1964 Travelall - Engine Swap Inquiry

1962300

1962300

Member
I need to pull the stock drivetrain out. It is a 304 with a 5 speed manual. Is there any SIMPLE bolt in crate motor if I decided to not rebuild the 304? And...I have heard that 304 heads are famous for cracking and then not being available. Any truth to that?
Thanks
 
Are you referring to a non IH crate engine or something else?
Any engine other than a IH SV (266, 304, 345, 392) will not simply bolt in in place if a 304. There will some level of cutting and fabrication for any others.

All cylinder heads will/can crack. A lot of IH iron live in rather extreme environments and usually get over temped a few times during their long life. They may seem to crack more often than others but not under the same conditions
 
Thank you Robert.

Are heads, if cracked, hard to come by?
(I ask as a machinist told a pal that "IH 304 heads are impossible to find as they all cracked!")

Does someone sell a 304 rebuilt crate motor?
I was planning to pull mine, tear it down, have it machined, reassemble & drive into the sunset.

Thanks
 
1962300 said:
Thank you Robert.

Are heads, if cracked, hard to come by?
(I ask as a machinist told a pal that "IH 304 heads are impossible to find as they all cracked!")

Does someone sell a 304 rebuilt crate motor?
I was planning to pull mine, tear it down, have it machined, reassemble & drive into the sunset.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I read somewhere that Navistar still sells crate sv V8 motors if they take the time to really look, but they are very expensive. Also I don't remember what displacement or if it was only a short block or what.
I don't recall anywhere reading that 304's had a head cracking problem. And I have not heard that heads are all that impossible to find. I'm sure many light-line dealers have used ones in stock.
 
These engines are expensive to build because they use quality parts. I've been running IH engines since '84 and have never had a head or block crack, although I run mostly 345's. I have a buildable 304 & 345 if you need something to start with. My most common failure is the steel head gaskets only last about 50 years before rotting out. Contact the parts dept here and I bet you they can get a quality crate motor.
 
FDChappie said:
These engines are expensive to build because they use quality parts. I've been running IH engines since '84 and have never had a head or block crack, although I run mostly 345's. I have a buildable 304 & 345 if you need something to start with. My most common failure is the steel head gaskets only last about 50 years before rotting out. Contact the parts dept here and I bet you they can get a quality crate motor.
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What are you asking for your 345? How complete is it? And has it ever been rebuilt before? Send me a pm. I'm sure I could do it justice but if it has a problem from a previous rebuild and not just normal use and age, I'm not sure I could find the root cause of the rebuilders mistake. Plus if it's been bored out or decked etc I don't know if that would leave me room to rebuild or machine things if necessary.
 
1962300 said:
Thank you Robert.

Are heads, if cracked, hard to come by?
(I ask as a machinist told a pal that "IH 304 heads are impossible to find as they all cracked!")

Does someone sell a 304 rebuilt crate motor?
I was planning to pull mine, tear it down, have it machined, reassemble & drive into the sunset.

Thanks
Click to expand...
If you have a solid rebuildable 304, I'd have it rebuilt. If your 304 has not seen a critical over heat, chances are the heads are good. I have a set that look OK but are earmarked for a project.
 
It seems to me the IH 304 is the most common of the SV8 engines. The 345 is right up there too, but I'm betting there were more 304 engines than anything else.
 
Robert Kenney said:
This form is supported by a business that caters to the IH community, they have a rebuilding service. Link below.
www.ihpartsamerica.com

Remanufactured IH Engines - 152 or 196 4cyl and 304, 345, 392 V8

Check out the deal on Remanufactured IH Engines - 152 or 196 4cyl and 304, 345, 392 V8 at IH Parts America
www.ihpartsamerica.com
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I do not know if they also sell rebuilt heads here to replace cracked heads. I did not see heads in the engine parts section otherwise I would not have replied in such a generic way. I would have told Matt Allyn "if you're concerned you can get them here" instead of telling him "I'm sure many light-line dealers have used ones in stock".

And I agree with Scoutboy74, my searching and research seems to indicate there were a lot more 304 SV8's than any other SV8 engine. I don't know how many were produced, but they were made, or offered over a 26 year period, 1959 to 1985. They must be good to be produced that long. Actual numbers produced might be available in the Crismon book. Seems like many production engines today, with some exceptions, seldom last more than a few years before being discontinued.
 
odSteve said:
I do not know if they also sell rebuilt heads here to replace cracked heads. I did not see heads in the engine parts section otherwise I would not have replied in such a generic way. I would have told Matt Allyn "if you're concerned you can get them here" instead of telling him "I'm sure many light-line dealers have used ones in stock".

And I agree with Scoutboy74, my searching and research seems to indicate there were a lot more 304 SV8's than any other SV8 engine. I don't know how many were produced, but they were made, or offered over a 26 year period, 1959 to 1985. They must be good to be produced that long. Actual numbers produced might be available in the Crismon book. Seems like many production engines today, with some exceptions, seldom last more than a few years before being discontinued.
Click to expand...
My post was to the OP not you.
 
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