Help me decide on engine for 72 Chevelle

[bobs409]

Yep. In fact, they had other pistons but sent them back when he decided on the longer rods.

[raymar58409]

Originally Posted by Brian Thompson

HD = Hundred Dollars everytime you walk into the store

AND 409= $409 every time you blink.........at least

[bobs409]

Woohoo! It's done!

I just got a call saying the engine is done. He just wanted to check with me to see if there was anything else I wanted done to it before they add it up. They will call back later with the total. Should I sit down for that call?

It's raining here today so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to pick it up.

Will report back when I learn more...

[Dick MacKenzie]

Originally Posted by bobs409

Should I sit down for that call?

Think I would open a beer and mellow out a little waiting for that call Bob!

[Don Jacks]

MAYBE 2or 3

[bobs409]

Good thing I didn't follow advice from you guys, I'd be hammered right now!

I never did get that call.

Guess I'll just go up tomorrow with a wad of cash and get my engine.

[bobs409]

It's home!

I went up with 2 grand in my wallet not knowing how much this was going to cost. The machine work was $576.00 and the new pistons, rods & cam bearings were $904.00 for a grand total of $1,568.80 with tax.

So the other 454 goes up next week to get started on.

I just picked up some plastigage and cleaning brushes. I'll freshen up by reading the books again before I start on it.

I thought this day would never get here!

I was a bit surprised to see some rust still on the outside. It was VERY rusty though. I think they even left it in the tank for a month!

Here's few pics:

[61belair348]

That there is wun purdy engine block.

[Don Jacks]

This just looks like surface rust,nothing a good coat of primer and paint wont cure.The machine work prices seem very good,looks like they line honed the main bores,decked it,did they use honing plates for the final honing operation?Cant wait untill you get her running

[58 Apache]

Looking good! Now the real work and fun begin. Just remember I look for reasons to get some Cave brewed beer up here in Ct.

[bobs409]

Well I'm only minutes from either Yuengling brewery location!

I don't see align hone on the reciept. Heres a run down on the labor and what was done:

Hot tank block $75 (this price includes a final cleaning at the end so it's ready to put together)
Magnaflue block $35
Bore block $96.00
Hone block $80.00
Install cam bearings $35.00
Hot tank crank, magnaflux crank, polish and check for straightness $45.00
Hot tank & mag rods $20.00 (my old ones)
Balance engine $200.00

I also had them "hang" the pistons as they used a special spiral retaining ring that I'm not familiar with. $20.00

They did check the deck and some other areas but there was no charge for that. (all was good)


It took 2-1/2 months though. Could have been a bit quicker but oh well, good things come to those that wait!

[bobs409]

I just couldn't resist doing something to it so I installed the oil filter by pass valve and the freeze plugs.

[bobs409]

What a long day! I spent the entire rainy day building the 454!

Cleaned the crank and the oil passages.
Installed the crank, made sure it turned good. (wrench on the balancer nut and gave it the "one finger" test as in the DVD I have)
Removed a cap at a time to check the bearing clearances with Plastigage. Everyone came out a .002 so that's perfect.
Then I removed the whole thing, installed the cam as it's easier with it upside down with crank removed as you can get a hand in there to guide it through each journal. Reinstalled crank with rear seal.

The rest of the day was spent putting the rings on the pistons, cleaning and more cleaning, oiling and more oiling, installing the pistons, tightened and loosened the ARP rod bolts 4 times! as recommended, Plastigaging the rod bearings... WHEW! The whole process gets a bit boring, I felt like a robot doing the same thing over and over and over.

Good thing is, the crank, camshaft and all 8 pistons are in! I also got the timing chain and gears in and the cover on. The most nerve wracking part was putting the rings on. I kept having a bad feeling like I was going to break one. (I usually have that kind of luck) I only have a cheapy ring spreader but it did the job.

Had a slight learning curve with the ring compressor. After a few trys on the first piston, I got real good with it. All the other 7 went in on the first try perfectly! It's a 4.99 job from Harbor Freight.

I'm just hoping my rod bearing clearances are ok. A bit on the tight end at .0015 (do I have the number right? Between .001 and .002 is what I'm trying to say) Everything I read said they should be between .001 and .003 so it should be ok, right? Would have liked to see .002 on these but they were just that little inkling tighter. I made the executive decision to continue on. This is me--->

A few more full days and this should be looking like a whole engine again.

[58 Apache]

Ain't it fun putting one motor together two three and sometimes four times to know it is right? Did you degree the cam or just put it in straight up zero? Did you put your lifters in oil yet so they can fill with oil and did coat the cam lobes good with break-in lube? Did you put the pistons in dry or with oil on the rings and oil on the walls? Did Check deck height yet?

[bobs409]

Hey, who's asking the questions around here? I thought it was me.

Let see; no degreeing cam, I'm still novice , cam lobes coated with moly (supplied with the cam), stock deck height, lifters went in today and I oiled them right in the block the way my dvd showed. Pretty neat way too, just put a dummy distributor in with a vice grips on top, put the 2 rear lifters in and spin the dist until oil comes out of the top of lifters, then just repeat adding 2 lifters and so on down the line. Cylinder walls, rings and piston sides were oiled before installing.

Things are moving along nicely. Today I got the oil pump primed and installed, oil pump pickup and oil pan on and as mentioned, the lifters installed. I then took my ebay heads apart to clean them (found glass bead leftovers in some ports ) Took valves out, thoroughly cleaned heads and valves, put back in with my new springs, retainers and locks.

Tomorrows plan; install heads, push rods, rockers and set them. Paint block assembly, install aluminum intake, water pump, fuel pump, crank pulley and motor mounts.

Friday: put engine and transmision assembly into car!

Continue putting it all back together...


Here's a few pics from today.