A friend of mine is looking for a 340 engine block and he came across one that had spun a rod. When I looked at the block with him I noticed a couple of chips in the casting. Is this a major issue?

hi

smooth out the rough edges and be ok ,

that crank is in poor condition !

Was the rod loose on the ate up rod bearing and then hit the block there? Does he plan on using the rods that come out of that engine?

How much $$ is this engine?

More to think about.

Timing chain was real loose... did not see any major damage to the rods though. I believe he was asking $600 for the block, pistons, rods, water pump. No heads or intake. I figured he would need to replace the crank at a minimum. Appears to be standard bore.

The only way I would buy that block and parts is under the condition that the block be magnafluxed and pressure tested first, it tests oaky buy it. If it doesn't test good forget it I would try and negotiate that the seller pays for the testing if it tests bad

The block doesn't concern me. Smooth out the edges like mentioned above and use it.
The crank can probably be turned. The rods may be able to be saved...the one that spun might need replacing.
$600 seems a lil high, but then again, std. bore 340s are hard to find. If it isn't std. bore, I wouldn't shell out 600 for it.

I'm not even sure I'd want to invest the money to test the block. I think I would just pass on it.

That entire engine was whipped to death. Loose timing change, spun rod, even the cam looks like dog crap.

You know at least one rod is bad, may as well buy a new set.

You can be pretty sure that the block needs bored so the pistons are useless.

Odds are real good the water pump is a death to death as the rest of the engine. Replacement is a matter of course.

So only the block is of any potential use and it would not surprise me in the least to find out that cleaning, magnafluxing and pressure testing the block costs about half the asking price.

So, what can you find for $900?

Id pass as well, seen that too many times, some pan out some end up with a very cracked block down the road.

Thats not a spun rod, its a "Came apart rod" or "Slapped the block rod".

For the $600 thats "good" 340 block money area.

Depending on what this is going into I'd just buy a 360 instead. They look the same in the car if we are talking about a hot rod. A restoration would be different circumstances.

I ran across the same thing years ago. Scabbed together 340's that have been full throttled to death their entire life for $500+, or complete standard bore 360's out of a low mile farm brown truck for 1/3 the price.

If you must have it the notch in the block wouldn't bother me. Feather the sharp edges and move on.

$600 is just plain too much money for that core. Pistons are worthless, rods are worthless, crank will need to be ground 0.030 to get rid of that ding, although it is a forged crank. But who is building stock stroke 340s these days? Camshaft is worthless, timing set is worthless. What is left is the block. It needs cleaning in the worst way, then grind the dings smooth, then use dye penetrant testing to see if there are any cracks.

The block is worth $200. Everything else he could give back to the seller, they have no value as I mentioned above.

R.

I'm in Waterford. I have a nice 340 block +.030". PM if interested.
Doug

I'm in Waterford. I have a nice 340 block +.030". Also pair of bare Ported T/A heads. Pm if interested
Doug

That 340 block looks very rough for $600 Id be very skeptical of it if you could get for $200 maybe. While on the topic I have a 73 340 block missing main caps anyone have a set they would like to part with.

I don't think the knicks would bother me but a magnaflux test would be a good idea. You're buying a block, the crank is bad, it has at least one bad rod, the cam and timing chain are consumables so them being worn out is normal. I'd offer $450, if he passes walk away.