302 Engine Rebuild Advice.

[ptwist]

So I basically blowed up my the engine. I was told by the PO that the engine was bad and hadn't run in 7-8 years so im well ahead with having driven it 600+miles.

A couple weeks ago it developed a intake gasket leak so when I was replacing the the gasket I noticed it had a few bad lifters and push rods. A new cam, lifters, and push rods later it starts and runs great. Break in the cam and take her for a drive. A couple miles from the shop oil pressure goes to 0. Drove it home and pulled a valve cover to find a little debris setting on the head and one of the lifters had popped off the valve. Come to find out the intake valve seals had exploded and it lost oil pressure because of that. A lifter and cam died driving it home.

What im needing help with is where to go from here. The engine is still in the truck but im not sure if I need to pull the engine and check the crank bearings complete rebuild. Should I just clean the oil pump and passages put a new cam and valve seals on it? Its the least desirable 302 made and it seems to have a big lip on the cylinder walls so seems to have lots of ware.

Its going to get a coyote swap in the next year or so but I would like to keep driving it around till I track down an engine.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yes, if you found zero oil pressure and bits of metal and damaged parts, you absolutely need to open up the bottom end too, and inspect the bearings and thrust surfaces.

But just so you know, valve seals do not hold any oil pressure, so those failing did not cause your drop. Something else did.
Usually a failed pump, or pump drive (but that usually stops the engine from running0 or running out of oil, or a clogged pickup tube (a likely cause in this case perhaps?) or an oil gallery plug dislodged and all the pressure when where it's not supposed to go.
Or a bad oil filter could possibly do it too. Which is why a big swath of the knowledgable motoring public (enthusiasts in other words) no longer use Fram filters.

But no matter what did it, you need to make sure it didn't toast other things. If not, then you might be still good to go with this engine.
Are you sure it toasted the cam? It likely did of course, being a new one, but did you see the lobes and bases of the lifters?

paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Sorry, I missed the part about the Coyote swap already planned in the near future. Just saw the word "Coyote" and thought that was one of the questions you were asking.

With that huge undertaking coming up, it seems to me you just accelerated your project's start date is all.
After all, I would not dump any more money into a possibly buggered engine, or time and money into another swap, only to take it all out again and start over.

Good luck with the decision. Seems to me it's all on you!;D

Paul