I might have the opportunity to pick up a used shortblock from the Nissan dealer that has a bent rod from hydrolocking. Does a bent rod usually cause additional damage to the crankshaft/block? What are the odds that this motor can be rebuilt?

 

only way to tell is to tear it down and have the block magnaflux'd

 

Do engine builders magnaflux blocks before building them? Seems like that would be a good idea for any salvaged engine.

 

absolutely a good idea....any good machinist will have access to being able to do it

 

Magna fluxing is generally done to Magnetically attractive materials like in ur potential case the Crank shaft and the Rods. Crank would have to be jigged up and chked for true then Magnafluxed.
Aluminum is crack chked by another process using ultra violet sensitive dyes and a light. ( Am I right? --Its been awhile)
All rods should be chked for true also before fluxing
Dammed if I can remember the name of the dye process but a good shop will know what u need----Mainly its used to chk for head cracks

 

Thanks for the info guys. I'll just make sure the shop I send it to has the capability to perform these tests.

 

Good job! Zyglo is the process for checking for cracks in aluminum.