bigvan

So i just picked up this 76 van for $100. It wasnt running when I got it but I got it started a couple days ago for about 30 seconds. Lots of noise so I shut it down. Couldnt get it to start after that. I pulled the oil pan off today and found that my #1 piston was in a million pieces and the cylinder wall is pretty beat.

My question is this: Can I remove the piston pieces and still run well on seven cylinders? I just need something that runs well for a couple of months.

Nomad76lj

you may be able to get it to run but i dont think so. there would be no compretion at that cylinder the best you might be able to do is put a round block of wood in that cylinder to get the compretion back and it might run. i would send it to the bone yard and use the money you get from scrap to look for somthing else.

bigvan

Ive heard of people running races on seven cylinders to enter lower engine classes. But it seems dangerous to spray fuel into an empty cylinder. I guess Ill find a scrap yard.

76Guy

Wow, why not just go get ONE piston and put it in? Seems like the simple solution. You could even scrounge one up free from someone rebuilding their engine, or an old machine shop, they are probably using one for an ashtray they'd give to you.

Spoolchild

^^^I'm with that guy. If you've already got the pan pulled then you might as well snag a piston from somewhere(maybe even a rod) and throw it in there. Even if you got some old beat up piston and throw old used rings on it, it would be a hell of a lot better than nothing at all... or a block of wood... lol