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Waterlogged 803a

smokem joe

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Green OH
These were almost all stacked two high and some three high. They said it was because of lack of space. The sheet metal wasn't awful. Pictures did show most of that. What they didn't show (and makes me really glad I went to look) was missing parts on a lot of units. Some of the ones were obvious parts units, but were missing things off the motors as well. Units that looked complete in pictures were missing parts in the control panel, and the only way to find out was open them in person!
 

smokem joe

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So I finally got around to swapping motors last week. It wasn't bad at all. It took about 8 hours I'd say. I ended up with a used engine for $700 to put in this. With purchase price being low as beat up as it was it will still be a worthwhile investment.

I did it a little different than recommended. I removed stator and rotor from the motor while it was mounted. Then I was able to lift motor and swing it sideways very carefully and remove it without removing the radiator, shroud, fan, or doors. The piece that holds the doors on goes up and over the flywheel, but with some careful maneuvering it will come out with no damage to anything. New engine went back in the same way.

The worst part was getting the gen head apart. The end cap was rusted on and had to be heated with a torch to get it to release from the stator. I made a puller that threaded into the rotor and couldn't get it to move till I heated the rust around the outside. The rotor would not come off either after all five mounting bolts were off. I ended up threading a slide hammer into the center of the rotor. After several minutes of yanking it finally came free.

Sheet metal is not back together yet, but engine is in and all bolted up with all wiring complete. I want to fire it up before finishing the sheet metal.

Here is the kicker. It has been over a year since I looked at this. The head has been off with tranny fluid in the two rusted cylinders. It still won't budge at all! I tried the flywheel with a large prybar and a long breaker bar on the front. This thing is really stuck! I kept the head but the block is headed to the scrap pile as soon as I pull the few usable pieces off it.
 

CapePrep

Active member
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Location
MA
Joe, I dropped the ball on getting back to you about this block. When I was diagnosing mine that was stuck, I waited a few days and couldn't take it anymore. I had a port power and a low profile mini ram. It only has a 2" stroke. Fabbed up some brackets, bolted them down with the head bolts and slowly applied pressure. It popped and was able to finally see inside the cylinders to identify a cracked block. But, at least I knew. Food for thought.
Center two cylinders are rusted solid. Tranny fluid sitting in them for a year and not a drop made it past the rings
 

smokem joe

Active member
500
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Location
Green OH
I could put it in my press and pop them free I'm pretty sure. But even if they were free I wouldn't use it without a rebuild. It's just faster and easier for me to throw another engine in it rather than screw with it. I may throw some evaporust in those 2 cylinders to see what happens before I scrap it.
 

smokem joe

Active member
500
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Location
Green OH
Cape I got the motor free if you still need a block. I have two pistons out and the other two are moving. No sign of a crack. But the reason I don't do a hone job and move on in these motors showed up again. Water went down the push rods and ended up in the governor. Cam gear was one hunk of rust. Crank gear and oil pump looked perfect. Unit must have sat on an angle to allow the water to reach that far. Other than that the evaporust worked miracles. Cylinders cleaned up just as nice as could be. No ridge at all on them. Cam shaft itself looked great, except for the gear that I cut off of it!
 

Josephml21

Member
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Location
PA
While I was surfing the web about any and all info on these motors I came across a old Lister Petter rebuild video of the elusive 3 cylinder version.

The video is old and has some cheesy music effects and is broken into three parts but was definitely informative on how these are put together / rebuilt.

I'll add the link for the first video and you should be able to track down parts Two and three from there.

https://youtu.be/i54vuEoxv30
 

smokem joe

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Green OH
It was an interesting teardown. I have rebuilt dozens of small block chevys. I have never seen an engine that the crank comes out the back before!
 

Josephml21

Member
75
43
18
Location
PA
It was an interesting teardown. I have rebuilt dozens of small block chevys. I have never seen an engine that the crank comes out the back before!
I really like how easy this thing comes apart additionally the low parts count. Just seems like a bullet proof platform with proper maintenance.


If I have it my way this 803 is going to be in my life for the next 20-30 years. If I have to rebuild the motor so be it. If I have to have the Gen head rewound / rebuilt so be it.
 

smokem joe

Active member
500
66
28
Location
Green OH
Keep the oil changed and keep water out of the exhaust and they should last forever. I have kept one extra rotor and stator in the event that I would need one down the road
 
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