cr8crshr
Well-Known Member
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- 1:34 AM
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2009
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- Location
- Northwest Nevada
Well...It turns out after pulling the engine yesterday, 383BB, that it is in fact the Rear Main Seal that is leaking. The 2 Galley Plugs and the Cam Plug are dry and no leakage there either. I started the tear down of the engine today and after removing the heads and studying them with a Lupe and magnifying glasses. I noticed that the Valve Stems for both the intake and exhaust have been ground down on some while others are not. When viewed, the ones not ground down have the tapered area still at the top of the valve stem while the others it is not flat. The heads are stock 516's that have been reworked with larger exhaust valves and mild polishing and porting...although you could fool me on that one as there is no evidence of it having being done. Again what I am finding is that the firm that I had put this thing together...Ca Street Machines in Suisun CA...has done some things that I wasn't aware of while not doing things on the job order that I requested. Now it is way after the fact as the engine was built in 2005 and we are in 2012 so I cannot go back at them for their failure and the Son no longer works there. He is the one that put my engine together. Any way...I have never heard of having to grind down the valve stems before and was wondering if this is an excepted practice? Now that I have the heads off, I am wondering also if I just shouldn't upgrade to an Aluminum set? I am partial to the Edlebrocks offering with Closed Chambers/76cc's but the cost is more than the budget can absorb right now. That being said...440 Source is next on the list. This build is not for a race application but a nice streetable cruiser with some attitude if I need it. What if any grips, issues, complaints, endorsements, positives, etc. have any of you had with them. I know they are cast off shore and then machined here in CA but how are they out of the box. Like anything there needs to be some messaging of it but what I have read so far on the 440 Source heads including their web site makes me inclined to do business with them. And the price is attractive too. So far the lower end internals that I can see look excellent. That includes the lifters and the Cam Lobes as I was terrified that there would be something there to add to the overall frustration level. Piston are the Speed Pro .030 Flat Tops and after cleaning off the Carbon from the initial fire up and break in look in perfect shape too. So at least the bottom end, other than the Rear Main Seal swap, will be good to go. As far as the Rear Main Seal goes...I have a Billet Retainer on the engine at present but will be going back to the stock unit and better seals. Gathered a lot of info regarding that issue and will keep it simple with the original set up. No Rope though. I have the original Retainer and a NOS/New Virgin one as well. I will update as I get into it on Thursday...waiting on parts tomorrow. :headbang: