5.7 issues

So my plan was to do a stock bottom end on turbo. I picked up an 04 5.7 from a Durango, no MDS or VVT. I did hear the engine run before it being pulled. It did have a rattle to it but, idled and ran fine. Sat in storage for a couple of years.
Started to pull it apart and found that the passenger side exhaust manifold was cracked and the two bolts for the rear of that manifold were broken. Upon seeing this I thought that was the cause of the rattle.
Yesterday I removed the timing cover, pan and windage tray. Then I notice a bent rod. Crank counterweight just slightly hitting bottom of piston, that was probably the rattling noise that I heard. Continuing, I move the lifters out of the way and pulled out the cam. A couple of the lobes are pitted, but their matching lifters look good.
No water in the oil, or gasoline smelling. Are these just inferior parts or is their another reason for these issues?
What are your opinions?

Flood vehicle seen it a bunch the vehicle floods they start it bend the rod it starts making noise they think its just water in the oil they change it a couple times then it goes to auction cuz they realize it hydrauliced the motor and it is bad.

No floods in my area. Apparently it started while the vehicle was being driven. The oil was dirty used oil that we typically see when doing an oil change. The Durango was taken to a tech to see cost on repair. They decided not to repair.

The Durango is noted for having a cowl that lets water run onto the intake.On cold startup the engine will have water pooled on the intake/head area.Either leaking intake gaskets or the MLS head gaskets are relaxed (higher mileage engines) and sucks the water in on startup.Your is at least rebuildable! The Durango I bought had hydraliced a cylinder and broke a rod and the block.The big end of the rod still spun normally on the crank and the crank itself was ok.Powdered metal rods normally snap vs bend like yours.What cylinder was the bent rod on ##7 or 8 perhaps?
RT

A big puddle can do that

Cylinder Number 3.

I’m amazed the rod bent instead of breaking and taking out the block. Looks like a good excuse to put some better parts in it.

Exactly,powdered metal is brittle and generally snaps.

I know, I hear you.
Just wasn't ready to do it just yet.

What about the pitting on the cam lobes?

Buy a single rod/piston and put it back together... used cams are cheap too. You could swap in 09+ pistons/rods and lower the compression for boost.

I have a few bent ones, mostly they do shatter like glass.

The 09 later rods and pistons are slightly stronger as well as they will lower your compression, unless of course you use the better eagle heads you would find on an 09 up 5.7 you just piliged rods and pistons from, then you won't need as much boost to make the same power. If your doing all that you migt as well get a 6.1 forged crank as you will need to re-balance the crank anyhow. If the stock eagle rods won't take whatever HP you intend to make you might as well buy better pistons and rods to match a stroker crank...

And for what its worth I have not seen a 09+ 5.7 rod shatter yet like the earlier ones, only bend.

Toronto!!!!
Come on you guys have more water than you know what to do with.
Have a set of new K1 stock lenght with wiseco pistons stock bore if your interested.
Canadian funds of course.
Matt

Hey Matt,
part #s on those parts?

If you just want to put it back together, I have the rods and pistons, crank, from a complete truck engine and tranny a 03 or 04 that we tore down also have the heads, intake, tranny, convetor, harness, oil pan, etc etc etc at my shop. Bought the motor for the block of course came with everything deal....my dragpak can never have too thick wall spare blocks!

PM me if you want to go the low dough route.

If you want to hop it up, I have dragpak rods, standard bore dragpak pistons(used of course)

Eric