Not the same ol' knock
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Teching In
Joined: Jun 2022
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I checked all the other cylinders and this is the only one the Velociraptor got into
.
I didn't notice a TB blade screw missing when I opened it for the compression test, but I'll go double check. The piston looks to be unbroken, and thankfully the cylinder wall escaped any damage I can see now. I'm betting something got in there from the install when the air filter tube was made. Maybe that discolored section on the piston is the thing just smashed and melted to ****?
Pulling the while engine out is risky with the new pearl pain job and fresh leather interior. I'm a cautious worker but still makes me nervous
Thats a WHOLE POINT of spending a crap-ton of cash on a GM stock powertrain, Grrr....
Oh well, moving on, I can easily pull the head off in the van to have it re-built (and check the valve seat for a chip?), and ill have to pull that #7 piston/rod too so the oil pan comes off
. The suspension X-member bolts on, so worst case, I can unbolt it for oil pan removal clearance in the van too. So glad I have nothing else to do
. I didn't notice a TB blade screw missing when I opened it for the compression test, but I'll go double check. The piston looks to be unbroken, and thankfully the cylinder wall escaped any damage I can see now. I'm betting something got in there from the install when the air filter tube was made. Maybe that discolored section on the piston is the thing just smashed and melted to ****?
Pulling the while engine out is risky with the new pearl pain job and fresh leather interior. I'm a cautious worker but still makes me nervous
Thats a WHOLE POINT of spending a crap-ton of cash on a GM stock powertrain, Grrr....Oh well, moving on, I can easily pull the head off in the van to have it re-built (and check the valve seat for a chip?), and ill have to pull that #7 piston/rod too so the oil pan comes off
. The suspension X-member bolts on, so worst case, I can unbolt it for oil pan removal clearance in the van too. So glad I have nothing else to do Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2022
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These/this is/was something really hard. Maybe a drill bit? Like a tip broke off when the mechanic was making the air filter tube? I dunno. I found another piece inside the intake waiting to strike another cylinder
, so I'll be flushing that tomorrow too.
After work tomorrow I'll try to jack up the motor and HOPE I can get the pan off to pop out #7 and check the bearings. I'm gonna get a piston/rings/rod/bearings for #7 just in case and I'll be asking the usual questions for re-assembly. I'm gonna just plasti-gauge this thing so I guess I'll just get standard bearings and check/match what the other ones are and run it. Will I have to gap OE GM rings? Can't imagine I can re-use these head bolts/gasket either.
, so I'll be flushing that tomorrow too.After work tomorrow I'll try to jack up the motor and HOPE I can get the pan off to pop out #7 and check the bearings. I'm gonna get a piston/rings/rod/bearings for #7 just in case and I'll be asking the usual questions for re-assembly. I'm gonna just plasti-gauge this thing so I guess I'll just get standard bearings and check/match what the other ones are and run it. Will I have to gap OE GM rings? Can't imagine I can re-use these head bolts/gasket either.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2022
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What a FIGHT! Sheesh. I needed about 1/4" clearance to drop the pan for about 2 hours! Exhaust, steering, A/C compressor, A/C compressor bracket, motor mounts, jack it waaaaay up, shocks, sway bar, remove the whole front crossmember, radius arms.. anyway.
It got between the piston and the wall, so, need a piston.
Looks straight? can I just put a straight edge on it?
Can't feel any part of that scratch at all, so I'm gonna run it.
Bearings look perfect?
I'll send the head out and see what they say.
I'll get a piston/rings
Is it truly ludicrous to re-use head and rod bolts even though they're so new? I'll assume they are torque-to-yield. so that a stupid question but just thought I'd ask.
I guess the noise was just the crap trapped in the head and getting beat on by the piston but man it was loud, like rod knock loud. Should I get a rod?
It got between the piston and the wall, so, need a piston.
Looks straight? can I just put a straight edge on it?
Can't feel any part of that scratch at all, so I'm gonna run it.
Bearings look perfect?
I'll send the head out and see what they say.
I'll get a piston/rings
Is it truly ludicrous to re-use head and rod bolts even though they're so new? I'll assume they are torque-to-yield. so that a stupid question but just thought I'd ask.
I guess the noise was just the crap trapped in the head and getting beat on by the piston but man it was loud, like rod knock loud. Should I get a rod?
Piston is floating, so pop the clips and remove the piston pin. Inspect the small end bushing…it should be perfectly fine, but if you can see any wear or eggshaping, then a new rod is in order. I doubt very seriously that the rod is hurt. Personally I’d re-use those bearings and the rod. Throw a new GM piston and rings at it and go. You won’t need to touch the ring gaps. Head gasket, headbolts and put the whole thing back together. 45 ft lbs on the rod bolts if you don’t want to do the torque to angle deal. Rod bolts are re-usable. They are TTA, not TTY. Oil pan gasket is re-usable. Use a dab of grey RTV on the 4 corners down there where the pan meets the front cover and rear cover. It doesn’t take much.
No idea what you found in the cylinder. Drill bit could be the culprit, but I’m not sure it would break up like that being a hardened bit. While the intake is off, I’d definitely do some cleaning and inspecting to see if anything is in there.
No idea what you found in the cylinder. Drill bit could be the culprit, but I’m not sure it would break up like that being a hardened bit. While the intake is off, I’d definitely do some cleaning and inspecting to see if anything is in there.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Thats the plan so far. Piston/rings, head repaired. They're at not my most favorite machine shop now:/ And THANK YOU for the info. My only question is the scrapes in the block. I'll take a better look, but sounds like if they are too deep I don't want to hone it anyway, being an aluminum block, coatings etc.
Thats the plan so far. Piston/rings, head repaired. They're at not my most favorite machine shop now:/ And THANK YOU for the info. My only question is the scrapes in the block. I'll take a better look, but sounds like if they are too deep I don't want to hone it anyway, being an aluminum block, coatings etc.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
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Called around today and got SUPER lucky with a dealer that stocked the piston and ring set. 130 mile round trip on the bike and...
Thanks @Chev70elle for your info and help!
Light at the end of the tunnel! She'll be running soon and I'll be back to giving biker chicks the clap in the back of the van.
BAM!
Got the block together, which means the A/C/bracket/belt, front crossmember, steering, motor mounts, back together and I could take it off the sketchy AF wood blocks holding it up. Now just to wait for the machine shop to do the head and thats honestly a pretty easy job with lots of access.Thanks @Chev70elle for your info and help!
Light at the end of the tunnel! She'll be running soon and I'll be back to giving biker chicks the clap in the back of the van.
Called around today and got SUPER lucky with a dealer that stocked the piston and ring set. 130 mile round trip on the bike and...
Thanks @Chev70elle for your info and help!
Light at the end of the tunnel! She'll be running soon and I'll be back to giving biker chicks the clap in the back of the van.
BAM!
Got the block together, which means the A/C/bracket/belt, front crossmember, steering, motor mounts, back together and I could take it off the sketchy AF wood blocks holding it up. Now just to wait for the machine shop to do the head and thats honestly a pretty easy job with lots of access.Thanks @Chev70elle for your info and help!
Light at the end of the tunnel! She'll be running soon and I'll be back to giving biker chicks the clap in the back of the van.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Of course! haha.Wrapped up all the little things as far as I could without the other head, now it's just The Wait. Better than paint jail I suppose.
and since the other 6.0l I got came form a G-Van I had the raw materials to lengthen the dip sticks and tubes accordingly. Ended up really clean by extending the stock tubes and cutting the Van dip sticks. It's the little things...
Dipstick. Hee hee.
Thread Starter
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The head will either be done today or he'll tell me to get a new one. Love the waiting. Not. But should be on the road in a day or so passing out HPV for free!
In the meantime I'll fix the pinhole leak in the fuel line that was rubbing on the doghouse
I get it. **** happens, mechanics get distracted, **** drops into engines... But then this caught my eye:
It's got a new rag joint and the tilt Ididit column is new too, but this set screw is just waiting to snag something and ruin my day, and it's missing the lock nut. I'll just swap it with a short one. and it FALLS OUT in my hand. No loctite, and not even a dimple in the double D shaft for it to locate into.
and neither is the other one! Holy heck this could have been bad.
But wait:
the studs that are in the rag HAVE NO NUTS ON THEM.
I have been driving this thing around other humans with steering that was not even connected.
Of course all three bolts to the steering BOX was loosened to line up the column, and never re-tightened either. Gonna go play the Lotto now, and spend a week nut and bolting an entire van.
Theres reasonable excuses for making mistakes. I know, I've made most of them myself. But this is HORRIBLE. As a mechanic, you can't just forget to re-assemble an entire steering system.
Holy Hell I feel lucky today.
In the meantime I'll fix the pinhole leak in the fuel line that was rubbing on the doghouse
I get it. **** happens, mechanics get distracted, **** drops into engines... But then this caught my eye:
It's got a new rag joint and the tilt Ididit column is new too, but this set screw is just waiting to snag something and ruin my day, and it's missing the lock nut. I'll just swap it with a short one. and it FALLS OUT in my hand. No loctite, and not even a dimple in the double D shaft for it to locate into.
and neither is the other one! Holy heck this could have been bad.
But wait:
the studs that are in the rag HAVE NO NUTS ON THEM.
I have been driving this thing around other humans with steering that was not even connected.
Of course all three bolts to the steering BOX was loosened to line up the column, and never re-tightened either. Gonna go play the Lotto now, and spend a week nut and bolting an entire van.
Theres reasonable excuses for making mistakes. I know, I've made most of them myself. But this is HORRIBLE. As a mechanic, you can't just forget to re-assemble an entire steering system.
Holy Hell I feel lucky today.
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Uh ya it was the same guy
Funny part is... I forgive the crap in the intake. Sure it sucks, shouldn't happen, and it's expensive and lame to have to repair such a fresh engine, But steering? Brakes? No. Just no. They are simple systems with built in redundancy for a reason.
It's not just an inconvenience or expense if it all goes wrong. It's my life, your life, and the whole bus load of nuns that didn't expect to be rammed into Heavan before their time. Sorry Sister Mary, welcome to the pearly gates... oh wait, is the the Herpes on your habit? Bu bye
This guy had all the time, the skill, and the clients budget to do it all 100%. No excuse.
Funny part is... I forgive the crap in the intake. Sure it sucks, shouldn't happen, and it's expensive and lame to have to repair such a fresh engine, But steering? Brakes? No. Just no. They are simple systems with built in redundancy for a reason.
It's not just an inconvenience or expense if it all goes wrong. It's my life, your life, and the whole bus load of nuns that didn't expect to be rammed into Heavan before their time. Sorry Sister Mary, welcome to the pearly gates... oh wait, is the the Herpes on your habit? Bu bye
This guy had all the time, the skill, and the clients budget to do it all 100%. No excuse
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Yea. Haw.
Got the head back from the machinist, all welded up and re-surfaced.
So instead of working, I popped it in and even had time for a little flair in the sound deadener cover
I did a whole bunch of little things like flushing the injectors and rail from the degraded (wrong) fuel line and put in new-style cool guy poly-line and AN fittings. Then after Amazon delivered my torque degree gauge I got to torquing every bolt like three times! Man thats a pain. Even the plastic intake is 44 in/lbs, and then 89 in/lbs. Oh well I guess thats why these don't leak.
Got her purring, topped off all the fluids and did the usual test drive to my favorite brewery
. I pulled in right behind the guy in the Rivan. Had a couple people come ask about the Van and completely ignore that brand new 6-digit electric truck. LOL.
]
... from my cold, dead, hands....
Got the head back from the machinist, all welded up and re-surfaced.
So instead of working, I popped it in and even had time for a little flair in the sound deadener cover
I did a whole bunch of little things like flushing the injectors and rail from the degraded (wrong) fuel line and put in new-style cool guy poly-line and AN fittings. Then after Amazon delivered my torque degree gauge I got to torquing every bolt like three times! Man thats a pain. Even the plastic intake is 44 in/lbs, and then 89 in/lbs. Oh well I guess thats why these don't leak.
Got her purring, topped off all the fluids and did the usual test drive to my favorite brewery
. I pulled in right behind the guy in the Rivan. Had a couple people come ask about the Van and completely ignore that brand new 6-digit electric truck. LOL.]
... from my cold, dead, hands....
. Now it's just the little things like adding windshield washers, tuning the stereo, adding a hitch, 'conditioning' the uphiolstry
fun stuff! 
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