My 454 Rebuild

[Spareparts]

Maybe you're not understanding what I'm asking. Maybe. You asked for the engine to built a particular way. Yes, I did not want to cheap out on internal parts. I assume the builder agreed. I thought so. It was not. Correct. What happened?.

What happened?, I dunno.
We had some miss communication from the start on my part and his but, I thought we had it all worked out as to what was to be done. Apparently not.
Yes the engine is built for the most part how i wanted it but not with the parts i wanted. Such as,
Crank is 10/10. Was supposed to be STD.
Rod and Main bearings are not Clevite77.
All bearings and cam shaft are Engine Tech brand. Engine Tech does not have the best reputation, Not the worst either.
Clevite engine bearings have a excellent reputation.
So any way, I feel like he used inferior parts (not necessarily bad) instead of the higher quality parts i ask for and did not do everything i asked for like installing Beehive valve springs.
I think you get what im maybe poorly trying to say.
It's probably water under the bridge now as im sure this engine will be fine if i just finish assembling it the way it is. --------BUT------

Now im wondering if it would be worth it to find a slightly better camshaft then stock that will work with stock springs. Like a old RV style cam.?
Will full roller rockers work with valve rotators?

 

[BeXtreme]

What happened?, I dunno.
We had some miss communication from the start on my part and his but, I thought we had it all worked out as to what was to be done. Apparently not.
Yes the engine is built for the most part how i wanted it but not with the parts i wanted. Such as,
Crank is 10/10. Was supposed to be STD.
Rod and Main bearings are not Clevite77.
All bearings and cam shaft are Engine Tech brand. Engine Tech does not have the best reputation, Not the worst either.
Clevite engine bearings have a excellent reputation.
So any way, I feel like he used inferior parts (not necessarily bad) instead of the higher quality parts i ask for and did not do everything i asked for like installing Beehive valve springs.
I think you get what im maybe poorly trying to say.
It's probably water under the bridge now as im sure this engine will be fine if i just finish assembling it the way it is. --------BUT------

Now im wondering if it would be worth it to find a slightly better camshaft then stock that will work with stock springs. Like a old RV style cam.?
Will full roller rockers work with valve rotators?

I had my heads redone by a local builder. Valve job, new valve guides, additional clearance of the guides to allow more lift, viton positive lock seals, rotator eliminators, and then I had him fit and check the valve springs I provided. I used a set of Gen VI 454HO crate engine dual springs. Then I had Delta camshaft regrind my stock camshaft to a mild RV/Towing grind. The specs ended up being pretty close to the 454HO crate cam specs, so that's why I picked the 454HO valve springs.

It took about a week for me to ship them my cam, then call and talk to the guy about what I wanted it reground to, and them to ship it back to me. $140 for the regrind, all-in.

I used the clevite bearings... except for the #1 and #5 main bearings. They are different for a Gen VI and I couldn't find a correct clevite bearing kit that would give the correct factory clearance on those, so I put in Chevrolet performance #1 and #5 bearings and everything is dead on the factory clearance spec.

 

[Schurkey]

Looks like ill be giving this setup a try.
Comp cams Ultra Pro Magnum rocker arms.
Crower short Polylock Nuts.
From what i have been told here and what i have read this should fit under stock valve covers.

I put Pro Magnum rocker arms with the included nuts under stock covers using nothing more than doubled gaskets. Don't know why you'd spend extra for different nuts.

Finally picked up my engine today and it was disappointing.
it is pretty much totally stock rebuild bored .030 over. Stock cam shaft. New Flat top pistons with two valve reliefs. 3 angle valve job. Stock springs with spacers and rotators.

How far in the hole are the piston tops?
Stock cam sucks.
WHICH "flat top" pistons? Bigass taper along the outer diameter?
Stock springs with spacers AND rotators? I don't know how spacers and rotators will both fit under the spring. Either way...stock springs suck.

I asked for Clevite77 main and rod bearings. Installed are ET BiMetal bearings. \

Not a problem. The bimetal bearings are likely more appropriate for a cast crank than the Clevites.

I asked for new rod bolts, It looks like the old rod bolts were used.

Were the rods checked for size? Resized?

Probably not a problem. Kinda depends on how hard you're gonna run the engine--not horsepower, but RPM. In general, trucks don't get run at high RPM much, therefore don't need fancy rod bolts.

I was supposed to get a standard crank. My installed crank is 10/10

Better a "good" crank at 10/10 than a worn-out, scored, tapered, egg-shaped-journal crank at "standard".

I'm putting together an engine--got the parts from the machine shop but haven't lifted a finger to actually start cleaning and assembling--for a Nova. Based on a Vortec 350 with provisions in the casting for an engine-driven fuel pump. Crank is 20-under on the mains, and 40 under on the rods--offset ground to gain stroke. The only concern I had was that there should be enough material for another "clean-up" grind years from now.

Undersizing journals doesn't compromise crank strength. The old 400-crank-in-a-350-block to achieve the early "383" combo--before the avaialbility of cheap Chinese cranks--required .200 (not .020) off the main journals to fit.

I asked for Beehive springs with rotator eliminators. I have stock springs with rotators.

Yeah, that should probably change. Note that some folks are really allergic to beehive springs, if the spring fails the valve drops and carnage results. With double springs, the inner--or outer--spring maybe can still return the valve if the other one fails.

New ET oil pump i will not be using. Will get a milling.

Melling probably made the pump for EngineTech.

No gaskets.

That's odd.

New ET cam #ES-5183
New DNJ? lifters #LF-3181 Not sure but i think these are very low quality?

I'm too lazy to look up part numbers. Are these roller parts, or flat-tappet?

 

[Spareparts]

I put Pro Magnum rocker arms with the included nuts under stock covers using nothing more than doubled gaskets. Don't know why you'd spend extra for different nuts.

Double gaskets are a option but i would rather use short nuts.

How far in the hole are the piston tops?
Stock cam sucks.
WHICH "flat top" pistons? Bigass taper along the outer diameter?
Stock springs with spacers AND rotators? I don't know how spacers and rotators will both fit under the spring. Either way...stock springs suck.
Spacers are under the Intake springs and Rotators are under the exhaust.

Not a problem. The bimetal bearings are likely more appropriate for a cast crank than the Clevites.

I grew up using Clevite and trust em.

Were the rods checked for size? Resized?

Probably not a problem. Kinda depends on how hard you're gonna run the engine--not horsepower, but RPM. In general, trucks don't get run at high RPM much, therefore don't need fancy rod bolts.

I would sure think they did reman the rods. I would think any machine shop would automatically do that.
Pretty much nothing over 5k RPM. When i have Blackbear tune it i will have them set it to that. , maybe even 4800.

Better a "good" crank at 10/10 than a worn-out, scored, tapered, egg-shaped-journal crank at "standard".

I'm putting together an engine--got the parts from the machine shop but haven't lifted a finger to actually start cleaning and assembling--for a Nova. Based on a Vortec 350 with provisions in the casting for an engine-driven fuel pump. Crank is 20-under on the mains, and 40 under on the rods--offset ground to gain stroke. The only concern I had was that there should be enough material for another "clean-up" grind years from now.

Undersizing journals doesn't compromise crank strength. The old 400-crank-in-a-350-block to achieve the early "383" combo--before the avaialbility of cheap Chinese cranks--required .200 (not .020) off the main journals to fit.

I know being 10/10 is not ever going to be a problem but we agreed on a good STD crank.

Yeah, that should probably change. Note that some folks are really allergic to beehive springs, if the spring fails the valve drops and carnage results. With double springs, the inner--or outer--spring maybe can still return the valve if the other one fails.

Honestly i have no idea about valve spring witchcraft so will need some help with what exactly i will need to get.
I do know i will need 16 rotator eliminators measuring .300 thick and clean the heads up slightly to fit.

Melling probably made the pump for EngineTech.

Yes after opening the box the pump is a Melling M77g.

That's odd.

He said i could get Felpro cheaper from Summet than he could sell me a set for.

I'm too lazy to look up part numbers. Are these roller parts, or flat-tappet?

It is a roller cam engine. 1998, gen-vi, 454
I'll post some piston pics here in a little bit for everyone's viewing pleasure cuz threads are worthless without em!

 

[Spareparts]

Here is a shot of the pistons for ya. At TDC they sit .035 below deck. I checked 3 and they all were the same.

 

[Spareparts]

On my engine the front 3 pipe plugs are drilled. I know at least two were when i tool it apart.
Reading up on the matter GM did install at least two drilled but i don't know if the 3rd lower one is really needed to be drilled.

 

[Spareparts]

So took a head out of the bag and its a little more interesting then i thought when i took a quick glance in the bag in a dim loading dock.
It appears all valves have rotators.

 

[Spareparts]

Since ill be removing the valves and working on the heads i'll be cleaning up the flashing junk about the oil return paths.

 

[Supercharged111]

Mine had 16 rotators too, I thought just the exhaust would but I was wrong. Also, those don't look like beehives, those are straight which is why they're going beyond the retainers.

 

[Spareparts]

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