So I dug into the top end of my 350 today. This is the '77 I just purchased a couple of weeks ago (my first Vette). I knew going into it that it had a stuck valve, bad lifter or something of the sort, so this wasn't unexpected.

I'm thinking this could be the cause of my valve train noise



Yep, it still ran before I took it apart. The car sat for a long time and it shows from the rusty water passages etc. Going to pull the engine and go through it over the next few weeks. I ordered some of the parts today so it will be up and running strong again and I'll be back on track with my plans.

Adam

Didn't tell the wife, but I'm glad I have a reason to pull the motor apart.

 

Time for a good set of heads.

 

That was the plan when I started tearing this apart. It has now moved to doing the whole engine.

 

............. and so it begins........... :-)

 

I don't know what you mean... since when does an old car turn into a money pit?

No worries, I'm pumped on doing this. Going to a awesome car for us when we're done.

 

The key to enjoying a "project car", is to learn to enjoy the journey, rather than fixate on the destination. Some old, fat, Chinese guy told me that. I think his name was Confucius.


Scott

 

sorry, I didn't meant it that way. I meant that "while I am doing this.. I might as well do that" I have been doing that for the last six months.
I know you were planning on working on the car, and I hope you have a great time with it.

 

yep. Had a seat back hinge bolt come out. Now the whole interior is out and $600 worth of parts to fix the things that weren't fixed correctly before I bought it. At our house we call it the begats....

 

You're lucky that valve didn't drop and grenade the whole thing.

 

I was just messing with ya Brent. I totally understand what you meant and it was taken in a good way.

Tortisie - Agreed. Odd thing is, even though it had a slight miss to it at idle, it still ran strong and wasn't smoking.

Oh yeah... he runs a chinese restaurant down the street from me. Excellent food.

 

That's the guy, all right!!!

Congrats on catching that valve, it looks like it probably had about 3 miles or so left in it before it sucked right thru.

My friend, Bubba, says you should just take the valve out, build the valve seat back up with JBWeld, lap the valve back in, and run it!


Scott

 

Still doing the while I'm at it projects for 5 years now! No problem you'll love it when the engine phase is done and it's runnin strong! How's Arizona these days? My son went to ASU,I really enjoyed horseback riding in the mountains...Aloha's

 

If I put the JB on real smooth I won't even need to lap it in

Hello iokepakai,

It's beautiful here this time of year. The weather is cool and perfect for working in the garage (or riding). I'm on a mission now... Will have this car running in no time. Starting at the heart (cam shaft) and working my way out from there.

Adam

 

Ya, I completely agree. My “While I’m At It” started in Idaho 3 years ago. Now I live in Texas and I’m still at it……..and love’n it !!

 

Speaking about those "rusty water passages", how do you clean those?

 

Tear it down and have the block vatted. But if you see that and don't intend to tear it down, after a couple of oil changes and running it with some good coolant with rust inhibitors(which are most), it is OK.

 

There is an expert on this forum who says valve recession is a myth. What you posted must be a photoshopped picture as in his world this won't happen in a street motor.
Time for a new set of heads don't put a dime into these heads. Vortecs are cheapest option. You'll gain an easy 20-30HP with a swap to better heads.

 

Adam, that sucks man, sorry to hear and see that for ya! Someone teach me... Valve recession, I see how the valve has dropped back into the head and is not flush... what is the cause of this and why did it happen. What would have eventually happened had Adam not opened up the head and found this. I don't know much about how the internals work, i mean I know the names of the parts but never rebuilt an engine.... well yet.

thanks guys,

Sully

 

Scotty - Maybe you should write a book,
"Zen and the Art of Corvette Maintenance"

 

Well, I've never actually sucked a valve, but here's how I think it would go down. For some reason, (and the cause could have been many different things, it's really hard to say what caused it in the first place) the valve wore into the valveseat. Eventually, it would have worn into it enough to actually suck the valve up into the exhaust port. At this point the cylinder can't make ANY compression whatsoever, so it's really gonna run like crap. Also, there is no valveseat left for the valve to seat against, so there is nothing holding the valvespring in place except the downward pressure from the rocker arm. I am not sure if this would be enough to hold the valvespring retainer in place, but if it wasn't, that would mean that the retainer would fail, the valve would drop back down into the combustion chamber, where it would be very suddenly, and rudely, introduced to Mr. Piston, not to mention a valvespring, (possibly broken into several pieces) the retainer, and the locks floating around under the valvecover, trying to cause mischief. Of course, if the retainer didn't fail, it would just run like crap. Someone with some experience with this sort of thing, please post and let me know how I did, OK?


Scott