TylerW

Hey guys:

A few years ago I bought a "barn find" 1963 Dynamic 88 Holiday Sedan with 52,000 miles on it. That's the good part.

The bad part is that it was in a mild sideswipe accident circa 1969, and was parked in a Michigan shed from then until 2012. As a consequence, the engine is stuck solid. I've had the cylinders soaking for quite a while and also pulled the rocker arms to ensure there were no stuck valves(there weren't).

Here is the crossroads I am at:

I am getting ready to get this car running and on the road this summer. The 394 in there is all original down to the plug wires, and it makes me sick that I very likely can't get that engine to run.

I'm open to removing that one and installing another 394 but does anyone have good one these days??

Next, I can pull the engine that's in it and tear it down. You know as well as I do that that'll turn into a full rebuild, and maybe not even that if the cylinders won't clean up.

The other option is to repower it. When I say "on the road" I mean capable of going cross-country, because I want to use it to explore old highways, motels, and the like, anywhere and everywhere.

I'm not willing to put a Chevy engine in it, not now or ever. My thoughts are running toward an Olds or Buick 455, or possible a Cadillac. I have space to do an engine swap and capability to fabricate, but no room to properly overhaul an engine at this time. I'm aware of the three-point mounting this car uses for motor mounts.

So, I'm all ears to what you guys would consider or have actually done. What's the best option to take here?

Thanks!

redoldsman

Based on age, it is doubtful you will find a decent used engine. The 394 is a good engine. I would go with a rebuild. That is going to be a lot easier than any engine swap. You will probably get about as many opinions to overhaul as you will to do an engine change.

MDchanic

If it's seized, it's got to come out.

Once it's out, the question is what's easiest and cheapest.

Swapping in a newer-design motor (and transmission) is a very big job.

Finding a good-running replacement will be difficult, but probably not impossible.

If this is really a low mileage engine, and in generally good shape, you may get away with just a rebore, pistons, rings, bearing shells, and gaskets, and that may be your best bet here.

- Eric

chequenman

Repowering it with most popular engine swaps means cutting a large section out of the front cross member to lower in your engine swap because the Transmission tunnel is so small to get a tranny and engine swap done and driveshaft angles at an angle that won't twist the Universal joints out of car and have no vibrations.


Rebuilding what you have will be the best move without having to make all of those modifications and you be changing and tweaking things for a long time afterwards.


Just my Two Cents worth... Good luck

m371961

I have never tried it but an experienced friend says filling cylinders with methanol worked for him when oils didn't. I also think a rebuild is your best option.

Octania

As a last ditch effort, I would loosen all the valves- remove rocker shafts if it's that type- so that only the crank is involved.

Fill the cylinders with Evapo Rust
Every day for a week
give it time to work.
It will EAT RUST but not steel

Then turn the crank back and forth, see if it's free.
If you can get it to turn, you might get it to run.

If it turns, then start with ATF/ Acetone instead of the evaporust.
Drain the oil pan of all the watery based stuff so far introduced.

If oily voodoo juice can get the motor free and you can turn it back and forth at least one turn... then you can put OIL in the crankcase, use the starter to spin it, and you are halfway there.

Now, to get the valves free...

therobski

X2 Octania, I would try it indeed. Those 394 are tough as nails. I did almost the same procedure on my 64 F-85 330 that was sitting behind granny's house since 82. When it started up it sounded like shaking marbles in a coffee can until the lifers pumped up the motor got hot, changed the oil, restarted it, tune in everything and became smooth and quiet as can be.

jcdynamic88

i believe century motors in philadelphia was parting a 63 or 64 olds a while back that had a good engine.these engines do come up occassionally in the form of a running parts car.there is a 394 for sale in w springfield,mass and a 64 88 for sale in avis,pa

Don R.

I agree with most above, please don't chop it up with a swap. The 394 was the pinnacle version of the original Rocket V-8 and amazingly durable in normal use. If you have the patience to free it up and rebuild it you can't go wrong.

navvet

So any update...have you tried any of the ideas?

Fitti Fi

A friend of my father used to soak the cylinders with kerosene and it worked for him most of the time.

D. Yaros

Save & rebuild that 394!

jcdynamic88

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ptd/5513620666.html these guys have a 63 98,i called them a while back for someone looking for a 394 and they said it had a good engine.i thought i saw somewhere you were in pa but dont know where i got that because i dont see your location in your post

MDchanic

That's quite a list for a small urban East coast junkyard.

- Eric

jcdynamic88

that's just the oldsmobiles ,they frequently list older cars for parts but never post pictures of them

markmag

hi, Im taking the 1 out of my '63...to get a dodge cummins from a pickup...mine ran,but has a cam bearing gone up...so you should rebuild yours then you have dependability in that...

BangScreech4-4-2

You're putting a Dodge Cummins in your Oldsmobile?!

Octania

well, sure, why not?

Professur

Everyone always tries voodoo juice ...just freeze them loose. Pull the engine, strip it down ... you're going to have to anyways. Silly not to while it's out. Warm up the cylinders however you like ... I'm not a fan of O/A so an hour over a charcoal grill would be my choice. Not too hot, just enough to get a bit of expansion going. Then a shot of cold to the piston and a thump with a wooden dowel (hammer shaft) and they'll pop loose unless they're fully welded. You'll know that in advance because the cylinder wall will already be heavily scarred. Laugh if you like ... I've known motorcycle mechanics to just stand a jug in a wood fire to get it loose. Always works for them.

MDchanic

Yeah, I'm not obsessive about originality, so long as the non-original motor isn't from a Chebby (Soooooo boring...), but considering the work necessary, you'd still probably be ahead if you could get the pistons out and then have the block bored, rather than swapping in such a different powerplant.

- Eric

Tedd Thompson

And you can bore a 394 out 100 thousands + and still keep it cool, but can you find pistons that large anymore?.... Tedd

MDchanic

I'm sure Egge could make them.

- Eric

btw

I've thought about doing for a rat rod project in a '60 Super. I'd use a Benz truck diesel however.

dynamic63

hot dexron 3 heat it in metal coffee can till starts to steam. then pour into sparkplug holes let sit. heat activates detergents that eat carbon and oxidation, 5w oil seeps past rings. used this trick on farm engines that were left out.