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From: rjs@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Engine Rebuilding
Message-ID: <77800005@hpfcll.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 9-Dec-85 13:35:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpfcll.77800005
Posted: Mon Dec  9 13:35:00 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Dec-85 03:55:57 EST
References: <641@isrnix.UUCP>
Organization: 09 Dec 85 11:35:00 MST
Lines: 35


>  I've heard that a proper engine rebuild can restore an engine
>to new or better performance.  I've also heard that you can never restore
>an engine 100% with a rebuild - things have stressed, warped, etc. (after
>100k miles) and that you cannot expect to get the same amount of mileage
>out of a rebuilt engine as you got from it when it was new.

Here is an example. A friend of mine bought a 1969 Plymouth Fury (ex new
york state trooper car) in 1970. He ran the car until it had approx
120,000 miles on it. He rebuilt the engine (sending it out for the 
machine work of course) and ran it for about 60,000 more miles (very 
hard miles I might add). I bought the car at this point and put ~30,000 
very hard miles on it. At this point (90,000 miles) the engine was 
burning about a quart every 225-250 miles. I decided it was time for 
rebuilding. I rebuilt it and much to my suprise the cylinders STILL 
didn't need to be rebored (they were only honed on the first rebuild). 

At this time I decided to go for a little more performance. The 440's
(at least in those days) could have their heads milled up to 60
thousandths without any clearance problems. I had mine milled 30
thousandths. I also updated to the electronic ignition system that came
in a 1973 440. At this point the engine was much more powerful than it
was originally and was running beautifully. The car was not in such
great shape however. So I bought a 1973 Plymouth (ex NY state trooper
car) and swapped engines. At about 40,000 miles someone unable to
control their car on a snowy day hit my front end (causing cosmetic
damage only). I sold that car at that time. The person who bought it ran
it for 60,000 before selling it. I don't know what happened to it after
that.

Anyway, my experience has been that a good rebuilding job can restore
an engine to at least as good as new.

Bob Schneider
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