hello, couple of questions this time. I am rebuilding a 350 target motor... All i really know about it is the Target Master/Goodwrench crate motor, 2-piece rear
seal, "Hecho en Mexico"... Does any body know the gasket set to use on this motor?...Part #s would be great. i have it all down to the block w/ the pistons and cam still left inside... I am rebuilding because the first time i did it, i was careless... and it sprung leaks everywhere. I know that i have a leaky headgasket that looks really bad on the #4 cyl. there is coolant in the oil.. and the #4 looks like it got some in the cylinder.... Question on this is... what should i do about it?... just replace the gaskets?... I have the whole motor torn down just about... and i have to buy a new intake and carb, because i all i have is a Torker 2 that came w/ the motor... I have a performer and a holley 650 on the way. I am thinking a new oil pan, cause thats where one of the leaks were.. also a new oil pump?... just to be on the safe side?... I dont have much $, but i know its going to cost me... i have about $400.. which i know aint much for this kind of thing... I am ok at tearing it dowm to the shortblock... but i am scared to dig into the cam and crank...any help is appreciated...I have 4 days b4 my mom gets back and will want to use the garage again... so i need help FAST!!!! Thanks, Dave

 

also... I have good pictures of everything... so if you think you need to see it to help, i can send them to you or somthin... they are really big and good qulaity, and i wouldnt want to bog down thirdgen. Thanks

 

Send me the pix, I'll help you if I can... don't tear the short block down, if you haven't already. That is, leave the crank, pistons, rods, & cam in the block. I don't see any reason in your post to disturb those just yet.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Dave, how does that target run?? I had one a long time ago (97) and it was the worst piece
of ^%@#!#@$ that i ever came across from the GM factory. I wish ya luck building it AGAIN
,don't worry you will get real good at it quick
Sorry if I came across as rude , but i had soooooo much bad luck with it, it still makes
my blood boil when i see the words TARGET MASTER, "hencho en mexico" built in mexico
the blocks are soft and make a terrible
foundation to build a performance eng.
GOOD LUCK!!!! I hope u have better luck than I. GTA.....

 

GTA, thanks for the warning... but i didnt get the motor for high performance, it is a daily driver that i got for 300 bucks.. and i needed anything being that the ol 305 blew up. And i have only ran it for about an hour total, with mabye 3 miles on it... so i cant really say, but ill keep you guys posted... Any help on the questions above?

 

I studied the pics last night pretty carefully, and you're not going to like what I saw.

I only found one head gasket leak. It is near a corner of one of the heads, I don't recall which one, but it was nowhere near the #4 cylinder. It would have been leaking water to the outside world.

When a head gasket is blown enough to let 15 psi water into a cylinder, then it will also let 1000 psi combustion go everywhere. Head gaskets that blow into a cylinder always have massive quantities of combustion by-products all around the scene of the crime. In the case if that particular cylinder, for a head gasket to have allowed that much water (a tremendous amount actually) into that cylinder, it would have shown up beyond obviously.

There's no such indication on that gasket. All around the #4, the gasket is nice and blue, no brown at all; the steel O-ring is bright and shiny, again no trace of combustion leakage; the print of the head is clearly visible on clean gasket material. The gasket was working.

Your problem is not a blown head gasket. I'd recommend you get the head pressure-tested, and if it passes, do the same to the block. You have a cracked casting. I'd suspect the head, right between the valves. That can often be repaired but will require a valve job to be done afterwards.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

T and A
sorry to hear of your problems, with the
target as you can tell I don't like them at
all, (more trouble than they are worth) but
since your stuck with it for a time, I would
look for a good set of rebuilt heads. I never saw the pictures of the crack in the cyl head
so I'm only going to assume the worst, Good luck with the rebuild, GTA....