So where do you draw the line.....

[1QWIKBIRD]

The motor is out of the car, I found all the needle bearings and had to pull the heads and dropped the oil pan to do so. I have sent the heads to a buddy's shop to have 1 intake and 1 exhaust port flowed just for curiosity (I'll post my results), gonna have the springs checked, the heads cleaned, and 1 valve touched up (the tip is slightly marred from when the rocker started to bounce around).

The motor has 59K on it and showed no signs of trouble, until the rocker arm let go. So now where do I draw the line, which route would you take....

I have pretty much decided to go with ARP studs (reusable on the next project), Fel-pro gaskets (that's what came off, so why change), and Comp Cams Pro-Magnum rockers (stock ratio) but then it gets sticky....

Do I..

a) button it back up as is and get back to having fun.....

b) replace the oil pump with an LS-6 job and a new chain just for insurance....

c) new rod bolts (seems to be a weak link)

d) B & C

e) or just freshen the shortblock (no overbore) just rings, bearings and all of the above.....

I'm not trying to be cheap, I just don't want to dump money into a 346, I'd rather (down the road at later date) build a big inch iron ls-2 with all the good stuff.

What would you do???

Chris

[V]

id say option A, and then build a killer motor down the line. I'm sorta in the same boat. i blew something and in turn cracked my block, i have the choice of a brand new GM crate engine, or building my 6.0l motor ive had in mind for a while. I decided to do the engine build now and go all out.

If you just do A, run it till something else breaks and then dump the serious money into it. thats just my opinion.

[JW]

I have this problem all the time deciding what to do in the engine department. I think the solution I have come up with is to just build up everything else first nice and strong(suspension, rear, & tranny,etc...) and then once the engine is left save up the money to do the biggest and baddest thing that you wanted since thats all you will ever be satisfied and atleast this method drags on for a while giving you plenty of time to think.

JW

[enRo]

Originally Posted by JW

I have this problem all the time deciding what to do in the engine department. I think the solution I have come up with is to just build up everything else first nice and strong(suspension, rear, & tranny,etc...) and then once the engine is left save up the money to do the biggest and baddest thing that you wanted since thats all you will ever be satisfied and atleast this method drags on for a while giving you plenty of time to think.

Exactly how I wanna do it. I wouldnt mind throwing on some bolt-on's, but internals will stay untouched until Im satisfied with everything else I.E. Tranny, Rear, Springs, Susp Components, etc. Thats the way to go IMO

[1QWIKBIRD]

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

id say option A, and then build a killer motor down the line. I'm sorta in the same boat. i blew something and in turn cracked my block, i have the choice of a brand new GM crate engine, or building my 6.0l motor ive had in mind for a while. I decided to do the engine build now and go all out.

If you just do A, run it till something else breaks and then dump the serious money into it. thats just my opinion.

I saw the pics.....what happened and under what conditions???

Chris

[Teds89IROC]

I'm also in the same boat as Noah, I figure I'll do suspension and some other bolt ons, but ones that can transfer over to another sbc. Sometime down the road I'd like to build up the 400 sbc sitting in my garage. I figure I'll beef up the rear and trans when it is needed.

~Ted

[V]

Originally Posted by 1QWIKBIRD

I saw the pics.....what happened and under what conditions???

Chris

as of right now im not positive what really happened, once i get the money/replacement engine from my warranty company ill be pulling the motor apart to find out what went wrong. As of now, the cause is either that the #1 rod let go, or there was a fuel explosion in the crankcase. When it blew up, the car was in my driveway up on jackstands. it was running like crap and i was trying to sort it out for the previous 2 weeks, but that day i went to start it up, it turned over, fired up, and BOOM!, that was that.

[1QWIKBIRD]

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

as of right now im not positive what really happened, once i get the money/replacement engine from my warranty company ill be pulling the motor apart to find out what went wrong. As of now, the cause is either that the #1 rod let go, or there was a fuel explosion in the crankcase. When it blew up, the car was in my driveway up on jackstands. it was running like crap and i was trying to sort it out for the previous 2 weeks, but that day i went to start it up, it turned over, fired up, and BOOM!, that was that.

sounds like maybe there was a bad injector, one cylinder loaded up with fuel and hydraulicked (sp?) the cylinder case........not good whatever the cause.

Chris