Story: The 1980 has to sit outside for the winter. I told my son to get it running every couple of weeks to keep the battery charged.

Last time he goes out the engine is making the most horrific knocking noise. It is definitely on the top of the engine. I asked a local shop what he thought it might be? His idea is a piece of carbon came loose in the engine. His recommendation, get it running rev it up some and pour a steady stream of ATF fluid into it. He said it should break up the carbon.

Has anyone ever done this? Also, the son is a little disappointed. He was hoping that we might have the chance to rebuild the engine. Something neither he nor I have ever done.

Chrysler sells a $8 spraycan of "Combustion Chamber Conditioner" for removing carbon deposits which has worked well for me.

This sprays a brown foam that contains both water and solvent detergents. You can sprat a bit into a glass jar and watch the foam separate into two liquids.

Last year i used a can of CCC specifically for cleaning out large visible chunks of carbon from the EGR internal passages inside the manifold and it worked faster than i expected.

The instructions call for spraying the CCC into the air intake while the engine is running, but many posters have removed the sparkplugs and sprayed individual cylinders. I did this one cylinder at a time and found that cylinders 7 and 8 on my engine seemed to be the ones that pinged.

If the knocking has continued constantly i would pull the valve covers and inspect rockers, springs, and valve stems.

Ive done the tranny fluid down the carb. It make LOTS of smoke and you have to be careful cause if fed to much and engine dies durring you can hydrolock the motor. Its easy though. just ramp the rpms up with your hand and pour it down the carb but conservatively Its possible it could be a lifter aswell. Your battery can still die. The motor needs a load for it to actually give a good charge. Ive had a few die from starting and revving every week or so. Find a engine locally on CL or the jy to rebuild together

Probably a lifter that lost it's prime from sitting too long, probably let it warm up and I've used some ATF in the engine oil to quiet down the lifter and help pump it up.

-J

Once test started a long-sitting 383. It had a terrible knock which turned out to be a stuck valve.
R.

Seafoam poured through the carb also works. It to will make some smoke but not as much as trans fluid and it smells better.

The lifter as mentioned is also a possibility.

Some Rislone added to the oil may help keep them primed and helps clean too

I will give the ATF a try. I can't figure out why, but the kid wants to see the smoke.

The Knocking started all at once which is why the mechanic thought maybe carbon. I did have to take the intake manifold off when I purchased the truck to clean out the carbon, so I am hoping this will solve it.

Thanks for the help. I will do it Saturday and let you know how it works out.

I did it a few times just to see it smoke too
I think hooking up some sort of Drip system or adding some to the gas would make for an Ultimate Sleeper especially with electric cutouts. After lined up turn off the drip and open the cutouts
They'd be like WT# That smoke problem fixed itself pretty quik and it sound mean as H&ll and you just look over and

The CCC spray makes a huge clould of smoke even on lightly carbon-ed cylinders.

We were thinking about a JY engine, but I don't know if I would recognize one that is worth redoing. Noah, my son, also keeps telling me we need a 440!

No fear of Ricer syndrome. He is a mopar kid now. We went to Carlisle about 5 years ago, he's been hooked ever since.

I've thought about a 360 instead of the 318. If I understand correctly it would just about bolt in.

It sounds like something loose in the cylinder. It doesn't really sound like lifters to me. It is very loud. I say it is up top because when I went under to listen it was quieter under the engine than over it.

yep 360 bolts right in with the correct balance TC or flywheel.

everything from the 318 can be used sept for the oil pan. that would need to be a 360 rear sump.

maybe a few washers on driver side motormount bolt to shim it up some.

talk with the JY,tell them you want a good runner and that you are at least re-gasketing.

leave the long block together and replace gaskets. look in the springs and see if it would need the valve seals replaced.

shoot for a newer engine so it comes with a roller cam block.

Quote:

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to much of any solid liquid will hydro lock it so go slow adding it in.

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OK so no ice down the carb then...

If you want a sweet junkyard engine, go to the yard, look for a maroon or dark blue or silver Fifth Avenue with the half-vinyl padded roof, '86-89. Find one with a really nice interior.
Pull the engine and take it home. Leave the intake manifold and two-barrel at the yard.

Degrease engine, take it apart. Number everything because you're going to reuse most of what you find. Here's what you should find:
0. Roller 318 block with next to zero wear in the cylinders.
1. 302 heads.
2. Flattop pistons with no signs of excessive wear.
3. 645 connecting rods, they started out as a 340/360 forging and are quite strong.
4. Cast crank in perfect shape.
5. Hydraulic roller cam

Send the cam to Bullet for their 259/316 grind on both lobes, that's Patrick's favorite grind for this job, should set you back less than $150.

Disassemble heads, keep everything in order.

Read Steve Dulcich's article on porting the 302s. Forget putting in bigger valves, just work on the ports. Don't do a valve job until after!!!!

Reassemble engine with good parts, I am using Crane 833 springs, Patrick has a couple of other favorites, the Comp 901s being mentioned a lot. You should probably cut the valve guides down at the same time, stock stem seals are 0.625, valve stem size is 3/8, so you need a 0.625" cutter on a 3/8" pilot. I got the cutter from the 'bay for $50. I did mine with my Milwaukee drill. Now you have retainer-to-seal clearance.

Put it all together and stick the intake of your choice on top. Mine is a 1976 or so 360 cast iron spreadbore intake and I'm going to use a Quadrajet because Scratchin told me to, also because I want MPG!
Add a distributor with a decent curve in it, a set of headers or good manifolds and you're looking at an honest 250 hp, maybe more, that will be able to drive past a gas station.

R.

Your kid may want a 440 but a nice 318 will allow him to actually afford to drive the vehicle.

The Seafoam is designed to do what you need. It will provide the smoke you son wants to see but will work much better that the ATF.

might try removeing all 8 spark plugs and roll each piston to the top with valves close and sux it out with a shop vac.

might blow it out the plug hole with compressed air thru the hole as well.

What is your oil pressure at idle?

Huh?