I hate when stuff like that happens, I did the same on a dirt track engine I was building a few months ago, only caught it last minute, thankfully they were floating pins.
Blowthrough build repeat.
- Thread starter WarWagon
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WarWagon
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Finished the dirty bottom end up today, lowered the car to start prepping/cleaning the top end to get installed.
WarWagon
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Heads/gaskets went on yesterday and that went well, The longest process for head gasket install but worth it. My Cometic aramid oil pan gasket didn't last past one engine build this time. The first one I was able to reuse four times now I have the dumb blue felpro rubber gasket on. After a torque check of the heads studs tonight I'll finish this top end up so I can stay on my schedule with getting this running this week.
I don't think it matters but I am going to use a steel intake gasket this time, part number says it's for an aluminum intake manifold. I have been using the felpro steel/fiber since the beginning and reused several of them.
I don't think it matters but I am going to use a steel intake gasket this time, part number says it's for an aluminum intake manifold. I have been using the felpro steel/fiber since the beginning and reused several of them.
WarWagon
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It's Sunday now but I did finish this and get running by the end of week as per my goal. Engine is great, I sure hope my fresh trans is OK, something sticking. Test drive it next.
WarWagon
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Engine is great now, I had to lean out a spot in the fuel table that was very rich from last years fuel line/routing upgrade. Wouldn't think a change in plumbing would cause the tune to need touched up, still learning everyday.
Unfortunately I have to pull the brand new fresh trans out and take back to Extreme automatics, no 2nd gear lost it on my first hit this year with the broken pistons on the street but it was hard to verify with the engine hurt.
Unfortunately I have to pull the brand new fresh trans out and take back to Extreme automatics, no 2nd gear lost it on my first hit this year with the broken pistons on the street but it was hard to verify with the engine hurt.
WarWagon
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Made a trip and took the trans back to shop today I'll back testing soon.
WarWagon
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What a great day Jul 20th, took off work and made the trip and picked my transmission up installed it and went on test drive. Glad to have the Buick back
WarWagon
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This is the longest time span that this machine has sat unbroken and undriven. I got a Dragy and some $$ to go tracks and the streets are always open. Every other day the roads are wet or storms non stop. I'll need to swap this in an AWD or 4wd chassis to use it soon.
There's a small 1/8mi track named Freebird in OH I'm going to start going to
There's a small 1/8mi track named Freebird in OH I'm going to start going to
WarWagon
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May not be nessasary yet I will probably have to upgrade the EFI system on this again at some point before I build the 4.1 for this machine. The wide band O2 controller is burnt up in the ECU I confirmed today with swapping in a different O2 sensor, stuck at 14.7 AFR.
I will continue with what I have for now just no more closed loop and O2 based fuel correction, luckily I have the tune very good from two years ago and no more adaptive learning is needed. I'm back on a single Alky nozzle this year and only needed to pull fuel out in some areas for cruise and now I see some more needed out in higher RPM with Alky spraying the AFR is 10.0 flat out in boost, just too much gasoline yet.
I believe that partly the regulator relocation and fuel line size change along with the EFI system wide band O2 being stuck at 14.7 caused the new rich areas of the fuel map this year. I did notice when the engine got hurt last year the EFI wide band was already acting up but wasn't stuck like it is now.
So most likely the replacement will be Holley super sniper 650 power adder system, it's a copy of what I already use down to the 2.5 bar MAP and has better software.
In the meantime this one will be testing my tuning skills fully with no O2 corrections.
I will continue with what I have for now just no more closed loop and O2 based fuel correction, luckily I have the tune very good from two years ago and no more adaptive learning is needed. I'm back on a single Alky nozzle this year and only needed to pull fuel out in some areas for cruise and now I see some more needed out in higher RPM with Alky spraying the AFR is 10.0 flat out in boost, just too much gasoline yet.
I believe that partly the regulator relocation and fuel line size change along with the EFI system wide band O2 being stuck at 14.7 caused the new rich areas of the fuel map this year. I did notice when the engine got hurt last year the EFI wide band was already acting up but wasn't stuck like it is now.
So most likely the replacement will be Holley super sniper 650 power adder system, it's a copy of what I already use down to the 2.5 bar MAP and has better software.
In the meantime this one will be testing my tuning skills fully with no O2 corrections.
WarWagon
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I have an AEM wideband in the DP that still monitors the AFR but it does not get data logged.
WarWagon
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I'll keep story short: I have a Dragy gps for data to share now testing all seems good, several street hits and I'm happy.
Last Saturday Sept 10 Drove this machine with the exhuast dump capped to an event 1 hour away for 1/8mi racing. I thought everything was good so made 5 passes 2 were ok, knew something wasn't quite right, lazy engine boost kinda low but its the first event for this in 2022 so it got beat on anyways. Drove machine back home through rainstorm with the dump open and arrived safe but it sure was loud and I thought the engine was knocking.
Nope few days later I find the passenger header blown out and the alky pump is bad.
I think this failed to do vibration so I added a rod for support. This was my first stainless tig weld and it held up good but the OE pipe let go. It's filled with 308L mig wire now on a semi back purged weld.
Last Saturday Sept 10 Drove this machine with the exhuast dump capped to an event 1 hour away for 1/8mi racing. I thought everything was good so made 5 passes 2 were ok, knew something wasn't quite right, lazy engine boost kinda low but its the first event for this in 2022 so it got beat on anyways. Drove machine back home through rainstorm with the dump open and arrived safe but it sure was loud and I thought the engine was knocking.
Nope few days later I find the passenger header blown out and the alky pump is bad.
I think this failed to do vibration so I added a rod for support. This was my first stainless tig weld and it held up good but the OE pipe let go. It's filled with 308L mig wire now on a semi back purged weld.
WarWagon
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New item by Adam Knoll
photos.app.goo.gl
New item by Adam Knoll
photos.app.goo.gl
The only really good pass with the problems:
New item
photos.app.goo.gl
WarWagon
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Took the Buick out for the Flashlight drags finale Oct 9th.
Had a fresh alky pump and header leak repaired on this last event, also upgraded the radiator to a proper size with two electric fans. I'm not hot lapping and should have made more hits but I wanted data so only 4 hits made.
After the first hit I knew something wasn't right, falling in its face once full boost was on. I forgot to check and verify the base ignition timing* dummy me it's easy,
I'm using a distributor and base timing has drifted off in the past. I finished the event off like that pretty consistently too @ 7.6
Checked the base ignition timing once I drove home and SOB it slipped to 16.5*
Suppose to be 22*
When boost was and ignition retard were at peak the total ignition timing was 9.5*
That will stop it from pulling.
This is the first pass and the quickest of the day:
Had a fresh alky pump and header leak repaired on this last event, also upgraded the radiator to a proper size with two electric fans. I'm not hot lapping and should have made more hits but I wanted data so only 4 hits made.
After the first hit I knew something wasn't right, falling in its face once full boost was on. I forgot to check and verify the base ignition timing* dummy me it's easy,
I'm using a distributor and base timing has drifted off in the past. I finished the event off like that pretty consistently too @ 7.6
Checked the base ignition timing once I drove home and SOB it slipped to 16.5*
Suppose to be 22*
When boost was and ignition retard were at peak the total ignition timing was 9.5*
That will stop it from pulling.
This is the first pass and the quickest of the day:
WarWagon
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The last pass was the slowest ET 7.99 and 60ft 2.04 but it's on video spanking a C7 Corvette.
WarWagon
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I made a lot of life changes last/this year that kept me from the Buick but back on this project.
Last year I just street drove this car a lot and made one hit at the Flashlight Drags in July that hurt the engine. The one time I brought a timing light with me to this event and I didn't put it on the car. Afterwards I when I could get the car to start again and verify the timing yeah base timing was 30* somehow. Perhaps I had it on the wrong spark plug wire one time and didn't catch it.
I drove this off the trailer and 12 miles to my home garage where it sat.
Finally pull the engine out: blew an RJC bulletproof gasket right out on #1 and almost blew #6, I see the wrist pin has walked out and is riding the #6 cylinder wall.
That's the only damage to date until I get the bottom end apart. This block needs a sleeve It's already. 030 over and was/is my best 109 block.
I saw the heat marks and dents on the intake manifold gasket:
photos.app.goo.gl
This is the odd bank and the blown RJC gasket on #1
photos.app.goo.gl
Even bank:
photos.app.goo.gl
Last year I just street drove this car a lot and made one hit at the Flashlight Drags in July that hurt the engine. The one time I brought a timing light with me to this event and I didn't put it on the car. Afterwards I when I could get the car to start again and verify the timing yeah base timing was 30* somehow. Perhaps I had it on the wrong spark plug wire one time and didn't catch it.
I drove this off the trailer and 12 miles to my home garage where it sat.
Finally pull the engine out: blew an RJC bulletproof gasket right out on #1 and almost blew #6, I see the wrist pin has walked out and is riding the #6 cylinder wall.
That's the only damage to date until I get the bottom end apart. This block needs a sleeve It's already. 030 over and was/is my best 109 block.
I saw the heat marks and dents on the intake manifold gasket:
New item by Adam Knoll
photos.app.goo.gl
This is the odd bank and the blown RJC gasket on #1
New item by Adam Knoll
photos.app.goo.gl
Even bank:
New item by Adam Knoll
photos.app.goo.gl
WarWagon
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I'm not ready to finish the 4.1 build yet but I'm going to build up a stock bottom end 140 cast 3.8 block with moly steel piston rings for the time being
WE2Regal
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Glad to see you back. Wondered where you disappeared to. She sure took a beating alright. What a shame it tore up the block. I feel your pain. My '78 racecar melted 2 JE pistons testing a new carb but somehow didn't blow the Cometics! I'm gonna do the same thing and put together a stock bottom end engine until a new engine is ready.
WarWagon
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The 4.1 v6 I have plans to build are on hold for the moment. After being out of my house over 100 days my X had stolen and sold 90% my belongings. The Molnar rods are gone 
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