308 engine rebuild questions w/232 head

Unknown

1. Suppose I completely rebuild a 308 & DON'T vat-out ("hot tank" or "cookerize") the valve covers, and the oil filler tube. I notice a considerable amount of grease, din, sludge, rust and foreign matter (i.e., filth). Is it OK to reinstall these filthy things on a newly rebuilt engine? If not, why not?



2. I noticed that some of the sludge/particles-of-din had fallen from the oil filler tube onto the attached, clean oil pan. I then removed the filthy oil filler tube. One alternative suggested: I've heard pour oil and/or diesel fuel through the oil intake and let it wash the particles through the lower oil pan's oil plug discharge opening which doesn't seem like a thorough cleaning of the oil pan to me. What is the proper, professional way to remove these particles (all of them) from the crankcase compartment's oil pan?



3. If these sheet metal components (valve covers and oil filler tube) and the pan are NOT cleaned properly how many miles would I expect to get out of a newly rebuilt engine having such dirty components attached to it?



4. What should be done to a 232 head to make it compatible with the 308 block?



TIA (turbohud)

hudsontech

If you're going to overhaul and engine, why go half way. If you're going to clean the block, why not clean everything??



Crud not cleaned off could possible block oil passages for one thing; when you go to reassemble you'll be working with clean parts - so everything will remain clean; when you go to measure your settings, etc, it will be easier to see what you're doing and you know your settings will not be affected by crud.



That's just a couple of reasons to do the job right the first time.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

54Hollywood

Regarding the 232 head, any '51-'54 232 head can be used with no modifications. It will increase the comp. ratio to 8 3/4:1. The suggestion would be to redrill the block to increase the head bolt diameter size from the standard 7/16" to 1/2" (as were used in the '55 & '56 blocks) to try and hold the head gasket. Good luck.



Tim in WI.

Unknown

Any of you fellow Hudson engine builder's have any problem ANYWHERE in this country getting your Hudson sheet metal components vatted out at a local machine shop or engine building service? What about theses states OH, MI, IL, MO or KY?????

TIA