[Cliff R]

This thread continues to drag on and at this point going no place.

I have lost sight of what the purpose of the thread was exactly, and where it is headed.

All I know is that the engine was taken apart because it has issues, noise was one of them. Multiple issues found and several modifications/repairs made to correct them.

I beleive the worst issues where a cracked harmonic balancer and some loose valves in the guides. It was also discovered that 7 out of 8 pistons are facing the WRONG direction. BIG flag goes up there as when you install pistons with factory pin offset in them backwards the pistons are wondering all over the place in the bores. Far as I know after 625 responses I'm the ONLY one with direct experience in that area actually having done it . I told Mike very clearly that my DIRECT experience running an engine for an extended period of time, which was apprx 10,000 miles with 8 pistons installed in the wrong direct REQUIRED removal of the engine to correct noise and other issues with it like too much oil consumption for my liking. Plus the engine just never sounded or ran right, but I hate to use vague blanket statements like that, but for sure I knew something was fundamentally wrong with it. It bothered me enough to remove it as it just wasn't making the grade.

I also stated that once the problem was found and the pistons installed the right direct any and ALL issues with that engine were corrected and it went on to lead a very good life in my main mode of transportation (1979 K-5 Blazer) for many years. At the time the engine was removed I was commuting from Williamsburg VA to Portsmouth VA apprx 100 miles round trip 5 days a week. This put a LOT of miles on that engine in a hurry so it was nice to have discovered the pistons in backwards deal and correct that issue. By the time I sold the K-5 Blazer I'd logged almost 200,000 miles on that engine as it frequently made 1200 mile round trips from Va to Ohio and nearly every weekend in the summer months from Williamsburg to the outer banks camping and surf fishing. It also made trips to Florida many times for vacations, and out to Colorado Elk hunting more times than I can count.

After putting the pistons in the correct direction no engine noise and oil consumption was next to nothing between oil changes.

I noted the problems with that engine and the solution but for some reason it went on deaf ears. Even worse some very knowledgeable folks came on and pretty much told Mike it's OK to reverse factory pistons in the bores which only muddied the water here and gave him the "out" he was looking for (my opinion).

So this ill fated engine goes back together with knurled valves guides (another HORRIBLE repair that I have a lot of DIRECT experience with) and thick head gaskets with a new harmonic balancer hanging on the front of it. It has more issues when placed back in service and even after the cam was put back somewhat close to where it should be IT STILL MAKES NOISE!

A REALITY CHECK is needed here. When you go into an engine, or anything else as you move thru your life and you find problems, they need to be corrected or you just might continue to have problems.....DUH?