"HEY GRUMPYVETTE?
Long story short, I purchased a 454 short block from, a guy several years ago, and am sure there were no issues with it when he had it running in his car because I drove the car and helped pull the engine before I purchased it, the engine sat in my garage for a few months and when money got tight I sold the short block,The guy I sold it to is now asking for money to buy a new set of pistons, as he states they were installed wrong, I would think that IF a set of pistons were installed with the valve notches facing the wrong way, as he claims, especially with a small domed piston like in the engine,in question, there would instantly be huge clearance issues, and bent valves immediately. Certainly wouldn't run long enough to hurt the pistons,and I don,t know what he did or what parts were installed later etc."
sounds like HE or his local machine-shop SCREWED up THE REASSEMBLY at some point, or used the wrong cylinder heads for the pistons ,or assembled the engine with out checking clearances, etc. in many cases if you install the pistons with the dome or valve clearance notches in the wrong location the motor can,t be spun over, and even if its a flat top piston the valve to piston clearance is wrong, if he had the pistons installed 180 degrees out he or his builder are at fault for not checking valve to piston clearances, and piston orientation, and more than likely rod side clearance during the assembly process
Im always amazed at the few guys that screw up an engine and then assume its the previous builders fault even when they previously took it apart themselves , or when they changed components, and screwed things up.
example
I built a 383 sbc for a guy who was a friend of a friend, many years ago,I'M sure he assumed I built so many engines I could never keep track, or remember, he brought it back about 4 years later wanting me to fix it as it developed a bad bearing,.now he didn,t expect me to work for FREE but he expected me to eat much of the labor cost as it was "MY ENGINE THAT FAILED". it was almost laughable,once it became clear what I was dealing with, I pulled his build sheet, which he had no idea that I had, and started checked parts and clearances, ETC. only after I showed him the original build sheet , proving he had since swapped cams and had the block bored .030 over,had new pistons and rings, and he was using a different oil pump and oil pan,and valve springs and rockers, than it had when it left my shop, and that the bearings were a different brand did he admit the last re-builder (might be at fault) or that running the engine far up past the valve train rpm limitations (MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED to the current problem)
now I rarely build more than 4-6 engines in a years time and most for long term friends with them supplying most of the parts and some, or much of the labor and parts chasing duties. but over 40 plus years that adds up.
related info
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=181
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=399
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=247
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=5064
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=110
Long story short, I purchased a 454 short block from, a guy several years ago, and am sure there were no issues with it when he had it running in his car because I drove the car and helped pull the engine before I purchased it, the engine sat in my garage for a few months and when money got tight I sold the short block,The guy I sold it to is now asking for money to buy a new set of pistons, as he states they were installed wrong, I would think that IF a set of pistons were installed with the valve notches facing the wrong way, as he claims, especially with a small domed piston like in the engine,in question, there would instantly be huge clearance issues, and bent valves immediately. Certainly wouldn't run long enough to hurt the pistons,and I don,t know what he did or what parts were installed later etc."
sounds like HE or his local machine-shop SCREWED up THE REASSEMBLY at some point, or used the wrong cylinder heads for the pistons ,or assembled the engine with out checking clearances, etc. in many cases if you install the pistons with the dome or valve clearance notches in the wrong location the motor can,t be spun over, and even if its a flat top piston the valve to piston clearance is wrong, if he had the pistons installed 180 degrees out he or his builder are at fault for not checking valve to piston clearances, and piston orientation, and more than likely rod side clearance during the assembly process
Im always amazed at the few guys that screw up an engine and then assume its the previous builders fault even when they previously took it apart themselves , or when they changed components, and screwed things up.
example
I built a 383 sbc for a guy who was a friend of a friend, many years ago,I'M sure he assumed I built so many engines I could never keep track, or remember, he brought it back about 4 years later wanting me to fix it as it developed a bad bearing,.now he didn,t expect me to work for FREE but he expected me to eat much of the labor cost as it was "MY ENGINE THAT FAILED". it was almost laughable,once it became clear what I was dealing with, I pulled his build sheet, which he had no idea that I had, and started checked parts and clearances, ETC. only after I showed him the original build sheet , proving he had since swapped cams and had the block bored .030 over,had new pistons and rings, and he was using a different oil pump and oil pan,and valve springs and rockers, than it had when it left my shop, and that the bearings were a different brand did he admit the last re-builder (might be at fault) or that running the engine far up past the valve train rpm limitations (MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED to the current problem)
now I rarely build more than 4-6 engines in a years time and most for long term friends with them supplying most of the parts and some, or much of the labor and parts chasing duties. but over 40 plus years that adds up.
related info
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=181
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=399
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=247
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=5064
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=110