Hey guys.. a while back I was driving in deep water and sucked water into the motor. I finally got the oil pan off and as I was being told #6 is bent to h**l and back. The way I see it there is no way I'm gonna be able to tap that bent connector rod out the top with the piston without gouging the cylinder walls. Any i deas? I thought about taking a hand grinder and grinding out the bend b4 i attempt to tap it out. Any ideas?

 

The connecting rod bent that much?!?

Can you pull it out from the bottom, once the crank shaft has been removed? How far up (or down) is the piston in its bore? This would determine what direction you want to try and get that piston out from I'd think.

 

bucko,
Im working with the motor still in the truck... I've got it up on ramps and the motor is jacked up about 4inches and blocked at the motor mounts with 2X4's so i had clearance to get the oil pan off without having to remove the right side suspension and i-beam as said Chilton's (whatta pain in the a**) but can i remove the crank shaft and bearings from the bottom? i didnt think you coulld it has to come out the front.. and my intention since money is limited is to re-use that piston and just change the wrist pin and have it pressed in and out at some friends i have at a machine shop.. and to answer your question the piston is almost to the bottom so if the crank shaft were out i would go that route.. any other advice would be helpful.. thanks

 

to clarify it is the the #6 piston connector rod that is bent and it's bent bad.. i cannot get a proper angle from the front to hit it and get it straight enough to remove it because the cross member and sway bar is in the way.. if i can't remove it from the bottom the i will have no choice to try to get a dremel up in there and grind off the bend so i can tap it out the top without scoring the cylinder wall even i do have a set of ball hones...

 

You stand a strong chance in gouging the block cylinder wall with a grinder or cutting wheel. Why not bite the bullet and pull the engine out? It sounds like you are more than half way through the process with it jacked up and sitting on 2x4's now.

A new/used block is gonna cost you if you mess up that cylinder wall...

 

Can you get piston high enough to tap out wrist pin?
I doubt it but had to ask.

Yes you have to pull the engine to get crank out of the way, you can't just lower it, flywheel or flex plate is the reason you have to pull engine.
Although you could drop the trans and remove flywheel/flexplate, then timing chain and crank will lower down

Cutting the bent rod is an option, just not a good one.

Also once you can turn the crank have a close look at the other connecting rods and pistons, I doubt just one connecting rod was effected, in an engine running hydrolock situation.
Cylinders #5, #3 and #1 are most likely since it reads like #6 was the sudden stop, i.e. Firing Order 1-4-2-5-3-6

 

broke a rod in a 300 I6 once during a trip from Fl to OH.. I tried using a hacksaw blade.. in gas station parking lot.. in snow.. two days before x-mas... a farmer came by and asked what was going on.. offered use of his torch.. helped him move it and it was off in a few min... that is your fastest and best bet if you have leads on one! After I was done cutting the rod out I put it back together and finished my trip on 5 cyl... just had to remember to pull the plug and wire from the dead hole.

 

I rebuilt one of those "inline 6" Ford engines once. Great engine, lots of torque!

Good story on running it on 5 cylinders to get home!

 

Gotta love those old motors. My grandpa has so many stories about driving his cars back after delivering school buses back in the day. Used to use snuff cans to seal off cylinders lol. The ingenuity that worked on those old motors is astounding try telling your modern PCM to run on one less cylinder lol. And those 300's are beastly we use them at work in our bag Tugs at the airport. With the right gearing I'm convinced they will move the world haha.

 

Good story on the 300 FOMOCO
RonD I am weighing my options heavily because I dont have a cherry picker and or a lot of money to work with.. but the way I see it, it's gonna be hell on wheels cutting that cast in half with a dremel or hand cutter.. i may just have to bit the bullet and rent or borrow a cherry picker from someone.. but on the other hand the point where the bend is because the piston is so far down already i may just be able to pull off cutting it.. and i visually inspected all the other connecting rods from the bottom and they all seem to be oky but by eye is hard to say if they are damaged or even slightly bent or not.. thanks for the input guys.

 

Once crank shaft can be turned you can visually inspect piston clearances at the top of the block, that will confirm no other bent rods.

Where are you working on this?
I have in a pinch used an "A" frame or rafter or tree branch to raise an engine, this is not for removal just for clearance to work under engine.
Jack up truck as high as possible, chain up engine to above support, unhook motor mounts and exhaust, lower truck.
Because weight of engine is not on the frame/suspension removing front wheels before lowering can give more clearance.
As always, safety first.

 

Let us know what the final outcome was.