Ready to pull motor...





This is the engine compartment after I removed the Heater Blower and A/C Components. I am going to make a cover of some sort to cover where the components were.


This is the front view. The previous paint job got Yellow all throughout headlight assemblies. I am going to go through and replace all vacuum hoses.

L-48 Block. Going to be a 383 soon!

Valve Train. Everything looked ok except one lifter that was "Con-caved" pretty bad.

After heads removed. I am putting L-31 Vortech heads with modifications to allow larger lift cam. I am expecting about 400HP which is fine for this car.

what are the drive line plans? Sticking with a 4spd or going to a 5spd?

Are you taking the body off? Suspension renew? Just checking!!!

Sticking with the 4-speed *for now*....

Doing a front-end bushing rebuild.


You know this all started because I was putting Side Pipes on it.....geez.

Quote:

I'm assuming the original was a flat tappet? Can you change to a roller? What's involved in that? Do you plan on it?

Looks good so far - keep the pics comin!

Matthew

Quote:

Matt, yeah its the original Hyd. Flat tappet. I haven't decided what I am going to do yet. I am probably just going to stick with the same. I don't know whats involved in doing a change over. Maybe someone else can enlighten us both.

Got the bottom half of the motor out. The cylinder walls looked good, all the bearings looked decent. The engine only had 76K on it and according to the previous owner only the heads have been rebuilt. I am going to try to measure the bores and see if they have been bored out yet or not.

Anyway, this is what I found in the bottom of the oil pan. I am pretty sure it is shreds from the bad lifter.

I keep reading that you're much better off nowadays with a roller, due to lack of additives in today's oil that a flat tappet relies on.

Quote:

Damn. You always find something in your car....Weed in the gas...metal shavings in the oil pan...whats next? Cocaine? a body?

Quote:

I've "coned" a few lifters and flattened some lobes, and only found really small particles in the oil - never anything like in your pics. That looks like something was shredded instead of worn - do you have any other suspects?


Quote:

There are still a few oils available that are flat tappet friendly, or you can get ZDDP additives.
Comp Cams recommended I use Rotella T 15W40. No problems after ~16k miles.

Looks more like bearing material

Quote:

Your right it does, but I can't find a bad bearing anywhere. Cam bearings, Rod, and main journals good. The block is completely apart with the exception of a few galley plugs. I just don't know where they would have come from except that lifter. Some of the pieces are just to long to be 100% accurate.

Could you see any spalling on the lifter or was it simply worn smooth?

Lycoming airplane motors have had lifter spalling problems for years but I've never seen it in a car engine.

Of course, most of my experience is with aircraft motors.

yuck-o-rama.

I just read a bit on ZDDP in Corvette Enthusiast. Interesting stuff. I will dig it out.

I wonder if the bits at the bottom had anything to do with the prior head work?

Andy you might be right...no telling what they did to it(or left in it).

MEM, I don't know what spalling is LOL....but it was worn more smooth than rough if thats what you mean. I will take a closer look.

Regardless, everything is getting replaced. As long as the cylinder walls are good, I think we will be ok.(of course I will have the block checked for cracks too).

brut,

Looks like fun! I'd love to do a C3 rebuild one day. I did a '77 Z28 a few years back just because I owned one in the day. Older dirty motors are amazing to bring back to life. I kind of had the same experience when taking the motor apart. I found metallic shavings but nobody could figure out where they came from.

Good Luck Keep us posted of your progress

Well, looks like cuisinartvette was spot on. The only bearings I did not get a great look at were the cam bearings due to them still being in the block. I "looked" at them and they looked fine. However, I could not see the backside and when I rubbed them with my finger I could feel some serious gouges.

Good call.

that'll do it... pop those cam bearings and you might find your problem.

I hope they didn't eat the block.

Man... you really need one of these motors:



drool.

I think I caught them in time before they did any damage. I think another 1000 miles or so, it would have been questionable.

Yeah, I would love that motor for sure. The '71 is only going to get a budget motor build and resto. I am going to spend most of my money on the '71. I am hoping for a 454!

A 454 is not a bad option... for some reason, I like the 427...

I would love to have a 427 for sure, but 454s came stock in '71 so I am going to try for that.

yea, that makes sense. Go for a pseudo stock install.

Interesting thing, a guy I see at Sebring every year has a 67, with a 502/502 Ram Jet and a 5spd manual. It gets 24MPG highway.

Quote:



Best answer yet!

Like I said, if I do anything like that it will be in my '71 and that is a couple years off. Maybe by then they will be cheaper.

Quote:

Tell me about it. I started out with changing the intake on an L98...two motors later:

[IMG]http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL857/2991862/20516132/333885243.jpg[/IMG]

Its funny how things snowball into that, eh?

Did you find any info yet on swapping the cam? Just wondering.

Matthew

Swapping it over to a hyd roller is really easy and the best thing you can do to increase the life and performance of your new 383.

Companies make lifters specifically desgined for the early model blocks. They call them "Retro Fit" lifters. The best deal out there is from Competition Products/Howards Cams and they cost about $269.00

http://www.competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=91164

The camshaft itself is nothing special. Everybody is using pressed on gears these days so you don't even have to change the dizzy gear.

A Howards will run you $229.00

http://www.competitionproducts.com/products.asp?dept=330

A Comp will set you back $259.00

http://www.competitionproducts.com/products.asp?dept=1510

A Herbert is the cheapest going and will cost $189.00

http://www.dougherbert.com/hydraulicr ... filter_id=316&sort=4a

Any std SBC timing set works correctly but you will need a thrust button. $4.00-$12.00 depending on which timing cover you have.

http://www.competitionproducts.com/products.asp?dept=463

As for which cam, considering your very modest goals of 400HP with Vortec heads on a 383 any one of the companies I listed can grind one to meet that easily. Since you have a 4spd you can even have one with a real nice lick at idle which would sound great throu those side pipes.

The retro fit lifters are the easiest way to convert over. There is a way to use factory hyd roller lifters from a GM 3.1L V-6 but IMO its a hack job way of doing things and I don't think you would be saving much money.

One more thing.

It cost a little bit more money initially to build a hyd roller but when you consider having to run ZDDP additive in the oil over the life of the motor or not and risking a lobe going flat, then having to tear the motor back part how ever many times I think your money a head with a hyd roller. Not to say a hyd flat tappet will go flat but with the oil these days its happening way more than it use to.

***Just so everyone knows Rotella T recently (about a year ago) had it's formula changed and level of Zinc have been REDUCED signifigantly. Look on the jug it comes in. If it says CI4 rated your safe as it's the old formula. If it says CI4+ it's the new formula. Another way to tell if is the new formula is if the "Energy saving STAR" is on the jug. They still make the old formula but I've noticed no one carries it. A good alternative for flat tappet cams is Mobil Delvac 15W40 which has not had its formula changed and is still CI4 rated.***
Will

Wow, great info! Thanks for taking the time to type it up.

I have not made much progress at all. My business(and my wife) is still keeping me on my toes and can't find a slow down time. I am hoping to take the block down to the machine shop in the next week or so.

Good info - thanks!

Matthew

if you were closer i would give you a 4 bolt roller block that is already clearanced for a stroker.

Quote:

Well that would have been cool.

I am honestly thinking about just pulling the motor from my '71 and put it in the '76 since its not the original anyway and I plan on swapping a big block into the '71. The motor already has some balls and I would just need to clean it up and paint it. That way I will save some money and still have the '76 original block for a later rebuild or next buyer.

Dunno...contemplating....contemplating....

Chris, did you ever get work done on those heads and get them rebuilt for use or were you focusing on the bottom end?

Also, I have performed that V6 roller lifter conversion on my SBC 400 and I can give you tips and even send you the expensive bits I used to grind the block. I also have some extra stud material left, and some spare parts like the Spider bar and Dogbone retainers.

Just let me know if I can help.