so I took my intake off the engine in the 84... pics and video

[Steve Austin]

Originally Posted by Montehall

a 2-bolt short block?
how can you claim HP numbers on a short block?

I said it was cheap, I didnt say it was great. First, unless you are making 450 + NHP, the motor will never know how many bolts are on the mains. Second, my point was, you dont have to put a $3000 motor in your $3000 C4, there are other options. I can say that because I have one. It runs 12.80 @ 110 with the original 2 bolt L98 block.

[Montehall]

Originally Posted by Fastguy

What is the oil pressure like at idle?

IIRC 40-60 psi... If my gauge is right.... There was oil coming out of the rockers.

[Fastguy]

I am wondering how you collapsed the lifters if it had good oil pressure at idle. They shouldn't have been making noise after a cold lash setting. I am tempted to say, throw a set of lifters and pushrods in it, set the lash cold, and fire it up. If the cam spec'd out OK you may be able to just do lifters and pushrods. I had an old big block ford that was the same way, made a racket, couldn't adjust the noise out of the rockers. Turns out the pushrods were worn, the round ends were worn to a point. I installed lifters and new pushrods and the noise went away and it ran fine. It was an old oil burning POS plow truck so I didnt want to sink a ton of time or money in it. Ran like that for years. iIt's possible you overtightened the pushrods and they eventually collapsed the lifters and wore the ends. That would also account for ther silvery goo in the valley.

[RED-85-Z51]

Lunati Voodoo 60101LK

Good cam! I had one new in the box I sold for 100 bucks last year..

[Midnight85]

Can you give me just one good reason why you don't simply drain the oil through an old pair of pantyhose, (or some form of filter) like I told you to do a week ago on another forum?

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by Montehall

The squeak is baffling, but once I pull the pan, I should be able to see more.

[Montehall]

Originally Posted by Midnight85

Can you give me just one good reason why you don't simply drain the oil through an old pair of pantyhose, (or some form of filter) like I told you to do a week ago on another forum?

I sure can't, other than that i haven't drained the oil yet, as most of my trouble shooting has occurred while the engine is running.

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by Montehall

I sure can't, other than that i haven't drained the oil yet, as most of my trouble shooting has occurred while the engine is running.

You probably know this, but don't forget to clean the sump screen.

I, like others would have kicked that motor to the curb after seeing those valves, but, seeing that you have the time, patience, and money, this triple rebuild makes for a great thread.... I'm learning a lot on your dime...

[Montehall]

I do not have the money, hence all the troubleshooting instead of pulling the engine.
Time and patience are things I do have.
Triple rebuild? so far, I've done it once; and that was just replacing the head gaskets.

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by Montehall

I do not have the money, hence all the troubleshooting instead of pulling the engine.
Time and patience are things I do have.
Triple rebuild? so far, I've done it once; and that was just replacing the head gaskets.

Good luck getting it fixed w/o much more money into her.
I just don't like what I hear...
It seems terminal , and I just hope that you aren't throwing good money at bad. You are definitely on a mission.....

[Midnight85]

Originally Posted by Montehall

I do not have the money, hence all the troubleshooting instead of pulling the engine.
Time and patience are things I do have.
Triple rebuild? so far, I've done it once; and that was just replacing the head gaskets.

This is exactly the reason I suggested draining the oil. An engine with that many miles on it will naturally have the sludge buildup you showed and yes, metal shavings are a natural part of that sludge. If I read correctly you couldn't really feel the shavings, the magnet just made then stand on end making it appear to be serious. Believe it or not, you will get some of the same tiny particles as soon as you fire a brand new or rebuilt engine. The rings breaking in are the biggest contributor to this. Now if you strain the oil as it comes out of the pan and start finding flakes of metal then you would have saved a bunch of time tearing it all apart like it is now. Ferrous flakes that can be seen are a definite bad sign.
That said, you do it however you want to do it, everybody has their own way of doing things and my hat is off to you for doing it yourself.

[Montehall]

I drained the oil.

here's what I got after running it through a mesh filter then a magnet




there are some larger slivers of metal.

I also cut the filter with a sawzall, and it had metal flakes in it, but I don't know if they were present before I used a saw on it.

[Fastguy]

I still think you pulverized the push rods. Overtightening them will make them deflect into the guideplates. Are they all galled up on the sides?

[Montehall]

Originally Posted by Fastguy

I still think you pulverized the push rods. Overtightening them will make them deflect into the guideplates. Are they all galled up on the sides?

galled up?
as in do they have markings on them?
no, the look fine, honestly. there are one or two that have some black "something" on it, but it was on the surface and wasn't raised nor sunken.

[Fastguy]

Actually, I am thinking of a small block Ford. Nevermind.

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by Fastguy

Actually, I am thinking of a small block Ford. Nevermind.

You can purchase guideplates for SBC's

[Montehall]

I don't have guide plates, though

[Midnight85]

Originally Posted by Montehall

I drained the oil.
here's what I got after running it through a mesh filter then a magnet
there are some larger slivers of metal.
I also cut the filter with a sawzall, and it had metal flakes in it, but I don't know if they were present before I used a saw on it.

Slivers and flakes are not good, I think now is the time to drop the pan, sorry, I was hoping you wouldn't find anything so you wouldn't have to tear it down. It's your car so you do it the way that makes you happy but to be honest, if it were mine I would be looking for a good used engine you can hear run. You could be on the road for about 1/4 or less the cost of a new or rebuilt engine. Good luck.

[Montehall]

something like this?
350 sbc

everything else I've found is on the ground already.

[Fastguy]

That is what I was thinking BUT, keep in mind, a TBI motor uses a different cylinder head and your intake wont fit. You would need another intake. Also, I am not a SBC specialist, but that is an injected motor and I don't know if the cam has provisions for the fuel pump.