[njsteve]

Some interesting clearancing on the piston skirts:

[njsteve]

And the cause of the oil leak. The rear main had spun and compacted itself so there was a one inch gap in the rope seal, in the cap area.





I used Plastigage and checked the oil clearances on the rods and mains and they were .002. I also checked end play and side clearances and they were in spec as well.

[RicksGTO]

I had that same Crane cam in a fairly stock, low compression 400. Was a nice street cam for that engine but would seem fairly mild for a high compression 455. What are your plans on the cam and pistons, compression?

[njsteve]

I will be using the 068 reproduction cam from Melling. I need to figure out how to either lower the compression with these domed pistons or sell them and get some stock compression pistons. This thing was rattling on everything but 100 octane avgas (even with the timing dialed way back).

[RicksGTO]

I'd want to CC the chambers on at least one cylinder per head before dedciding on a plan. Another thing about the TRW's is they are pretty heavy compared to most any other forged piston so I'd be tempted to sell them to someone building a race engine and getting new forged. It would be nice to see what those domes end up weighing without the rods.

[Rocky Rotella]

The rods look to be a stock cast piece with the side beam polished to remove the parting line, and then followed up by shot peening. Unless it's the lighting, the wrist pin end is awful blue!

[njsteve]

I was just out in the garage looking at old parts and had a stock set of rods to compare with the rods I just pulled from the engine. They had the same remnant of the casting # at the big end confirming my suspicion of the stock cast rod.

And yes they are awful blue.

Looks like it rod and piston time.

[njsteve]

Heres' the underside of the heads:

[njsteve]

And the empty block and crank:

[Formulabruce]

I agree on checking the CC at least one cyl, on a head.
If you are not gonna rev and race those stock rods will be fine, they survived the 10.5+ CR to 1
A "good" set of Rods will be 400 bucks.'
any cheap ones need serious resizing work and balancing. In fact if machined in asia, the holes are water jet "punch through" and are not same diameter on both sides of the rod ( ask me know I know UGH)
As a Mopar owner, Im sure you have the scoop on KB forged pistons. I like em, use the KB rings and special gap. These will put you right where you want to be if heads are stock

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Got the engine out today.

BTW, Here is today's challenge:

Does anyone notice what else is wrong in this photo???

[eaglesan13]

Clutch fork boot installed inside out?

[njsteve]

Well played, Sir!

You win the old boot.

[superdutybob]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Well played, Sir!

You win the old boot.

I'm glad I didn't win if that's the prize! LOL

[2manyT/A'S]

I really don't know what some people are thinking when they put those pistons in a "street engine".

I've pulled apart several HO's & found them inside......

You might consider milling/machining about 1/2 the dome off to achieve a 9.5 CR?

Goadhead455 (on the forums here) has had some good success (street & strip) with a similar 72 455 HO combo......)

Looks STOCK,runs REALLY fast.....

[njsteve]

I already ordered some TRW/Speed Pro/Federal Mogul L2359 forged pistons and some 4340 forged steel H-beam rods. They should be here by next week, along with the bearing sets. The block is already at the machine shop getting tanked, honed and new cam bearings. The bores measured out at exactly .030 over so I am staying at that size. The Heads are getting disassembled, cleaned, and a nice valve job (if needed) by the same shop. The crank will get polished and then everything balanced together, along with the harmonic balancer and flywheel/clutch plate. I already have the new Melling 068 cam.

So, who needs some low mileage, domed pistons and cast rods? Or that Crane camshaft? They only have around 5000 miles on them.

[Formulabruce]

Many "general" machine shops do not put in Pontiac Cam bearings and install the ones they do put in, wrong. The aftermarket ones go in very tight, and sometimes you cannot even turn the cam. I would have them lube a cam (your old one, if ok) and test it in the bare block first. '
just a fyi. getting the block home and cannot install the first part, wellll

[njsteve]

The machinist is an old timer who has been working on these since the old days. Had no problem with his previous work on Gramma's car's engine last year. I had volunteered my cam for that one and he said not necessary snce he had one already to use as a "stunt cam"

[njsteve]

Got the engine block back today! It only took two days for the hot tank, hone and cam bearings!

Rod and main bearings arrived today. Pistons should be here tomorrow and rods on Monday. Heads should be done tuesday, then the reciprocating assembly can be balanced which should take around a week....

[eaglesan13]

Nice!