Damaged Nailhead block - worth the effort to save?

[JJorgensen52]

A little while back I purchased a 401 out of a '63 LeSabre, to get all of the stick parts. Today, I actually got a chance to poke around the motor a bit. It fired right up, but it was making terrible noises! So, I pulled the oil pan and I found this:

Cylinder #1

Cylinder #4

Pan below #1

Obviously, something untoward happened to this motor. It is also clear that there is some water in the oil (though no evidence of corrosion or damage to the rotating assembly from that). Having not yet pulled the crank and pistons, I can't tell for sure but it looks like #4 would require at least being bored over .020 - .030, and #1 has severe damage to the cylinder walls, to the point you can see into the water jacket between #1 and #3 (3 o'clock position in the first photo). It appears the wall damage extends nearly halfway around the circumference of the bore.

This is a standard JR coded 401, regular fuel 4 barrel model out of a base LeSabre. It is unusual in that it has a manual transmission crankshaft, drilled for a pilot and not the Dynaflow converter.

So, my question is, is it worth having the block cleaned/tanked, magnafluxed, and then sleeved? I have a set of 4 spare pistons and rods, so parts to reassemble are handy. My prior experience is with Chevrolets, and I know that unless it were a particularly unusual engine (400SBC or something similar), this kind of damage would be an automatic scrap sentence. I'm just not sure if the Nailheads are rare enough to make it worth the effort. It actually ran really well, considering!

[JZRIV]

I'm afraid this one is not worth saving. The hole in the cylinder wall would be the nail-in-the-coffin if it were mine. Certainly the crank could be saved and used in other blocks. 401 blocks aren't terribly difficult to find though you will likely need to search beyond your locality.

[60FlatTop]

I threw mine out:

Bernie

[NTX5467]

Sensitivities for "saving" or "scrapping" can also relate to your locale. In a region where more Buicks were sold originally, there can be a greater possibility for "rebuilder" blocks, BUT you also have to consider that many of the older yards (which would have most likely had some Buicks of that vintage in them) have been scrapped out with the other items going to "the recycling bin".

For example, before Chrysler's Mopar Perf parts branch started reproducing 426 Hemi blocks/engines, I saw some "scrap" blocks (some with generally correct date codes for the vehicles they would be put into) selling for well above "scrap iron" prices. Even if they had to have chunks out of their sides re-welded into them!

I suspect that in the case of a Buick LeSabre, having a "correct" engine is not going to affect the ultimate value of the vehicle. A prospective purchaser might want to know if the engine has been rebuilt, too, at which time you could tell what's been done. I also remember, in prior decades, where sleeving an engine block was a last resort situation . . . AND one which would make many people pass on that engine at the time of resale. Of course, re-sleeving a cast iron block is a little different than the more modern cast aluminum blocks with iron cylinder "liners".

ANYTHING can be saved and fixed . . . for a price, by observation. I'd let a competent engine machine shop view the engine and made the determination of whether to "save" or "scrap" it. It's possible that many would opt for the "scrap" option as they might not really want to stand behind their work in that area . . . an area which FEW shops really know how to do, any more.

For good measure, don't scrap that block until you find a suitable replacement that has nothing more than "normal wear" on the crank and cylinder bores. It might take some doing, but I suspect they are "out there, somewhere". NOT as plentiful as Chevy engines, but possibly available somewhere. As stated, you might need to expand your search area outside of your local venue.

Good luck,

NTX5467

[bhambulldog]

Dad had a sleeve put in a bad cylinder in the Roadmaster.

That was 38 years ago. It's still running strong