H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.

[Paul Merolla]

I feel your pain, as I've been through this with 2 different engines. Not saying these are your problems, but just wanted to share what caused the issues in my case. First was 2 different shortblocks that kept losing oil pressure at rpm. Blew the first one up at the stripe, then borrowed a short block and put my heads on it. First trip to the track it lost pressure coming out of the water box. After swapping the oil pump, it did the same thing. The only thing I could think of that I had changed from the prior year was the oil filter....I had switched from Wix to K&N. Well, I put a Wix back on and had no more problems. The K&N just was too much of a restriction at high flow rates.
Second fiasco was a brand-new build with a Dart block. Had good pressure through 6 dyno pulls, but each pull made less power than the last. Changed parts, inspected everything, and it just kept eating bearings. Eventually, we had another crank ground and that did the trick.
The original one had the end counterweights turned down in a lathe.....the second one did not and now has around 70 passes on it with no issues.
Like I said, I'm not trying to tell you what your problem is, just to keep an open mind and think about what's going on inside the engine at rpm.

[Larry Hill]

Look and check everything. Is crank round and straight, correct radius that is tangent, mains on same C/L as seal surface and timing gear. Rods round and straight, no interference between bearing tang and groove in rod.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Paul Merolla

I feel your pain, as I've been through this with 2 different engines. Not saying these are your problems, but just wanted to share what caused the issues in my case. First was 2 different shortblocks that kept losing oil pressure at rpm. Blew the first one up at the stripe, then borrowed a short block and put my heads on it. First trip to the track it lost pressure coming out of the water box. After swapping the oil pump, it did the same thing. The only thing I could think of that I had changed from the prior year was the oil filter....I had switched from Wix to K&N. Well, I put a Wix back on and had no more problems. The K&N just was too much of a restriction at high flow rates.
Second fiasco was a brand-new build with a Dart block. Had good pressure through 6 dyno pulls, but each pull made less power than the last. Changed parts, inspected everything, and it just kept eating bearings. Eventually, we had another crank ground and that did the trick.
The original one had the end counterweights turned down in a lathe.....the second one did not and now has around 70 passes on it with no issues.
Like I said, I'm not trying to tell you what your problem is, just to keep an open mind and think about what's going on inside the engine at rpm.

Thank you Paul, duly noted.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

Look and check everything. Is crank round and straight, correct radius that is tangent, mains on same C/L as seal surface and timing gear. Rods round and straight, no interference between bearing tang and groove in rod.

I am re-checking this also, thanks.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Sorry about the updates or lack thereof. Work has been nuts so time is limited. Weather is getting hot so my energy level is nonexistent, nevertheless I am working a little and we're pretty much ready to go back together AGAIN, hope to get some of that done this weekend. I haven't really done much to change anything and everything checks out so at this point, I have a positive outlook and low expectations. This is the last time I'm doing this.

[Rich Biebel]

Don't get discouraged Todd...

Drag Racing can be a real difficult challenge but eventually if you keep trying you'll succeed......

Been there, done that as they say and for me its been many times....

I hope you get better results when you get it back together....

[Dissident]

Todd and Autumn,


Knowing this engine experience has been painful and expensive for you folks. Stout hearts and you can overcome this.


You made commented that everything checked out as OK and I assume within specs. Since the oil filter flow capacity has been addressed, how about this little detail to consider. What are the bearing clearances vs the SAE wt of the oil you have been using? Some folks swear by the water type viscosity oils, but if the clearance is large, they can't maintain an adequate hydrodynamic wedge and will skin the bearings up every time.



Hope it proves to be something simple like described above and that you can solve it and get to dyno time and racing soon.



Best of Luck to you both.


Regards,
HB2
Dissident

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

Don't get discouraged Todd...

Drag Racing can be a real difficult challenge but eventually if you keep trying you'll succeed......

Been there, done that as they say and for me its been many times....

I hope you get better results when you get it back together....

At this point Rich it seems I might be too dumb to figure this out hahahaha. If this doesn't work I'm throwing the whole short block in the scrap bin.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Dissident

Todd and Autumn,


Knowing this engine experience has been painful and expensive for you folks. Stout hearts and you can overcome this.


You made commented that everything checked out as OK and I assume within specs. Since the oil filter flow capacity has been addressed, how about this little detail to consider. What are the bearing clearances vs the SAE wt of the oil you have been using? Some folks swear by the water type viscosity oils, but if the clearance is large, they can't maintain an adequate hydrodynamic wedge and will skin the bearings up every time.



Hope it proves to be something simple like described above and that you can solve it and get to dyno time and racing soon.



Best of Luck to you both.


Regards,
HB2
Dissident

I am going to a higher weight oil this time around.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

FINALLY! I had a day I could get away from work so we finally saw some forward progress. Checking clearances, got the adjustable guide plates welded (I'll get a pic tomorrow) and made a puck to install cam bearings. I should be able to work all weekend so I'll be back with updates.