Did you order new head bolts?

Finally!!! While you have the heads off, you'd be foolish to not recam it :)

John, all hardware needed is on order, yes.

BMX: I don't have time to upgrade anything unfortunately. The car has to be out by Sunday. Going to heads with 50k miles, cleaning the pistons of carbon buildup, and putting everything back together should be more than enough improvement compared to what I have now lol.

:lol: I hear ya man.

You are reusing old springs, even after having a spring fail on yours...?

The springs that failed are not stock springs, not stock retainers, etc. I'm completely comfortable reusing stock GM springs and retainers, etc, yes.

Someone was in there before and changed out most everything on the passenger side.

Just throwing this out there... Does this look like a cracked rocker?

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...r-Close-XL.png

i have extra rockers and springs and all that dumb stuff

Take it off and inspect it.

THIS. A thousand times THIS.

The springs, valves, heads, etc., are coming off. The ones from my buddies car are being cleaned and prepped now. I'll be looking at possible spring failures once we get the old heads off.

The rocker is not cracked. Strange optical illusion I guess. More progress today. Heads are off, everything is cleaned, getting ready to put the new heads on... Photos from today:

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0405-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0407-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0408-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0410-XL.jpg

Oh haiii... Found 2 of these - of course we didn't verify which cylinder(s) they were from:
http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0412-XL.jpg

Looks like aftermarket springs, retainers... Possibly a head off of a newer Trans Am, Corvette, etc.?
http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0413-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0414-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0415-XL.jpg

Heads are going back on tomorrow or during the week (depending on family plans).

:shock:

And a couple non-cell phone shots with my Nikon D2x and Tamron 17-55 f/2.8:

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...CM_7828-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...CM_7825-XL.jpg

Let me also add. Valve float! It was to the point where the pistons have a slight gouge in 'em from the valves, but no other damage.

Some progress last night:
http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0424-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0425-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0426-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0427-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0430-XL.jpg

SHE RUNS!!

Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfY7E8NGv10


Some more progress (cell phone) shots from yesterday:

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0433-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0435-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0436-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0437-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0438-XL.jpg

Bolting the exhaust back together:
http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0440-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0441-XL.jpg

http://pafirefighter11.smugmug.com/A...MAG0442-XL.jpg

We still need to add some coolant and a coolant temp. sensor.

Video from yesterday of intake & engine area, and exhaust (Burning up some oil! No longer smokes though):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXdatfP3cEY

Did you change the oil?

Of course. New oil, new coolant.