Disassembly of LBJ's 409, please help

[ToddK]

I have the Mercruiser marine 409 coming out of LBJ's Glastron. It had some water get into the top of a few of the cylinders and I'm wondering how to approach the disassembly of the crank, pistons etc. Can everything be removed out the bottom, especially the pistons? ...so they don't have to drag out past the rusted areas? If so, how would I go about it, getting the crank out first? I'm guessing I wouldn't be able to unbolt everything with out having to rotate the crank. BTW, there is virtually no ridge at the top of the cylinders. If some of the pistons have to come out the top I could "prep" the rust by honing but couldn't get it all.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Todd

Website: www.classicglastron.com (some pictures of LBJ in the boat there) The first picture on the mainpage is obviously an outboard boat. It was lost in a flood on the Llano river shortly after. The boat I have is the 1965 Glastron he used from 1965 until his death in 1973.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Todd, Soak the cyls. with penetrating oil over a period of several days. You will then have to use a small diamiter steel shaft and a sledge hammer to beat the pistons out through the top. The pistons are worthless so you dont have to worry about breaking them. Not having a ridge really dosent help because the rust damage will neccessitate boring the block anyway. After you tear it down , what are your plans?

 

[4onthefloor]

Darn cool Todd...any pics ???

 

[ToddK]

Hi

Follow links in my post above. I can't shrink pictures shot at 5 megapixels to fit the size restraint to post here.