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Old 09-01-2013, 07:20 AM   #221
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Mel, Way too deep to stop now. Vacuum leaks really suck. OK really small joke I know.

Gary
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Old 01-14-2015, 01:49 PM   #222
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As much as I hate to resurrect this thread, I must.
Here I am on my way to my winter hurting ground in Arizona. Weather is a total mess (head winds, freezing cold) coming out of Oklahoma into Texas the first day. Then day two was one right after the other of rollover wrecks on US-180 into El Paco. Got on I-10 and just outside Las Cruces, NM the engine blows!!!! Sounds like I dropped a rod:<(
Now after setting in a RV park next the the garage in Las Cruces for one and a half weeks they get me into the garage and pull the motor. Today the machine shop tear her down. Number 7 intake valve stem seized, bent the push rod put the valve into the piston and what looks to be a crack in the cylinder wall. Can't tell on the crack till they vat it, then check. FOD went thru the intake and trashed #4 piston too. With heads off all turn freely. Can't find a block around these parts. Can buy a new one from GM, but think it'll be cheater to sleeve this, bore all .040 over (.030 over now) new pistons, ring.....
Don't know why I did take a picture of the killed piston/valve. Will when it's cleaned up.
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Old 01-14-2015, 09:04 PM   #223
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Sorry to hear about your luck. Hope it turns out for the best! Maybe we'll see you in Colorado in April
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Old 01-15-2015, 12:57 AM   #224
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You should be able to buy a new GM 454 with a 3/36 warrantee.

It has been a while since I bought one, but I think I bought the last one for less than 3K.

I would check with Bravo in LC, and price some El Paso dealerships as well. Price can vary a lot one dealer to the next.


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Old 01-15-2015, 05:48 AM   #225
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Mel, that's a real bummer

Had the exact same thing happen to our Spitfire race engine. Not a pretty sight. Turns out the valve guides weren't reamed to the right size for the valve stem

Hopefully you won't be stuck there to long and keep us updated on what happens.

Good luck!

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Old 01-15-2015, 06:04 AM   #226
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Who rebuilt the heads? I think I would go with a crate motor and stop messing around with this one.

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Old 01-16-2015, 11:49 AM   #227
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Machinist got the bock/heads vatted/cleaned and checked. The scratch in #7 cylinder IS a cracked.
Checked with dealer for new GM block $2K, long block $6.5K. Don't think so.
I ordered all the parts to use the block I got with one sleeved cylinder, all bored to .040 over- 496cid
I'm thinking the machine shop I used when I build the stoker was not as good as it used to be. Exhaust valve guides should of been replaced; side gap on piston to cylinder walls are max.
All this because a couple 75 cent parts failed.
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Old 01-18-2015, 03:25 PM   #228
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Oh that empty feeling I have
Going on week three being powerless in Las Cruces
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Old 01-18-2015, 06:37 PM   #229
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The only reason for valve guides to seize is they were too tight which is hard to believe on a used motor. They could have forgotten to put lube on the valve guides. You may have some sort of oil delivery problem as well. The only way a valve should cause problems is a broken spring or over revving the engine. I don't trust anyone with engine rebuilds till I have checked the work myself. I have never seen it done right. You probably have a two or three crate motors in cost and aggravation with what you have.

My boss use to live in Las Cruses. I can ask him if he knows someone trust worthy there if you like.

Perry
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Old 01-18-2015, 07:03 PM   #230
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Pully that 454

My guess is that the number seven piston failed and took out the valve instead of the other way round...

Might be wrong, but my experience with 454s is that piston failure is relatively common when compared with other catastrophic failures.

Additionally, I am not a fan of big strokers when reliability is important. Strokers usually require some compromises in the piston design that don't always translate well with regard to reliability in towing and such.

I am about sure that a 454 Mark IV with early large port heads will make more power than a 500 cu in stroker with late peanut port heads.

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Old 01-18-2015, 09:09 PM   #231
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Did the engine pop going up the hill west of Las Cruces?


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Old 01-20-2015, 08:34 AM   #232
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Did the engine pop going up the hill west of Las Cruces?


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Didn't make it west of town. Started knocking 2 miles east of the I-25/10 junction.

Before it was all torn down, thought the valve stuck. BUT, the valve pulled thru the lock. Valve stem is badly worn. So, it did something I or anyone I've talked to ever heard of before. The rocker arm was still on the spring retainer.

The wear on the valve/lock left junk in the pan. May be the reason I had lost power and mpg (I thought it was the head wind)

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Valve driven into piston. Other piston shows FOD from debris that crossed over the intake.

So, when the parts arrive, This will be 496cid, 0.250" stroked, 0.040 bored, 8.3/1 compression, hydraulic roller cam monster.

If it don't last longer then 2000 miles this time, it'll be a 12 valve diesel.
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Old 01-20-2015, 11:36 AM   #233
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If it were me, I'd put in one of these bad boys and forget it for a very long time:

HT502 Big Block Crate Engine | Chevrolet
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Old 01-20-2015, 11:10 PM   #234
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If it were me, I'd put in one of these bad boys and forget it for a very long time:

HT502 Big Block Crate Engine | Chevrolet

That sure is a good old days power curve!!
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Old 01-21-2015, 06:26 PM   #235
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If it were me, I'd put in one of these bad boys and forget it for a very long time:

HT502 Big Block Crate Engine | Chevrolet
that's what I built except I didn't bore it that much
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Old 01-21-2015, 06:43 PM   #236
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Went by the builder today thinking maybe the killed valve wasn't getting oil, but not the case.
This trip it had started using oil. I looked at the pistons and rings only to realize the I made another grave error as I intrusted the ring gap grinding to the machine shop I used and I didn't recheck. Looks like the gap closed damaging the piston grove. I should have waited till I wasn't taking so damn many pain pills to put this together. The dropped valve? Why?? But blown out ring groves, my fault.
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Least I'm not dealing with this problem
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Old 01-21-2015, 09:23 PM   #237
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Too big of a ring gap,,, doesn't really matter... Too small a gap big problem.

After you mentioned the piston failure, I am even more sure that the piston took out the valve and not the other way round.

It would only take a small piece of a ring land to get between the piston and the valve, to bend the valve stem, and start the cycle of destruction...


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Old 01-21-2015, 09:26 PM   #238
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Pully that 454

I am about sure that debris did not cross through the intake from one cylinder to the other, but pieces of the ring lands caused the damage in separate cylinders.

By the way,,, is the trailer with the piano on top in Las Cruces?

I have seen the picture before, but I didn't know this piece of rolling art was (maybe) in LC.

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Old 01-22-2015, 05:45 PM   #239
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Choctawmel,
I admire your tenacity. Never Quit. Sometimes bad things happen despite our best efforts. Thank You for sharing this story. Next time I'm through Chocktaw, I would like to shake your hand.
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Old 01-23-2015, 01:55 PM   #240
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Choctawmel,
I admire your tenacity. Never Quit. Sometimes bad things happen despite our best efforts. Thank You for sharing this story. Next time I'm through Chocktaw, I would like to shake your hand.
If you do, I'll sure try to be there.

Looking at a way to pull Silver Bullet with my bicycle named 'Silver' or build a tow bar and pull it with my Dodge Cummins. Would pull it alright, but stopping may be a problem.
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