Well I finally got to stripping this Starfire,now to the engine.
She been punched 20, mains and journals down 10. Its locked up and the heads have a fair amount of rust. I think the heads are good for a boat anchor.
What do you guys think?

 

 

 

I think after hot -tanking , bead blasting , surfacing , new valves , and guides .
They will be just fine , as long as they aren't cracked .

Don't write them off .

I need a few small items , I will PM you .

 

Okay, was worried about the center chambers. They are not flush any more

 

They never were ;

 

Dam!!! That is beauty right there. Hats off to you!!

 

Actually , it's hats off to Central Automotive Machine in Tavares , FL

When I took them there , they looked almost as crusty as yours do .

 

They ported as well?

 

No , just stock and bead blasted .

 

I agree those heads may be okay. As suggested as long as they are not cracked. Good luck on your project.

 

Thanks.
Was reading up on them#18 were prone to cracking.
The #23 were okay.
Will be cleaning them up, send them in for magnuflux

 

Ready to split trans.
So didnt have a engine crane, so made a Ukrainian engine crane.
394 on the stand

Sludge in the pan
Inside looks clean
So figured before I pull apart, give her a wash.

 

How much for the oil pan ?

 

Let me get a couple of better photos for you.
Looks really good for her age,just a couple of minor dents

 

Well started cleaning one of the heads today with electrolysis. Turned out well I think, head looks a lot better Old rubbber maid container. Hot water and 2 cups of washing soda. Some old chicken wire laying around, wrapped along the outside.
Negative hooked to the head, positive to the chicken wire, making sure not touching the head.
With in an hour with this process.
Pulled head out, washed it. Big difference.


The corrosion collecting on the chicken wire.
This is hour 2.
Working really well
2 hours total so far


Looks alot better.
About 7 hours total. Head compared to one not cleaned yet.
Looks like can be reused.

 

There are aluminum heads available for the 394 now. Cool engine regardless.

 

Yes I seen that,would be neat to have a pair.

 

So, 'splain a few things to me. What is "washing soda" ? The chicken wire is around the sides and not contacting the head ? Did you use a battery charger ? If a battery charger, what volts and amps ?

 

Is 2 types of baking soda. The stuff you cook with, and the stuff you wash with.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, washing soda is sodium carbonate. You can turn baking soda into washing soda very easy. Place on a cookie sheet, cook in oven for half hour@400. Then you have washing soda.
Yes the chicken wire seems to be working very well. I tried just rebar, didn't work as well.
So now I wrapper the chicken wire around the rebar. Was using 1 charger, a 10 amp. Have another and figured try 2. The second 1 is a 6 amp.
Every so often, unplug and wash the anode off. It gets corroded and amps drop.
The positive charge on the anode pulls the rust. Need a space between the anode and part you are removing rust from.DO NOT put positive on the part you want clean, will turn into a rust block.

 

 

This is about an hour from this am. Still had rust in the ports from yesterday.
Placed both heads this time on 2 pieces of wood facing down so rust will be pulled out of ports.
2 anodes, one on each side placed in opposite corners.
Battery charger on each one. DO NOT touch any of the anode or water while the chargers are plugged in. Hate to see what would happen.

 

Charger on each anode. That black is the positive. I repaired the clips, crossed the colors
2 hours in the tank

From over night

 

If you are not in a hurry to remove rust from an object, and most of us have this stuff laying around. So far I only had to buy a box of baking soda, cost me 3 dollars.
Very cheap!!!!

 

Just a warning. This process will make things rust real quick, so coat with oil or something asap

 

Oh yes!!!!

 

Interesting process ! I learned something ! Thank you.

 

Youre welcome. YouTube has alot of info on this as well. The 394 I have is locked up, I will dip the top half in and try this method to free the cylinders.
I will build a bigger tank, using a 500 gallon water tank and use heavy fence panel as an anode. I can treat fenders a rear panels. Nice thing with this, will get to the rust where you normally cannot. Oil treat or prime right away, rust free.

 

You might want to make the bigger tank from a NON metallic material, otherwise the whole tank would be an anode. Think safety. Sheets of 3/8" PVC would be my suggestion to construct a tank. Most of the "plating shop" tanks I have seen were NOT metallic.

Perhaps think about submersing the front half of the engine. then the rear half. You'll remove rust above and below the piston rings. Then you can pop all the pistons out and have clean cylinder walls to evaluate.
...just my two cents worth

 

You cant use a metal barrel. This process will rot the barrel in no time. The big water tanks that farmers use to haul water. They are plastic, 200 gallons to 10000 gallons.
I dont want so submerge the crank side of the block yet.

 

AH, the ones they use for sprayers and transporting. I was visualizing the steel "stock tanks" for watering livestock. Makes sense to me now.
Have you experimented with Dawn dish soap in the washing soda/water solution ?
I was thinking that submersing one end of the engine would avoid air pockets in the cylinders, as compared to setting it on the intake surface (top).

 

No. I just tried this process. Trial and error. Lol

 

How about using the square totes that company's use for liquid product transport, see them for sale around here for 100 bucks and less with the outer steel frame. I'd cut the top off and try that.
Steve

 

They work too. I had this old rubber maid container laying around, so used it

 

Kudo's to you pardner for jumping into this, you're doing a helluva great job on that old 394 and hopefully resurecting it to a great running engine. Damn thing looks 1000% better already.

 

Looking good Kyle, Nice work! Any plans for the engine or just parting?
How is your 77 coming along?
Put-r-ther!
Eric

 

Thanks. Love these old 394's. Hope to bring back from the dead

 

Rebuild her and give her more pep yet. Lol
Mate with a 5 speed and drop in a late 30's olds.
As for the 77, have a shell down in Wisconsin waiting to get picked up. Cant get down there to get it, been trying to hire some 1 to pick it but no go yet

 

Cool thread. What about a 55 gallon plastic barrel?

 

That would be cool but...
I don't think they allow anyone in plastic barrels to go over the falls anymore