yeah I have new plugs in.
ground strap not smashed in.
it's hard to tell looking at the valves if 1 is lower or not.
What you're saying might make some sense seeing as way back a while I was curious about the smoke coming up through the oil holes on the head?.
I do notice some smoke when it's running with the covers off.
HMMM
I'm wondering if I should pull that head or not.
I just don't want to buy the gaskets 2wice ya know.
Thanks for the info again stekman.

 

IF you've tested compression after ensuring the lash was NOT too tight, it's time to pull the head.

 

I guess that settles it then...lol
Now I have to find an intake gasket to fit the edelbrock intake.
Should I see some sort of number on it?.

 

it's been a week or so since I knew I had to take the heads off.
So I moved the car to my in-laws and set up for stripping it this weekend.
I got to it today.
I was pleased to find that the heads were in good order.
Puzzled by the lack of evidence...I look into the cylinders at the pistons and....

All I find is that piston #2 and piston #7 look like this.....
The cylinder walls look to be fine and pretty scratch free...smooth.
I'm wondering if I could switch out a couple of stock piston heads and try that seeing as I will need to get a whole kit if unsuccessful.
No point in having both sets of gaskets.
I think it could be worth a try.
Assuming the rings are ok.
There's no sign of the missing pieces either.
This could be where my internal smoke was coming from when I saw it coming up through the oil holes in the heads...lol.

I think most of you will have bad news for me though.
I am depressed about it but will keep a positive outlook.
I really don't want to be looking at a $600-700 restore job as I think the bottom end is fine.

 

There's your problem! It looks like there was a serious case of detonation that happened in the past.

I had to do the same fix on a '92 L98 TPI engine on the cheap. Picked up a set of OEM used pistons, measured and weighed them until I found one close to the broken piston. Had a shop put the new piston on the old connecting rod. Ran a ball hone down the cylinder to deglaze it, put new rings on the piston and installed it. Engine runs great and has another 7,000 miles on it.

The '92 engines use expensive metric thickness pistons rings and one peice oil pan gasket but I fixed it for around $200 in parts. Since the '84 305 uses more run of the mill parts I think it would be possible get it everything for under $100.

Too bad, I junked a bad '86 LB9 TPI 305 engine about a year ago. It had the same flat top pistons as yours.

 

thanks
That's at least encouraging.
I'm hoping I get a reply to my post begging for 2 pistons...lol.
So that's enough to hinder compression in 2 cylinders...so why did I only get a miss on #7?

 

If two pistons were broken, it's a pretty good bet the other 6 were hurt.

 

I looked real good and the other 6 are in good stead.
No cracks or nothing.
Someone fooled too much with the motor who did not know what they were doing.
I think they over did the valve lash on these 2.
I have nothing to lose by trying 2 other pistons.
If that fails I will have to get the full kit.
or another motor one or the other.
I'm game to try.
How much more disappointing can it get.

 

Because:

That motor's done. It sucks but do you really want to put the time and effort into a bandaid you're going to worry about every time you fire it up?

 

valid points.
I'd still worry about a similar used motor.
To be worry free I'd have to install a new motor. That's just not going to happen.
Mentally and financially.
Financially I'm leaning on the bandaid as it stands and take my chances.
I won't worry much coz it's not my only ride. Merely a toy/project.
I could over a month or so actually get the block done and complete rebuild.
I need a long money talk with the wife/bank manager.
I was hoping to be done with this by now...but oh well.

All help has been truly appreciated from all.
I'm off to chew the fat for a bit.....

 

OK
here's the latest.
I picked up a set of pistons from another member.
I've already stripped the heads off and de-valved ready to go to the block shop for surfacing/decking or whatever it's called here in USA.
I'm having a problem with removing the motor though....
Seems like I cannot get at the bolts that hold the tranny to the motor...
Do they both have to come out together?
I'm guessing they do so I disconnected the shift cable and the speedometer cable.
What else do I need to do to get this sucker out.
My plan is getting a crank with all the bearings from o'rielly's.
That's $100.
The pistons have good rings on them and are standard size like what I need.
I'm not going to bore the block. Just hone it.

Here's my bottom line now....
I'm already $1,166.39 in this project (this includes what I paid for the car too) and I'm down to $200.
Crank and bearings $99 plus tax...$110.....and head work will be $60.
So a few tins of beer will kill my budget.
I do have the ability to produce more money but not in vast sums for this little project.
SO...
the plan is to run with what I've got now and fingers and legs crossed it pans out.
I'm pretty much doing it all except the block and the cam. They are the money bleeders which I simply cannot afford at this time.
Someone please just wish me luck.

Once again....endlessly grateful for all the help and knowledge I have gotten from you awesome guys here.

Thanks

 

All of the bolts connecting engine to tranny can be accessed with a standard 9/16" or socket wrench. Four can be got to from above with a standard open end 9/16". They're easily accessible, you just may only be able to turn the a smidgen at a time. They should be especially easy to get when the heads are off. The others may be easier to get with a socket wrench and a small extension from below.

This is the super easy part.

 

There's only 1 inch to get a 2-3 inch bolt out of.
Not possible unless I remove part of the floor pan. Not gonna happen.
Even the book says that both motor and trans have to be removed together.
From underneath there are 2 that look impossible to get out unless I was to pull the motor forward as I was undoing them.
4 I can see and remove easily from above like you say.
But those 2...dang...I will try.
prolly not looking at getting anything done now until weekend again.
Work takes precedence which sucks...lol.
Got to pay the monthly bills before toys.
Why does life have to be such a PITA.
I need time for my car dang it...

 

So I put my heads in for surfacing the other day
I go to pick them up and one is cracked.
I'm so bummed out right now from all the kicks in the pants I've had from my motor.
One surprise after another so far.
I'm not giving up on this yet.
All I need is another head and I'm set.
Going to the junkyard this morning start ripping into chevys..LOL
I might take that up as a pastime.
I am armed with a list of part #s that I can use.
I have a Q though.
The good head is casting # 14022801 and the cracked 1 is #14022601.
Now there are 2 sites I am looking at with conflicting info.
1 is stating that the heads are 58cc which I think I know to be correct for the 801 but I'm reading that the 601 is a 53cc head.
Is the info wrong or right and could there be a problem with running the smaller head.
This bad head was on the side that I have no problems with and had actually much better compression than the 1,3,5,7 side.

Anybody

thanks

 

Sure thats a 601? The 6 and 8 look real close to the same.

Get the motor out? I've pulled several of these and never had a clearance issue with those bolts. Now you've got me worried about the next one I pull.

If your motor's not been gone through, I'd hold up on purchasing a head.

 

yes it's definitely a 601. It's stamped plain as day on top.
I got me an identical head today at pull a part. 14022801 casting number same as my uncracked head.
That will be dropped at the block shop monday.
Haven't had time to get the motor out yet. busy as hell.
Prolly not looking to do it tomorrow seeing as it's my birthday.... but what better way to spend it than bustin' knuckles and so on...LOL
I might have a couple hours I can devote to her tomorrow.
I did get a few parts for my '00 bird while there so it was actually a pretty rewarding visit to that boneyard. It's a new one that opened in town. They have not really got many f-bodies. I got my head from an '82 camaro.

On another note..I think I could alleviate the bolt issue by dropping the transmission cross brace and allowing the bell housing to drop to where I am able to remove dem bolts.

thanks for continued support here guys.