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    Results 1 to 9 of 9
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Sep 2015
      Posts
      4
      Country Flag: United States

      BIG block been sitting. what to do, restoration process

      hello everyone.. Im currently finishing a 3 year restoration job on a 1967 camaro and ive got the paint and body all done.. next is wiring and addrressing the Big block 454 ive got sitting in the garage thats not been ran since i took it out. Its a built motor with a cam and headers pushing nearly 430 hp and my question is should i have it rebuilt and gone through for i need to paint the block anyway. I dont know if I need a rebuild but I would like the engine running perfect and proper before it goes back into the engine bay.. I know the carb will need to be replaced and im already wanting to replace the valve covers so I could really use some advise.
      Ive considered going EFI but ive heard they are huge head aches so maybe ill just buy another carb. Im just kinda lost and all the money ive already spent i dont want to make short cuts now..

    2. #2
      Join Date
      May 2015
      Location
      North central Montana
      Posts
      83
      Country Flag: United States
      Do you know how many miles is on it and how it was built? If it is in good shape, we used to maybe go with a new oil pump, timing chain set up, new valve seals and all new gaskets except head gaskets. Possibly a new cam. If its a prettty low mileage engine and was'nt run too hard that would be a very inexpensive way to freshen it up. Then you can do your valve covers and put a nice intake and carb set up on it.. I have no experience with the new efi stuff so someone else will have to fill you in there. Those engines can make huge power without getting to carried away. The best thing to do is get it running the way you want it with the carb, then maybe down the road go with the efi. Hope that helps. Sounds like a fun project. Keep us posted.
      Bruce Jeppesen
      "RANGERS LEAD THE WAY"
      1966 Chevelle
      1978 Ford F-150 4x4
      1930 Model
      https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/1...e-PT-Challenge

      Need more time, more money and more ambition!!!

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Dec 2010
      Location
      Fredericksburg, VA.
      Posts
      3,155
      Country Flag: United States
      IMO, you will be the best judge of whether the engine needs to be rebuilt or not since we have no idea what condition it is in. How was it running three years ago? If it was a fresh build three years ago, then I would just install a new oil filter and oil, prime the pump and hand crank the engine a few turns and call it good. If it was an older build then now is the time to consider freshening it up. Either way you will need to make the decision what works for you.
      Steve Hayes
      "Dust Off"
      68 Camaro

      Given sufficient initial acceleration, even pigs can fly!

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Nov 2012
      Location
      ocala fl
      Posts
      302
      Country Flag: United States
      Change the oil and filter with oil that has zinc in it, not new oil off the shelf[new oil with an additive like Lucas break in oil is ok]. Remove the distributor and use a oil pump priming tool and turn the motor over with a 1/2 in drill. I remove the valve covers and spin the motor over till oil runs out of all push rods. This will require rotating the motor over buy 1/2 turns till I turn it over 2 revolutions. If you had brought the motor up on #1 tdc before you started just drop the distributor back in. I would recommend you replace the valve cover gaskets with the steel reinforced rubber. I have removed my valve covers 30 + times over the last 20 years and they still look as new as the day I bought them. They make a tool to prime the oil pump but the cheap ones bypass too much oil at the distributor that it is hard to prime the valve train. If you have an old distributor grind all the teeth off plus a little more[you do not want a tooth to catch the cam and break or chip a tooth off the gear and remove all the pressed pieces at the rotor mount. You can clamp the drill to the shaft and spin away.

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Sep 2015
      Posts
      4
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by TheJDMan View Post
      IMO, you will be the best judge of whether the engine needs to be rebuilt or not since we have no idea what condition it is in. How was it running three years ago? If it was a fresh build three years ago, then I would just install a new oil filter and oil, prime the pump and hand crank the engine a few turns and call it good. If it was an older build then now is the time to consider freshening it up. Either way you will need to make the decision what works for you.
      thank you for the advise guys. its giving me stress and i dont want to get screwed for i know i paid a little more then i wanted to on the restoration.. the engine was a somewhat fresh build when I bought it in 2010 and drove it a coule years like it was. ive gotten quotes from shops ranging from 1500-2500 to just break it down and ut it back together and lord knows what else they will decide i need and if I can trust them. Im no mechanic and i didnt build the engine but the guy that did put a lot of money in it so I would like to use the same engine.

      Why would I need to replace the cam and can that get pricy?

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Sep 2015
      Posts
      4
      Country Flag: United States
      afternoon steve! we have spoke before about suspension "still pondering" and its getting close to time to figure that out as well... I LOVE your setup and mines nantucket blue and the forgeline w3c rims are on my list for sure!

      The engine was a somewhat fresh build when I bought it in 2010 and drove it a couple years like it was. ive gotten quotes from shops ranging from 1500-2500 to just break it down and ut it back together and lord knows what else they will decide i need and if I can trust them. Im no mechanic and i didnt build the engine but the guy that did put a lot of money in it so I would like to use the same engine.

      Why would I need to replace the cam and can that get pricy?

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Mar 2011
      Location
      Ca
      Posts
      336
      Country Flag: United States
      if the motor was in good shape when removed i'd say change the oil, prime the system, lube the upper cylinders and it should be good to go.

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Sep 2006
      Location
      Southern Indiana
      Posts
      4,699
      Country Flag: United States
      OK here is how I redirect old sitting engines, first of all drain fluids, let drip a bit with oil hole pointed down or sitting on stand.
      Then cheap oil like spsper tech or what's on sale, your not gonna fire it up on it just get clean fresh oilin system, and should only take 2 or 3 qts. Then pull all plugs, squirt some plain old dexron atf in each cyl. Start hand cranking it over. I usually waste quite a bit on this, don't worry it won't hurt a thing.
      If you could setup engine level, and so startervon it helps keep arm fatigue down, just make sure engine is stabile.
      As others stated, use oilprime tool and high speed drill or break down old distributor.
      Install oil pressure gauge, and spin it for 1 minute then hand crank it 1/4 turn and keep pumping look for clean oil from all rockers/ push rods, oh and !eep running drill and doing 1/4 turn for several minutes.
      After all lifters are bleeding oil through push rod/rockers , you can clean outside of engine as you will push atf out spark plug holes. I then time allowing re lube cyl with atf and let sit over night if you didn't before.
      Reason for atf is its base is like 10 wt oil so it soaks in around rings. Engines es smoke after this for bit but generally I have zero issues.
      If you are resealing engine before installing ( now is good time to swap oil pan gasket tc gasket if intake is off to can get moly paste cam lube and pull each lifter individually and slap bunch on them to help re break in cam, always treat sitting engines as if fresh rebuild) they do make one-piece oil pan gaskets which I weatherstrip to block, then generally use thinnest of coats of permatex Ultra black on other side then let set up over night. As for valve cover gaskets I agree with steel reinforce ed ones, I had set of Victor reinz from Napa on my bbcfor years. After getting it all lubed up cranl it back up to tdc on #1 set your balancer at the high side , like 12,14,16 degrees advance at balancer, drop in distributor with rotAlso if engine is out slap a new set of brass freeze plugs in if the old ones are steelointed at #1 and start it there. You can even mark dist where1 is on cap for future reference.
      Rocker arm adjustment is fairly easy as to hand crank engine you can watch paired rockers if ex open set intake if intake is just opening adjust exhaust, and on engine such as this just spin push rods as tightening or watchplunger on lifterif rod tightensor plunger starts to move you good move on. This should get you pretty close.
      Also slap a new set of brass freeze plugs in as steel ones will rust in sitting engine, and do it from inside out,ask me how I know!
      If it's Holley carb simply swap out metering block andfloat bowl gaskets, use of gear oil bottle to fill lost bowls, this also allows checking for spiders nests crickets etcinside float bowls, again ask how I know. I also like to check power valves too.
      As far as efi its all good except prices, from watching roadkill the atomic efi seems pretty straight forward o2 , coolant , air temps vacuum source, and proper fuel delivery with good filter.
      Personally I have hydraulic flaring tool so I can make different fuel line ends, either the older tube nut GM design or I can do newer quick connect type and I have plastic fuel line repair kit too so I can make what I need.
      Just remember the older GM fuel line style has to have prints on them, this is why the dorman products repair ends work well and you can attach with either brass compression fittings or have everything double flared with brass unions . either works well just depends on how clean up need it is for shows or tech inspection.
      Also several companies make replacement sending units for older cars to convert to efi, you just need to make sure fuel pump is wired and safetied properly with oil pressure cut off. This means no oil pressure no fuel.
      If carb world its fine to start it with as long as you don't mess with adjustments just replace gaskets.
      When firing engine switch to higher zinc oil use extra since additive or switch to roller cam!kidding! .
      As soon as you have engine in and ready run, oil, coolant, atf in trans all lines hooked up, battery charged. Fire it up and keep it running at 1800 to 2500 and suffer through all the smoke and such and keep eye out for leaks or other problems.
      Vary your rpm and run it for 10 to 20 minutes.
      Ohandyou an keep that first oil filter on till break in is complete unless you found condensation inside sitting engine.
      Then hopefully car is drivable so you can give shake down drive then some miles to heat up and break in setup.
      Then after it cools and you have put 25 to 50 miles change filter, look at oil condition some darkness is OK filthy or showing metalic pieces change it out.
      Two best street oils are She'll Rotella T and Chevron Delo diesel oils, I prefer AC , Motorcraft, six, purolater, oil filters, do not use garbage Fram, and k&n are salty for driving cars unless you oil pressure is outrageous.
      Hope I was clear enough, takes about 2 to 4 hours to set up ad rebreak in a sitting engine, with all things handy and in place, figure a good days worth of work to hit all the fine points.
      Good luck on and just a word of my experience I have only had a hand full of engines with flat tappets cams have cam failure upon start up. IF it fails as to use car it was gonna probably fail anyway. Sitting just adds to chances like mileage does. My gas engines instructor at Lincoln tech so may years ago said sitting on flat tappets cams is like driving mileage, it may or may not wear out prematurely. This is why many people have specific storage rituals , I know of several who simply throw away lifters and start with new but that can wipe out used cam just as quick. Main reason I like pulling offers to lube if the base looks like!ecrap you know toswap cam and lifters before installing it.
      Good luck and ask if you don't understand , and if there are issues in my post allow that I am doing this on a tablet.
      Lee Abel
      AFTERMARKET PERFORMANCE

      1977 Chevy Monza 2+2:Project "Cheap Trick"
      1978 C10 Long bed , On air and trailer puller
      2006 Buell Blast ,Just a bike to ride and for mileage
      1966 Caprice 4dr Sports Roof fact.327/now 350/SOON 454???? Project "II Old,,,ZERO BUDGET OR LESS CAPRICE!"

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Jan 2012
      Location
      Milford, MI
      Posts
      19
      Country Flag: United States
      Always err on the side of doing more than you think is necessary. See my build thread for a scenario a lot like this and all the issues I had.

      Basically, I had a big block that was a fresh rebuild....in 1980 or so. Sat in the garage (wrapped & sealed though) until 2014. Obviously I didn't just drop it right in, I had it honed and mildly gone through by a machine shop. They did a bad hone job, resulting in tons of blow by & oil smoke.



      The next year it was rebuilt, but a rod bearing went. This was most likely related to the initial issue, as it happened after just over 100 miles.

      I should have just had if fully rebuilt the first time, and I wouldn't have missed two summers of driving my car.






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