painting them. My little valve repair has turned into a top end rebuild.

[camelman]

You're better off with a full rebuild.  As long as you have it apart, you should replace what you can reach.  Ditto on using your fingers to reassemble too.  They slide in easily enough.

Are you using original piston rings?  If so, then I really recommend replacing them.  I didn't on my last 350F build, and found that I get a fair bit of blowby.  If you are going to replace rings, then you'll want to scratch up the cylinder surface too.  The best bet is to hone it at a machine shop.  Next best bet is to buy your own honing stones and do it with a drill.  Third best bet is just grab some emory cloth and run a pattern by hand.  It works, it ain't rocket science, just roughen it up so you seat your new rings.

Camelman