Shouldnt there be a piston there?

[400hp_76]

Well guys if you have ever read any of my post you know that i have had some difficulties with a few things nothing major... well here is something major. Dropped a valve last nite. apparenty blew the piston to smitherenes....because tontite when i stripped it down to the short block ...yeah there was no piston there. to my suprise the heads survived but i dont think the block did...update you on that tomorrow.

 

[Stallion]

What would cause this to happen!? Where could it have gone? is there any exit for the piston? I guess if I crumbled then it would make its way out of the intake/exaust ports, or would it go into the sump oil?

Do you think it was just a bad and weak piston? How else could that have happened?

TR

 

[Mako]

Well guys if you have ever read any of my post you know that i have had some difficulties with a few things nothing major... well here is something major. Dropped a valve last nite. apparenty blew the piston to smitherenes....because tontite when i stripped it down to the short block ...yeah there was no piston there. to my suprise the heads survived but i dont think the block did...update you on that tomorrow.

Ouch, my achin' wallet :-( It's unlikely the cylinder and therefore the block survived, agreed. Good news the heads are ok though.

Crate short block is the short path to nirvana. GM sells the ZZ4 short block assembly. Freshen up the heads and bolt one of those in the car and call it good to go...

Good luck!
Mako

 

[klb76]

I hate to bring this up, but weren't you planning on selling your car?

klb

 

[400hp_76]

kLB, i had the forsale sign and ebay account ready to go. Well i got a friend of mine that builds motors to take a look at the whole deal today. It looks like to both of us that the wrist pin came out of the piston. The block seems to be ok. the cylinder has some mild scratches, but i can still bore it out to .60. Luckily the rod didnt come out of the cylinder and beat the block to peices, i got lucky and it just scratched the cylinder wall. Hopfully the leftover piston didnt damage the crank and the block. I guess well see!!!The zz4 crate is 2k, a little more than i plan on spending. if the block is ok then im gonna bore it out and put .60 over pistons in. I should get by with doing that, keeping the cost under 1k. The car has continuously screwed me over, so ive had enough. I have a 98 firebird that im selling also. With the two of these sold im gonna purchase a 98 corvette 6 speed. I love classic cars more than anyone, but right now, while im in college i cant afford this crap. I mean i just had the rearend gears, transmission, and now the motor all take there turns in punching me in the face. How can anyone survive!!!!!

 

[klb76]

but right now, while im in college i cant afford this crap. I mean i just had the rearend gears, transmission, and now the motor all take there turns in punching me in the face. How can anyone survive!!!!!

I can definitly relate to that... seems everyday I don't work on my car something new breaks... but that is one of the things I like but I am sure i will get sick of it someday. Good luck with your motor and you purchase of a new vette. I bet it really sucks this happened right around finals time.

klb

 

[400hp_76]

Right around finals is right. At least it happened that night after my last one. I love working on my car dont get me wrong but when its stuff that is severe like this it just really can be frustrating. After i sell the two cars its definately gonna be between a factoryfive coupe or a new vette. Im leaning towards the vette, just because of build time on the coupe. So back to work on the vette. I will keep you guys updated. Pray that the block is still good. pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaase be !!!

 

[Stallion]

Good luck on working with the engine. What kind of tools and things are necessary to work on something that "inside" of the engine? Just curious...

TR

 

[400hp_76]

Torque wrench and a common craftsman tool set

 

[qwall]

holy crap dude......tough luck with your vette, hope everything works out good for you, good luck
keep us posted, and take some pics and post them here, we wanna see how it looks

q

 

[Mako]

Good luck on working with the engine. What kind of tools and things are necessary to work on something that "inside" of the engine? Just curious...
TR

Here's some, but not all, of the stuff you'll want, if not exactly need:

CYa!
Mako

 

[sscam69]

A tool set like mako's wouldn't hurt especially with the toys he has :eek. That LT1 camaro is nice BTW. I am thinking C5 or WS6.


Anyways there are a few other tools to do the job RIGHT. Ring compressor, obviously a GOOD torque wrench, feeler gauges, dial gauge/s, cam degree kit, balancer puller/installer and a few others I am sure.

Please heed my advice, don't skimp on tools OR parts. I have learned the hardway and have paid twice for going cheap

400hp_76 GL with the engine. If you have the time for a kit car why not build that engine up again?

Lay off the pedal things might last longer:L:L

 

[Stallion]

Wow, Mako, that's some setup you've got! That's what I was thinking. For someone like me, it would be hard to start off in auto mechanics because I would be starting with zero tools. Of course with time and needed jobs, I would acquire a set like Mako's, but you need to start somewhere!

TR

 

[BlackNBlue95]

Wow, Mako, that's some setup you've got! That's what I was thinking. For someone like me, it would be hard to start off in auto mechanics because I would be starting with zero tools. Of course with time and needed jobs, I would acquire a set like Mako's, but you need to start somewhere!

TR

That wall ain't nothing compared to what most mechanics have... LoL

 

[Stallion]

:eek Really!? Gosh, I can't wait until I get older so I can have my own garage and many, many tools.

TR

 

[Mako]

That wall ain't nothing compared to what most mechanics have... LoL

Amen to that! I have all my ratchets and other stuff on peg board behind my work bench, and some specialty tools like torque wrenches &ct in drawers etc.... Even then, I don't have half the tools a pro does.

I've yet to hear a mechanic complain about having too many tools ;-)

CYa!
Mako

 

[Stallion]

I can imagine that all of those tools add up to a lot of money. But, once you have it you have it forever and it's always going to be there for your use. So, I guess that's a very good thing, huh.

 

[sscam69]

Buy them as you need them and in the end you'll see that your gonna have quite a collection of tools.

I don't know if anybody is biased to any particular brand but I do know Craftsman is pretty good. And if you break a tool from them just take it back to where you bought it and they'll replace it for free!

Pretty good deal to me.

he he The Sears tool section is like Toys R Us to me. I have to wipe the drool off my face after I look at all the cool tools that are there!

 

[Stallion]

Yes, I see what you mean. If you need the tool...get it! That seems like the best way. Anyways, I'm sure with time and necessary tasks to my future Vette () I will obtain a nice collection of tools.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

I can imagine that all of those tools add up to a lot of money. But, once you have it you have it forever and it's always going to be there for your use. So, I guess that's a very good thing, huh.

LoL unless you forget and leave a tool behind on someones car.. happens every so often loose a wrench or something.. then back to snap-on another 40 bucks for a damm wrench..

Oh far as money for perspective I've been wrenching and building up my own set of tools for over 2 years now.. and I have spend about 10 grand on tools and alot of them are still my old craftsmans and I have a basic good starter set I would say.. tools are money that is a down fall of wrenching for a living you have to buy tools to make money and it's a constant cost for most techs.. not un common to pay out 50 bucks a week to a tool guy sometimes 2 tool guys...

-Rick