El Camino project car

[Rupert]

Turbo LS?

Yeah, I think that's the one.

[68_427]

Destroked LS7

[CaminoRacer]

Worth more than the rest of the car.

[68_427]

but .... but....


BWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Rupert]

So you'll double the car's value. Profit!

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Worth more than the rest of the car.

I know a guy who has 2 brand new crate LT1s for sale. I think he wanted $8500 a piece. Don't ask where he got them from.........

[FoMoJo]

Worth more than the rest of the car.

Any diagnosis yet? Any block or head damage?

[CaminoRacer]

I know a guy who has 2 brand new crate LT1s for sale. I think he wanted $8500 a piece. Don't ask where he got them from.........

Any diagnosis yet? Any block or head damage?

Not yet. Will take a look when I get it home. There was some oil leaking when I pulled to the side of the road so my hopes aren't very high.

[MrH]

RIP Mullet race car

[280Z Turbo]

RIP Mullet race car

Shit man, do you really think a blown small block Chevy is enough to kill any car? Swapping an SBC is like swapping wiper blades.

[FoMoJo]

Shit man, do you really think a blown small block Chevy is enough to kill any car? Swapping an SBC is like swapping wiper blades.

Used to be a dime a dozen back in the day.  Junkyards were full of them.

[CaminoRacer]

Nah I can swap an engine much faster than figuring out windshield wipers

[CaminoRacer]

I finally got the car off the trailer and into the driveway. I think we got everyone on the block to help, even though 4 guys would have sufficed. (my driveway is uphill, otherwise only 2 pushers would be needed)

I'll probably start tearing it down tomorrow to see what the damage is.

[280Z Turbo]

If you want to learn (like I did) tear it down and have it rebuilt.

If you want to go fast for cheap, buy this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mll-bp35513ct1/overview/

[CaminoRacer]

Pulled the valve covers and didn't notice anything troublesome. Pulled the spark plugs and the #8 plug has been destroyed by a valve. Took off the rocker arm on the exhaust valve and sure enough, the valve broke off.

If I'm lucky it didn't do too much damage to the cylinder walls and I'll be able to bore or sleeve it. If I'm not lucky, it poked a hole in the block and I need a new engine.

Spark plug:


Valve broken off:


Pushrod guideplate worn down:

[Cookie Monster]

Jeez. What RPM where you driving at when it let go?

Also, dumb question, but why couldn't it keep running on the remaining 7 cylinders?

[CaminoRacer]

IIRC I was going about 70, so around 3k rpm.

There's a good chance the valve is wedged in the cylinder preventing the piston from moving and the crank turning. Otherwise, the engine can totally run without an exhaust valve.

[FoMoJo]

Must've been quite a commotion in the combustion chamber when the bit of valve started bouncing around.  How did it sound when it broke?  Didn't you say that you saw some coolant dripping?

[Rupert]

Any clue why it broke?

[GoCougs]

That actually happens with shocking regularity on rebuilt motors. All it takes is a small (sometimes even too small for the naked eye) flaw in manufacturing or a nick from installation and it will fatigue and break fairly quickly. If the valve dropped into the cylinder the motor's probably toast unfortunately. I wouldn't bother with a sleeve or whatever. Time for a full roller 383 yo!

[68_427]

Powerstroked turbo'd 4.3

[CaminoRacer]

That actually happens with shocking regularity on rebuilt motors. All it takes is a small (sometimes even too small for the naked eye) flaw in manufacturing or a nick from installation and it will fatigue and break fairly quickly. If the valve dropped into the cylinder the motor's probably toast unfortunately. I wouldn't bother with a sleeve or whatever. Time for a full roller 383 yo!

I have to be careful about HP levels since I'm running a Saginaw and 10 bolt instead of a Muncie/12 bolt (or even a 8.5" 10 bolt, which is just as strong as a 12 bolt)

The Blueprint engine that 280Z posted looks pretty nice.

[CaminoRacer]

Powerstroked turbo'd 4.3

A supercharged or turbo inline-6 would be neat. Sadly it would probably cost twice as much to get the same HP as a SBC.

[GoCougs]

I have to be careful about HP levels since I'm running a Saginaw and 10 bolt instead of a Muncie/12 bolt (or even a 8.5" 10 bolt, which is just as strong as a 12 bolt)

The Blueprint engine that 280Z posted looks pretty nice.

Hmmm. That does look like a shockingly good deal. Their 383 version is only $400 more though:  www.summitracing.com/parts/mll-bp38313ct1/overview/make/chevrolet

I wasn't thinking ultimate HP but rather a more usable/fatter power band (mild 5500-6000 rpm roller cam).

[68_427]

Motortrend's Engine Masters uses those blueprint engines.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGvTvFzdMg_O2T3UdUEt5dIHutSOu7srE

[CaminoRacer]

A likely scenario is that I'll steal the 350 out of the Camaro, which will then get a 383.

It's a 10-15 year old engine with iron Dart heads, custom ground roller cam, air gap intake, etc. and was right around 400 hp when built. Apparently it's a bit down on power now, maybe 375-ish. He was going to rebuild it next winter and turn it into a 383, but it's still running well so transplanting it wouldn't be a bad move either.

[CJ]

That actually happens with shocking regularity on rebuilt motors. All it takes is a small (sometimes even too small for the naked eye) flaw in manufacturing or a nick from installation and it will fatigue and break fairly quickly. If the valve dropped into the cylinder the motor's probably toast unfortunately. I wouldn't bother with a sleeve or whatever. Time for a full roller 383 yo!

It happens in the new GM V8s with alarming regularity as well. 

[CaminoRacer]

lol

[FoMoJo]

Doesn't look so bad .

[CaminoRacer]

I'll have to turn the engine and see what the cylinder wall looks like and if the block is decent enough for a rebuild or scrap.