455 shot after only 100 miles
 

I had my 455 "rebuilt" and only got about 100 miles on it before I broke a rocker stud, bent a pushrod, and lost oil pressure at an idle. Here's a few picks. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c06f6f4d85.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4f0226392e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...026ac2e1f4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...16f41efb76.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ff118d9bc3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c92a5fd09f.jpg


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Sorry to hear about this

Hang in there.

Tom V.

Thanks. The guy offered to do it over for free. But he made so many mistakes, he lost my trust. Just brought it to a new shop this morning. Hoping to have it done in time for Norwalk.


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Wow, quite a mess, sorry for your loss. Hope you are able to salvage somethings.

Good luck Dave, hope you can get it done in short order.

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Geez, what a mess! Hopefully, the new shop can salvage as much as possible and build you a RELIABLE engine.

I think I've seen all those issues before, but never on the same engine. Wow...

Oh my...what a mess...
Not much a guy can do except move on...keep us updated..

I would say that's a wise move

Looks like oil passages not cleaned before assembly, probably installed valve springs that require 1.700" installed height (without actually measuring your installed height). and probably undertorqued rod bolts (maybe ARP's torqued to OEM specs?).

I agree, too many mistakes!

Why are the head gaskets so dirty and oily with only 100 mi on it? Looks like he reused the old gaskets on top of everything else. It doesn't look like any time was spent cleaning the motor after machining (if there was any machining done). You should still see cross-hatching in the bores at 100 mi.

That was a full 7/16" rocker stud that got taken out , or a stocker?
Are those rocker arms made for a full 7/16" stud and you where using stock bottle neck studs?

It's also highly likely that if you where running a non stick Cam that the needs longer push Rods then those stockers!

That's exactly what he did with the spring height. I have since changed to a spring that works with 1.6" spring height, along with 1.65 rockers. Funny thing is that he started out with stock springs and was floating the valves big time. Then he put the stiffer springs on and I broke the stud and bent a push rod. The guy said it's my fault for over revving it. My son removed the valve cover and noticed all the problems. Paul Spotts told us about the spring height issue. So I bought a set of springs from him. After that, it ran better. But we noticed it had no oil pressure at an idle. So we pulled the motor and the very first rod bearing we saw is the on in the pictures.


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Nothing that can't be fixed with time & money.

You've got two other cars you can bring to race at Norwalk - I expect to see you there! ;)

Ouch, sorry to see this. Fours years ago, I had a full tear apart performance rebuild of my 455 at a "reputable" shop in town. Ran like crap at the get-go, got frustrated with the band aid fixes and excuses, and went out of town about 60 miles to another long-time shop. It was totally torn apart again, and there were too many issues. Started from scratch, they did an excellent job, told me to drive it like it was stolen, and I have had a smile on my face since. Good decision on your part.

Jacobs car is going if mines not ready. I don't like the clutch in my 2000 Trans Am.


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Thanks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I've had nothing but bad luck lately. So I really need that to change.


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I know it was a spring issue, not sure about the oil problem, but good custom push rods are cheap insurance. Call Manton and get a set once you know what length you need. Make sure with the 1.65 rockers toy have the clearance for them.

Call Pete - Valley Auto Machine in Seymour

^ to the contrary, cheap pushrods are cheap insurance. Sort of like fusible links.

Back in the 1980's a friend had a 455 built by a local shop. As with Dave's motor, they installed 1.7" springs without measuring or checking. They DID use stronger pushrods. When we pulled the valve covers, the strong pushrods had shish-kabobbed the rocker arms. Also wiped out the cam, lifters, and stud damage.

If everything is checked, test fit, measured, and adjust properly, THEN high quality pushrods are a good thing :-)

Too far from home. I have it at RAD in Ludlow, MA. He's built a ton of motors for friends of mine. And he's in HMM a lot lately. He also builds all the circle track motors for the local track, Stafford, CT.


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The shop that messed it up is in Hamden, CT. About 1:15 from my house with no traffic. It was a pain going there all the time.


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I use Bill Carlquist in Oakville, CT. Dyno on site.

He now has a block and head machining center.

That was a stock, bottle neck stud that broke. It was cracked previously[you can see the darker shade in the broken part of the stud], and why it broke now. I never use bottle neck stud anymore because of stuff like this. Don't use stock pushrods either. They are too thin, and weak. You can see how the end of the pushrod was getting eaten alive, and it turned blue. Rod bearing got hammered on. May have had too much clearance, or if it lost oil pressure, that could have done it.

I usually take engine completely apart before taking to shop.my labor,time is mine. Take out all plugs.I don't leave them ,freeze plugs,in block as I've seen many years ago hsppen.Then I use rifle brushes and clean as best as I can to get major dirt out.Then inspect bearings.Leave with rods and mains.Then take it to shop.I take apart new oil pump for contamination. Saw a large paper clip yrs ago in one so I make sure. I'm no machinist but I can clean and remove metal flash.Mine have been basic stock type engines.never have broken a stud like yours even bottle neck studs,pulled old press in out.Even in my SD stocker,seen 6400 a few times.I check installed height of springs before fire up.Sorry for your issues I had to redo my first SD engine luckily never fired.Lerned!! $$$$

I think he left it together for the new builder to see if anything in the rotating assembly is a miss.

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Looks like chevy guys work there?
There lost when it comes to something else.

GT.

You know the one thing I didn't do to my assembled engine setting on the stand. Clean out the oil galleries when I got it back from the shop ..... it had been bored, decked, cleaned, new plugs both oil and water.

I probably should call the machinist and ask him if it's his usual practice to thoroughly clean before putting in all the plugs .... would seem like a no-brainer right? I hope so :)

If you still have the valley pan off a quick dip into the lifter feed holes likely will be very telling.

Yes the valley is still open ... thanks for the tip.

That's right.


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The plug by the distributor hole - can you tell if it has been replaced or removed? Or was it crusted/painted in place?

Even if the other passages were cleaned, all sort of machining debris and migrate to that area, and get stuck in the old crud that has built up in there. Then when the motor is started, heated up, and oil starts flowing, the debris will fall out. I'm speaking from an actual experience, not just speculating.

It will cost you some time and some gaskets & plugs to verify your passages are clean.

If you roll the dice and lose, you'll need all the gaskets, MUCH more time, new bearings, new oil pump, and to have the crank turned again (if not replaced, depending upon the amount of debris). The debris could also cause your lifters to fail, or "tick" forever.

Talked to the new shop today. The block needs to be bored. Crank needs to be cut again, so I'm just gonna get a whole new stroker rotating assembly. My stock rods need to go anyway. So I'll have a .030 over bore with a 4.25" stroke. My cam is worn out too. So I'm going to go with a hydraulic roller. Any suggestions?


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Dave Paul has a nice roller cam for sale?

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Are you sure? I just spoke to him and he didn't mention it.


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I think it's like 517 lift. I was gonna buy it last year but I went bigger.

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Dave- are you going to present the findings to the previous shop?

What heads are you running?

I've already showed the first shop most of the things he did wrong. He says it's my fault for over revving it. He's an asshole.

I am running 71 #96 heads. They are not ported. The new shop is going to do a valve job and install new guides. They are worn too. He said he's going to do some bowl blending too.


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Off Topic Post ... Sorry

That plug has been replaced and the plug inside ... that you can just see, that people drill for dist. lube, has also been replaced with something new.... brass if I remember correctly. I'll check both again tonight. Did bore scope up the oil filer mount passages and things looked clean. I'm bored, I'll look closer tonight.
Thanks again.

Checked real close (engine is still on the stand) plug by dist. hole, new stainless, sealed with some brown liquid, plug inside the dist. hole (right side lifter gallery?) new stainless and sealed. Plug on outside rear (back of engine, left side lifter gallery?) new stainless and sealed. Not a speck to be seen on any surface. I could remove the left side lifter gallery plug (allen socket type) and check that gallery easy enough .... but from what I can see it looks like the machinist took pains to keep things very clean.

I will stop invading this thread now :)