Lesley Aquino

Hello I am a new proud owner of a 77' Stingray. I got her back in March and already blew a head gasket. How much do you think it will cost to rebuild the motor? What improvements can I make to the motor for not only performance but sound? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks,
Lesley

Easy Mike

Nothing but parts if you do the work yourself. You can change head gaskets without having to do a complete rebuild.

Lesley Aquino

Thank you for your response Mike, and unfortunately I have to do a complete rebuild because I got water in the oil...and something cracked my oil pan from the inside out, still haven't taking it off yet to see what it was, I'm a little scared to see the damage haha, plus I want to make her sound better and perform better

'75

You're probably better off just getting a crate motor than rebuilding the old one. The damage to the old motor is likely terminal.

77vetteluva

I have a 77 L48 and went back and forth choosing between crate and rebuild. I found some crates engine for as low as 1200 plus shipping (200) and core. I'm guessing you will get what you pay for. I went with rebuilding it myself. Probably spent close to 2000 with parts and machine shop charges.

Here is what I got:

Block cleaned magna-fluxed, bored +30, new brass freeze plugs and cam bearings pressed in
Heads cleaned magna-fluxed, valves and seats machined, and surfaced
Crank turned
New performer intake
New flat top pistons - reused rods
New comp XE262 cam and lifters
Holley 570 SA
Long tube Headers
Chrome oil pan and timing cover(gotta have some bling)
Edelbrock aluminum valve covers and air cleaner
Harmonic balancer
high flow water pump
bearing and gasket kits
Eliminated all emissions garbage

Probably cost a little more this way but know what's in it. I wasn't shooting for a lot of power. Just a bit more than what came with it.

Didn't have an extra engine to store or give up for a core charge

Lesley Aquino

And I have a crate motor ready to go however I really want to rebuild the one I already have in the car considering it is a matching number engine

billla

I would tear down the existing engine and have a shop magnaflux and pressure-test the block. Once you know if the block is salvagable you can decide the options to move forward.

Lesley Aquino

Thank you 77vetteluva like I said in the post before I do have a crate motor ready to go however I am going to rebuild the one I have because it is a matching number engine. I don't want a whole lot more power I do however want to improve the sound to it...Any suggestions on how I can accomplish that? I heard changing out the carb and cam may improve the quality of the sound.

Lesley Aquino

hey billla let's say I go get it tested and it fails, there is no way to fix it??? It would kill me to put the other motor in there especially if I can somehow fix the one I have...is that possible if it fails the test??

REELAV8R

Sounds like the bigger problem you got is the rod that tried to come through the oil pan. Hard to say how much rebuilding it would cost without tearing it down to see what is still salvageable. If a high mileage engine I agree that a crate motor would be better option. Crate motor would be a whole lot easier too. Depends on how much power you want to how much that costs. Can get a GM long block for as little as $1600.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/P.../?autoview=SKU

Guess others have already addressed the rebuild vs crate motor option. Keep the Q-jet and rebuild it or get it rebuilt, it's a good carb. sound can be improved (depending on what you mean by improvement) by changing exhaust. Your 77 has a very restrictive factory exhaust that goes through a cadelletic converter back to duel exhaust. Kick that junk to the curb and get true duel exhaust or side pipes.

Lesley Aquino

Yes Reelav8r that's what I am afraid of :-(

77vetteluva

Put duals on mine w/H-pipe and the sound came alive

Lesley Aquino

Here is another problem I live in California so can I still get that low rumble loud sound and still be able to smog it???

qwank

If the rod came though the pan just forget about the original motor. a '77 is probably worth more with a ZZ4 in it anyways.

77vetteluva

What little bit of help I could have gave is now toast since you mentioned the Left Coast.

Lesley Aquino

77 vetteluva: LOL I know im screwed good ol' California I HATE the emission laws out here...

qwank: Really?!?!?!? I heard the exact opposite, people that I have talked to say that if I keep that motor in it considering again MATCHING engine numbers it would be worth more if I ever decide to sell it....

billla

It becomes a matter of cost vs. value. Cast iron can be welded, cylinder sleeves can be installed any any number of magic repairs can be done...at a cost. If that cost is worth the value of having the original engine only you can decide once you have the numbers in front of you. There certainly are any number of events that would render the block unrepairable.

Rather than guessing just get the engine apart and the block/heads in to be tested and measured...it's the first step in an overhaul anyway. I would put other design plans on hold until you have an answer to that question.

REELAV8R

I used to be concerned about this too. Just keep that block if it is still good. Fact is I don't think that a matching numbers 77 is ever going to be worth a lot of money in my life time. It may be easier to sell down the road to a purist, but it's more likely that kind of individual would be more interested in the earlier models 68, 69 etc. in any case.
I don't know anything about the California emissions requirements so can't really help you there but an exhaust or hot rod shop can probably answer your questions on that. Does yours still have the air pump on the engine? I would think you could still do a true dual exhaust with a catalytic converter on each pipe? Some other CA owners here may be able to tell you.

Lesley Aquino

billla: Thanks, that is exactly what I'm going to do.

Here is another question I almost pulled the motor out however the front end of this car is extremely long so the motor lift was a foot to short, are there longer engine hoists out there? Or am I going to have to pull the front clip off??? If that's the case how do you get the front clip off???

77vetteluva

Longer hoist. Take the radiator and core support out. Better now than after it's damaged.