Ok, add this to the "I can't believe I did this" file.

To start off, my car hasn't been running well for the past few hundred miles that I've put on it (weekend driver).

I was driving down the road yesterday, when I started hearing a noise that resembled a rod knocking. I was scared. I heard it as I first turned a corner. It got worse when I got to the next intersection. Oil pressure was awesome, and I "knew" that a rod couldn't be coming THAT loose, THAT quickly. I have too much experience in auto repair to have something like that (or what DID happen) happen to me (so I thought!)

Another half mile or so, it quit making noise, and now I just have a dead misfire. Whew.... Bottom end is still likely together! But, what have I done to my $580 (each) fastburn heads???? The pictures tell it all (more commentary to follow pics):







Now I know where I made my mistake. I didn't check the factory assembled rocker studs. I am thoroughly disgusted at myself for this! The nuts and locks for the roller rockers are fine, (at least on that side) just something I overlooked! Let this be a lesson for everyone to learn from!

Now, I'm just hoping the pushrods are lying in the lifter valley......

 

You'll have to forgive me but my moniter is garbage and can't get a very bright picture. Is that two pulled studs that I'm looking at? Thats what it looks like for what I can tell sorry. Well if it makes you feel any better..the last stud that I had pull on me had the help of the piston and the valve

 

Not quite that bad, it was just that they backed out. I should've checked to make sure they were tight. While not quite as much damage, it was still pretty devastating to hear MY engine making noises....

 

I remember when I had a rocker come loose (didn't pull a stud) in my boat while cruising at about 4000rpm. The damn thing sounded like a 350cid Briggs and Straton lawn engine, lol. Oddly enough, that is the same motor that I took out of my boat and put in my car.

Tom

 

Whew! It runs again!

I finally had enough time go over everything. I pulled all the rocker studs out, cleaned them up, the re-installed them with loctite. I inspected eveything, after I fished the pushrods out of the lifter valley with a magnet. Here's the only part I'm questioning:



Fortunately, that was the only damage! I threw one in it, adjusted all the rockers, then it fired right up!

I let the thing run for a couple minutes with the valve covers off, and I was really surprised at how far the rockers actually move. Reminded me how big the HOT cam is!

Tomorrow, I get to modify the heat shield on the left exhaust manifold so I can get the valve cover back on it, then I get to drive it again!

 

Umm, maybe not. This is going to sound really stupid on my part, but #4 cylinder isn't running quite right. See, right after the rocker stud incident, I found the intake gasket had slipped down. I replaced it with the OE style gasket this time, and it was back to about 90%. Then cold weather set in, and I've only driven the car a couple times around the block type runs. I drove it to work today, and started pulling plugs. Well, that turned out to be a PITA (I'm sure you all know that already!) so I stopped after pulling 2 of them, and I opted for shorting cylinders and monitoring the RPM's. Well, #4 barely dropped when shorted, if at all. Pulled plug, check compression, sure enough, it was way low. Put that cyl on TDC, put air into it (next step would've been leak-down tester) when I hear air coming out the carb! Yup! I bent a damn valve. Called up the chevy dealer, ordered both that the rocker studs had come loose on (both valves for #4 cyl). Got the head gasket on it's way, along with a fresh intake set.

The cool thing that happened out of all this, when I went to the parts store (different location than we deal with at the shop) the guy that runs it sold me an LT1 that needs a head and a piston for real cheap! Has the intake with rails and injectors, water pump, maybe a distributor (if it's still around there). I may be changing my S-10 plans now!