Engine Advice Needed

[86Cutlass383SR]

I'm not sure if this needs to be here on in advanced...if it needs moved that's fine.

I picked up my engine from my engine builder today. 385 SBC. 4.040 x 3.75 2pc rms 4 bolt main. AFR 190 heads. Intended usage: daily-driven hi-performance street. Idle - 6000 rpm.

I told the builder I wanted a quench ht somewhere around .040 - .045. With the .041" Felpro 1003 gasket and a zero deck I would've ended up with a .041" quench. Instead of zero decking he decked my block just enough to straighten it out. Ended up with a piston .017" down the hole. I spoke to him after he told me this and he said he would go ahead and zero deck the block.

I thought my heads were 66cc but he cc'ed the heads and they came out to 64cc so he decided (without consulting me!) to not zero deck the block "cause my compression would've been too high".

I specifically picked a certain piston just for this combo. I chose a 12cc "D" dished piston to keep the quench area flat and to keep my compression in the 10-1 area with this .040" - .045" quench.

So, I ended up with a piston .017" (in the hole), a .041" gasket, and a 12cc dished piston with 64cc heads. My quench area now figures to .058".

To top it all off, after he cleaned the block and was boring it, he said he found a hair-line crack. He never told me this until after I'd paid him and had the engine loaded up! He did sleeve the block "so it will be okay". Had I known about it before he took it on his own to sleeve my block, I'd probably just found a 400 block and got differant pistons and crank and built a 400 based engine.

I don't have the money to go thru this engine again. I scrounged all the cash I could get to get this done this time.

What would you guys do?

1) Find another shop, pull the engine back down, and have the block re-decked?

2) Find a 400 block, buy new pistons and crank, and build a new shortblock? This isn't really financially feasable for me.

3) Pull the heads and intake and install a thinner head gasket? Is a copper gasket okay for 10-1 alum head street use? I also found a Cometic multi-layer steel gasket at .030" which would give me .047 quench.

4) Run it as is and live with what I have.

He also never checked my piston to valve clearance like I asked him to do. I'm running a 230*/236* .540"/.534" 113* lsa cam (Comp 280 XFI hyd roller retro-fit) with the above mentioned 12cc "D" dished pistons and 1.5 roller rockers (instead of the recommended 1.6). Think my P-V clearance is okay? Safe enough to move up to 1.6 at a later date? At least he gave me a 1 yr warranty on his work. Would the P-V clearance still be okay with the thinner .030" gasket? I know it needs to be measured to make sure but...

If my calculations are correct, with my given combo I should have about 9.88 - 1 cr and a DCR of 8.275 with a .058" quench. According to CamQuest my IVC @ .050" is 44*. With the added 15* some programs ask for this would be 59*. With the .030" gasket my new numbers would be 10.13 - 1 and DCR of 8.483 with a .047" quench. I am running EFI with spark control in case the DCR seems a bit too high.

I need some advice ... I'm not taking this motor back to him. Nor, will I EVER go back to him or give him a good recommendation.

What would you guys do? I need some good, solid advice. If I ever do another engine, I WILL be building it myself. I just had him do it this time because he did give me a 1 yr warranty. But, he didn't build *my* engine, he built my engine *his* way.

Thanks for any advice given...

 

[Killerdave8813]

Hey Doug,
That's a bummer when people don't do as instructed especially with ones hard earned cash! I never considered warranties on rebuilds and machine work as long as I was comfortable with who was doing it,
actually I've never had anyone assemble an engine for me always done it myself,in your case I'd probably tear it down partway anyway and inspect it as if you don't you won't know what you've got and it would bug me to no end! That'll only cost you some gaskets for some peace of mind anyway,at this point sounds like the only choice,after the inspection that is,to put it back together and run the p#ss out of it,
such is life sometimes,make it a lesson learned,Later,KillerDave

 

[sbmalibu]

I would say pull the heads measure the ptv clearance and then see if you have enough room for the 1.6 rockers,.30 head gaskets. Or i think mr gasket makes a .22 gasket that is basically a rubber coated steel shim gasket. will get your quench back but i dont know if it will like aluminum heads or not.Alot of guys run these in circle track claimer engines.I had a set on my car for a while with no problems but changed when i statred spraying it.

 

[kevind]

I would run it I don't think a change in compression that small is going to make anything that You will be able to feel. The P-V should be ok with a cam that size with 1.5 or 1.6 rockers.

 

[86Cutlass383SR]

I do appreciate the replies. I've always built my own engines but they were not much more than stock engines either. I built my last 383 but again, it barely had .500" lift and it was a hyd roller. I've only built about 5 engines in my lifetime, I enjoy it and I'm comfortable doing it. But this engine may be my last *hoo-rah!* so I put a bit more cash than normal in it. I was planning tighter clearances (quench) and higher lift (P-V clearance) so I guess maybe I choked a bit in my choice to build it myself. I just couldn't afford to watch it annihilate itself on initial start up. Other than a cheap set of mikes and a dial indicator, I have no fancy engine tools and nobody I know has any either.

If I ever do get a chance to build me another engine (LS something :twisted: ), it WILL be done by me. I've learned my lesson. I should've known better anyway. Famous words... "If you want it done right, do it yourself!"

My car isn't quite ready for the engine yet anyway. Swap fuel tank for my other baffled tank, run fuel and brakes lines, finish TPI wiring behind dash and get dash put back in, ... Doesn't really sound like much but my car is sitting outside and for those who may not know...So. IL. is a bit chilly right now ( try FRIGGIN COLD !!!) LOL. I do have access to an unheated...ummm...lets call it a barn with dirt floors. At least it *should* be dry.

Again, I do appreciate the advice. I'm not sure what I'll do right now. I want to aproach the situation with a cool, calm mind.

Thanks a lot!

Doug

 

[prairiehotrodder]

I bet your machinist screwed up the bore himself then sleeved it to fix it. If there really was a crack he would have wanted to show you. One thing I would be sure to do is clean it really good especially inside the water jacket. I seen a block get sleeved and come back right full of cuttings.
Brian

 

[86Cutlass383SR]

Thanks for the heads-up Brian. I'll flush the heck out of it while it's still on the engine stand.

Doug

 

[BillySS]

I run a Comp Cam XFI 292 cam. If you look at the specs they are listed for 1.6 rockers as you stated not 1.5 rockers. Run the engine as is. You will be fine. You lost Duration and Lift by going with the 1.5 rockers.