Anything new from the straight 8 hot rodders?

[Buick Guy]

Works for me!
Doug

[JR9162]

... Bore it as big as you can but be careful there. Make sure your block never had a mud ring around the water jacket because that causes pinholes reaching into the cylinder walls. If you're going more than .030-.040, you better have it sonic tested. Primarily checking for wall thickness and core shift. A good block can get you out to 300 cubes but I haven't found a block that good yet. TELEKENFUN

Sound advice... Here's a pic of a friend's block. He took it to a reputable machinist in SOCAL asking for cleaning and sonic testing per my recommendation to determine a safe rebore. The engine was previously overbored by .040". He was told the shop could do that. However, an elder in the shop stepped in and told him sonic testing wasn't necessary; based on his 30 years experience these engines can take up to .080 overbore. So my friend takes the elder at his word and the shop rebores the engine an additional .020" - for a total of .060" over stock. Subsequently my friend found lateral cracks in each of the 8 cylinders along one side of the block when he was cleaning it for exterior paint. He noticed the cracks "because dirty WD40 got inside them when I was luben them up. They were already there just not visible".

John

[Jenz38]

John,
Do you know this Engine has running with the old 0.40 Bore without Problems ?

[JR9162]

John,
Do you know this Engine has running with the old 0.40 Bore without Problems ?

Jens,
The current owner purchased the engine used and tore it down to check clearances. At that point he determined it had a .040" overbore, and the piston to cylinder wall clearances were out of tolerance. Not wanting to knurl the pistons, he took the block and head to a machinist for cleaning, asked for sonic testing (which was not done), and agreed to the machinist's recommendaton of an additional .020" overbore, for a total of .060 over stock. I don't recall him stating the prior owner mentioned anything about the engine being "broke". Additionally, once the head from this engine was cleaned the machinist told him it was not good, it was cracked. Told me the machinist said the head looked someone had cracked it with a prybar. I do not know if the head was cracked on the same side as the block is, or on the opposite side. I'll check with my friend and see. John

[32special]

That engine my friend here is talking belongs to me...nothing to brag about. The only info I have on it is that it came off a 52 four door special..that dude wasn't very honest right off the bat but even if they are your not guarantee nothing..I bought the whole driveline, they did deliver (fishy) so I don't feel to bad.
Back to the engine..it had been in a car that was driven a lot to this day..it was clean inside overhauled 040 using eggen piston to what the machinist told me..they have a casting with the word "Front".
According to the seller the engine had a low compression and needed a valve job..and possibly rebuilt for a runner. What doesn't, but never did I notice any damage due to them hiding under grime and carbon.
The cracks run all along the block on the lifter side. As for the heas ill let the pics tell the tale.I called the machine shop and they said it could only happend while it was hot and to take the block back. Not sure what they have in mind but I do have a second engine that they can rework and call it even.

By the way..the head looks horrible..it had previous stich repair as seen in the pics.

[32special]

By the way. This 263 I just got has a serial that starts with 60 belonging to a 40 ser and also happends to be missing some of the outter ribs as found on other 263..not to mention it came with cast iron pistons...crank is clean n smooth so are half of the lifters...inside is covered in cake mix so its getting tore down and rebuilt. My favorite parts are the lifter rods with are really clean..no surface rust or any damage other than minor wear..I cleaned them and put them under my bed..haha

[nali]

I thought all the 263 have ribs.
It s the first time I read this.

[32special]

That's what I said..the serial lands the engine somewere between late fifty early fityone..I looked them both over since there side by side and all I found are the lower ribs at the bottom by the oil pan.I was trying to post pics but I exeeded the capacity some how...I can email so you can feast for your self.

[JR9162]

Are you sure it's a 263 and not a 248? I've heard from one person the early 263s had stepped main bearings just like a 248 does but I've not had the opportunity to verify or refute this. The 1950 Special had a 248, the 1950 Super had the 263...

[32special]

Engine # 60895535..I don't see that any were near the 40's wich leaves me wondering..hmmm..what do I really have here..perhaps the # had a mikey job?..lol