@organic.chemist man that sucks

 

What state are you in?

Google upullit junkyard and go findgone engine at the yard.

Sometimes you can start them there. You can definitely disassemble the block and look at the condition before you buy it.
LKQ is also a good place if you wanyoung engine with a guarentee.

If it were me, I'd look for a running truck and put all the nice parts on the best one.

 

Steam cleaned piston photos:


#7 steam cleaned. Started with miss on cylinder one morning. Never left the driveway. Ran maybe 10 minutes total for diagnosis purposes.

 

170k on the clock on this one.

 

Bent rod = Impressive! You were right on with the hydro lock. I will be paying even closer attention to front and rear ends of valley gasket on any future rebuilds. Which cylinder did the bent rod come from?

Someone else on the forum mentioned that they align the heads first with the lower manifold installed (snug with gasket, but not torqued? don't know....) before torquing the heads down. May make a difference.....

See how much the new gaskets are off center on the ports. These are the ones sold by AB and many other vendors...Doubt my head was milled 6mm!

 

I had this experience with two lower intake gaskets. Whatever L8 sells in the kit and a FelPro. I hated installing that gasket. I climbed on top trying to get those holes to line up.

 

I put the lower intake bolts into the gasket, pushed it flush, and saw where several of the holes needed trimmed on one edge.
It helped when putting the lower intake on.
I've done it a couple times with a gasket from different suppliers as well, but they were both the same.
I suspect the one that I have now will be the same too.

 

On the net, many rover v8 builders have this same issue. It seems that most, if not all, suppliers gaskets are too big even when torqued down. One builder eliminated the valley end seals and the valley gasket fit fine....but this creates new issues like sealing the valley ends w/RTV... (see link, last post)
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...f=66&t=1806160

 

So my buddy cut some block off plates for me based on the suggestions above, and I pressure tested it at 60psi (cold), but did not see any leaks. I'd like to test it hot, but am not sure about how to rig it up to another vehicle's cooling system to supply the heat for it. Suggestions? In particular I am concerned that if I just use adapters to get down to a 3/8 tubing or similar it won't provide the flow needed, and perhaps could generate some back pressure--not sure if this may cause issues for the running car's system (?). And I'll have to run it over about 15-20 feet distance the way it is positioned in my garage, so I don't want to spend big bucks on a very long 1.5" radiator hose . . .

 

@organic.chemist it should not, it is no different than running through the heater core, if I had to do it that is the way I would do it, run off the second vehicle heater lines.

The flow is not important getting the block to operating temp and pressure is.

The way I would do it is to block all the coolant area in the bad block and run in and out lines to the donor heater lines via your block, you would have to see where to put them from flow a coolant flow diagram.