I burned up my 327

[Greasey Harley]

I jumped off the freeway yesterday and stopped in traffic, it was 100 degrees out. I smelled antifreeze ... I looked at my temp gauge and it was setting on cold, I kept motoring.
I started going up an overpass and the engine started pinging (I smelled antifreeze again) Better pull over and have a look.
I threw the fan belt
The fan belt grabbed the temp wire and pulled it off the sending unit The gauge read cold, the engine was HOT
I got the belt back on and started it back up and the temp dropped fairly quickly. It runs hotter than it used to now and the oil pressure is really low, especially at idle.
The little 327 was kind of tired before this happened, it's basically finished now.
...Guess I'll be swappin' that motor out soon.

[Steeveedee]

Drain the oil and make sure it has no antifreeze in it. SBCs can take some serious heat because of the pentagonal head bolt arrangement. If you don't have a blown head gasket, it could be that the oil broke down from the excessive heat. I'd just drain the oil and change the filter, if there is no coolant in the oil. If you daily drive it, that could give you time to make a non-emergency engine replacement. Bummer, in any event.

[jimijam00]

Big block time.

[gmc684x4]

Ls swap time

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Drain the oil and make sure it has no antifreeze in it. SBCs can take some serious heat because of the pentagonal head bolt arrangement. If you don't have a blown head gasket, it could be that the oil broke down from the excessive heat. I'd just drain the oil and change the filter, if there is no coolant in the oil. If you daily drive it, that could give you time to make a non-emergency engine replacement. Bummer, in any event.

I'll cut open the filter and do an oil change, why not? I'm not very optimistic about it.

Originally Posted by jimijam00

Big block time.

Maybe next time

Originally Posted by gmc684x4

Ls swap time

Never happenin'

[Boog]

[Never happenin']

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by Boog

[Never happenin']

I was like "thank the lord" when he said that, too,

[Greasey Harley]

Well, I changed the oil and filled it back up with Rotella 15w40 (I usually run 10w30). The oil pressure has dropped significantly. The pressure at idle is about half what it used to run. It can't peg the gauge, even @ 4000rip'ems.
I'm sure I can put it around town like this but a new engine is coming soon. I have lined up an L82 in good running condition, it will be here on Tuesday. I'll crack it open and see what's inside.
Haven't cut the filter open yet, I'll get to that too.

[jimijam00]

Would that be the L82 of 250hp Corvette fame, or the newer L82 of EcoTec3 fame?

[72c20customcamper]

I've seen much worse oil pressurs . Had a 283 that at idle would be nearly zilch and maybe the first tick driving around drove it that way for 2 years till the frame was so bad it wouldn't pass inspection . This was in the 90s

[BRL]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

I've seen much worse oil pressurs . Had a 283 that at idle would be nearly zilch...

Wow this thread brought back memories!

Had a 283 in a '69 Nova from a car lot, and when I installed a gauge it idled at 4 psi in drive.

Ran really smooth but I had the alt. bracket that needed the hole in the cylinder head and mine didn't have it.

One day the fan belt came off and I was close to my destination so I continued to drive it...mistake.

Next day there was a small puddle of oil under the passenger head and the oil in the pan looked like chocolate milk.

New head gasket didn't help so I used it as a core for a 327.

[BRL]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

...The fan belt grabbed the temp wire and pulled it off the sending unit The gauge read cold, the engine was HOT...

Sorry to hear about that.

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by jimijam00

Would that be the L82 of 250hp Corvette fame, or the newer L82 of EcoTec3 fame?

195hp
But it's got 9:1 compression, a steel crank, windage trays/baffles, 2.02 heads, etc. It should be little a bump in hp.
...also, it was free.

[special-K]

It might have gotten hurt but it may not be done

Originally Posted by jimijam00

Big block time.

Originally Posted by gmc684x4

Ls swap time

327 time! One of the 'all time' greatest engines made.

[palallin]

Originally Posted by special-K

It might have gotten hurt but it may not be done

327 time! One of the 'all time' greatest engines made.

Right on! I'd never swap mine for an LS.

[57larry]

I'd rebuild the 327

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

195hp
But it's got 9:1 compression, a steel crank, windage trays/baffles, 2.02 heads, etc. It should be little a bump in hp.
...also, it was free.

Upon closer inspection my free engine is an L48 with 8:1 compression, cast crank, and no baffles. It does have 2.02 heads but they are 76cc, and less than desirable.
New plan:
Heads off a 305 OMC boat motor (also free) with 65cc chambers, 1.72"/1.5 valves should bump compression to a fuzz over 9:1
.017" steel shim gasket (hanging on my shop wall), should yield .042 quench
Slightly used "RV" cam I have stashed away: duration 204 int./214 exh. lift 0.420 int./0.433 exh. LSA 112°
I'll bolt on my rochester 2-jet (Probably gonna need some bigger jets)
Everything bolted to the 327 is fairly fresh, so I will reuse all the accessories.
This combination should make a good little motor with plenty of torque for haulin' junk around town.
I will have to buy gaskets, seals, a timing chain, some degreaser and a can of orange paint.
It ain't what I was hopin' for, but it should be a decent runner ...And I can tell everyone "it's got a Corvette Motor"

update:
I cut the 327's oil filter open, there was a lot of metal in it. I am still driving it but I know it's damaged. I will [likely] rebuild it at some point. Right now I need to concentrate on making my truck dependable, with minimal down time.

[Steeveedee]

I'd recommend decking or at least cleaning up the block and making sure that the heads are good and flat, if you're using steel shim gaskets. Ask me how I know! It was a loooong time ago, and I learned my lesson the hard way.

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

I'd recommend decking or at least cleaning up the block and making sure that the heads are good and flat, if you're using steel shim gaskets. Ask me how I know! It was a loooong time ago, and I learned my lesson the hard way.

Point taken. I'll check everything with a machined straight edge, before I proceed. Thanks for the heads up 👍

[BigBird05]

Last week Rock Auto had a close out on SBC gaskets.

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by BigBird05

Last week Rock Auto had a close out on SBC gaskets.

My Wife works at the local Federated auto parts store. I get employee pricing. 😉

[morepwr]

I can relate to this sad story! I burned up a 350 in my truck in a similar way as my temp gauge seemed normal but I was leaking coolant out of a split in the radiator and was driving down the freeway at the time. Well it turned out the gauge doesn't go higher when there is no liquid on it! Exact same thing as after this incident I had very low oil pressure and especially at idle. Once I tore it down I had lost a lot of my bearing material due to the heat thinning out the oil so bad.

[zicc1835]

Originally Posted by special-k

it might have gotten hurt but it may not be done





327 time! One of the 'all time' greatest engines made.

x2

[special-K]

Giddy up Giddy up Giddy up 3-2-Seven

3-2-Seven

3-2-Seven

[Steeveedee]

She's real fine, my 409!