[geeteeohguy]

Brad Yost (Sirottica) nailed it. Have a local guy who builds race engines and built a healthy stroker for a friend of mine with the stipulation that there would be NO warranty at all. He said he's tired of the BS and doesn't really want to build engines anymore, he just wants to do the machine work. My buddy did not want to assemble, so he had the machinist do it. It came out great.
I had the same machinist do my stroker (these are sbc engines for non-Pontiacs we have) and I did my own assembly, and my cost was 1/3 of my buddy's.
I checked the work, and all the clearances were not only in spec, but they were the same. Cost me all of $700 to refresh my 383 SBC, and this was 3 years ago. Sure wish I could do that with a Pontiac!
Looking at the carnage, I'm throwing my hat in the wrong geometry camp. Too much leverage in the wrong places. Not a one-time over-rev. But that's speculation.
I will never, ever, run roller lifters or roller rockers in a StratoStreak engine. Not in my lifetime. I like driving my cars, not draining my bank account while my car sits parked. I'll let the baller guys who need 500 HP to go get an ice cream cone deal with that lifestyle.

[HWYSTR455]

Post pics of the tops of the valves/springs and the underside of the rockers.


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[Skip Fix]

So to throw out how easy just a little force of bind can tweak things badly. I was checking V-P on a cam swap on my RAIV 400.HS rockers at the time HO Racing/Mellings 11/32 RAIV pushrods. So to close up V_P a little more I tightened the rocker down more than zero lash. Turned it over BY HAND. the HS rocker got in a mild bind on rocker stud hex. Bent the pushrod just turning it over by hand!

Went to 3/8 pushrods after that ! As well as ARP studs vs the rougher hex from HO that were BBC ones. Smoother narrower Norris SS rocker also.

[Gach]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Just mailed a 200 deposit on a 455 block

That’s good news

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

So to throw out how easy just a little force of bind can tweak things badly. I was checking V-P on a cam swap on my RAIV 400.HS rockers at the time HO Racing/Mellings 11/32 RAIV pushrods. So to close up V_P a little more I tightened the rocker down more than zero lash. Turned it over BY HAND. the HS rocker got in a mild bind on rocker stud hex. Bent the pushrod just turning it over by hand!

Went to 3/8 pushrods after that ! As well as ARP studs vs the rougher hex from HO that were BBC ones. Smoother narrower Norris SS rocker also.

I think somewhere over the years I posted pics of that issue, and it was with the 'short' polys for low covers.


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[Skip Fix]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

I think somewhere over the years I posted pics of that issue, and it was with the 'short' polys for low covers.


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I did it on purpose to see if I had another 0.050 V-P! Live and learn!

[64speed]

I will take pictures when I have better light in a day or so. I like the technical banter back and forth and I love the speculation but as the driver when it happened I feel uniquely able to weigh in. This is EXACTLY what happened. I have been chasing the infamous “scratch” noise in my trans for about 6 weeks. I added a little travel to the clutch and it felt good in the driveway so I went a mile down the road to a church. Turn around in their parking lot and pulled out onto HWY 24. No cars around so while in first I nailed it. First to second shift was great so I went to 2-3. I missed it totally and it revved to the damn moon. I mean you wouldn’t believe how fast. I didn’t immediately cut it off for 2 reasons, one I was stunned and two I had same as always oil pressure. I was about 5-600 yards from the house so I put it in 1st and headed on. When I got a little speed up I coasted the rest of the way to the driveway. When I stopped I lost pressure and my engine RPM increased drastically so I shut it off. I checked under the hood and pulled the valve cover on the passenger side and the pushrods were gone. Wayne Sless is a master builder and the crew chief for The Boogeyman gasser. He built my and Caster1 engine to almost the same spec but used different brand rockers but still BBC. Wayne has been using BBC rockers in his higher HP Pontiacs for years to no ill effect. I will submit more pictures when able.

[64speed]

Valve tip and intact rocker

[Gach]

I don’t doubt your confidence in Wayne ability for one minute. I see the speculation about valve train, after looking at push rod in the picture. Also don’t think over reving it as The cause of the problem. Or because BBC rocker arms were used. I went through this with my brother all though damage wasn’t as severe. Same exact lifters. I didn’t put his motor together someone else did. Again I could be wrong, but I’ve seen to many of these hydraulic roller lifters failure.

[64speed]

Oh I think the lunati lifters are for sure the cause and will not be using them.

[64speed]

Are the main caps worth anything?

[Gach]

Main caps ? Crank main caps.

[64speed]

Yea big journal main caps. Trying to sell everything I can to recoup losses

[Gach]

If their steel main caps definitely, but cast ones you never know catching someone who’s needs them is a long shot.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

I did it on purpose to see if I had another 0.050 V-P! Live and learn!

I remember now, it was on VA68goat's engine, normally adjusted, the poly hex area contacted the rocker body. In his engine diags thread, a pic was posted of the witness mark.


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[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Valve tip and intact rocker

HOLY CRAP! Half the tip of the valve is worn away, and the retainer has all kinds of witness marks! I bet the tip of the roller fell off the edge of the valve tip and hung up.

Pull a rocker that didn't let go and take the same pics, as well as the underside of the rocker, bet you will see the same thing.


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[64speed]

Bad pictures, the valve tip is smooth as a baby’s ass and there are no witness marks. I have no light in here and it’s been raining. I will try to get the best pictures I can.

[HWYSTR455]

The witness marks on the retainer looks like it may be a reflection, but the valve tip witness mark is on the entire forward half of the tip.

Take another pic.

Looking at the rocker next to it, the pushrod is way to short, at least.


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[P@blo]

The fact these HR lifters are taking blocks out is concerning for the hobby. Makes me want to find a couple more blocks before the pool dries up...

Looked into the tool steel SFT lifters and they are pricey. Never heard of them but I guess that's what a Schubeck lifter is with a coated foot.

[Va68goat]

[QUOTE=HWYSTR455;6368434]I remember now, it was on VA68goat's engine, normally adjusted, the poly hex area contacted the rocker body. In his engine diags thread, a pic was posted of the witness mark.


I think the suspected "witness mark" was actually a wrench mark on the scorpion rockers I had at the time. I think Paul ruled that out early on. Remember it was the collapsed piston skirt that happened when the pickup tube fell off on the dyno. I still have pictures of the rockers on my other laptop. The rockers never touched the tapped the valve cover.