1996 Camaro Z28 LT1 Project

[alone_and_insane]

Original bottom end? Any score marks in the cylinder walls?

Considering total runtime was a total of 4 minutes, i think its very possible there was a foreign object in there from the start

Forged pistons in the rebuild according to Jim. Not 100% sure otherwise. I didn't see score marks on the cylinder wall, but to be honest, I was looking more at the piston and head. And the more I ask around and the more I think about it, you're probably right, something got in there. Must have been when I swapped intake manifolds. Meaning I messed this up But if it was something like a washer, I don't know where it would've come from. I shouldn't have been messing with any washers or anything when swapping them. Who knows.

Is this the short block out of Ryans old 355? GM steel crank, scat I beams, 4 valve relief speed pro's?

@birdie2000?

[birdie2000]

It's not Ryan's old shortblock. It has the same model Speedpro pistons, but is otherwise just a factory rebuild.

A couple thoughts we had about that debris are that if it was a piece of ring we would think there would be some pretty decent damage to the cylinder wall and/or the edge of the piston from when it escaped. Also, the curvature looks too tight to be part of a piston ring, but of course it's hard to tell from pics.

[JoeliusZ28]

Yep, agreed Jim. Hard to see in the pics but i dont see any damage in those areas.

[alone_and_insane]

Next time I go down there I'll bring my digital camera so I can get some better pictures.

[meissen]

Is the damage only in that one cylinder? It's really hard to tell from the pics, but it at least looks promising that the cylinder wall isn't damaged too badly. If the cylinder is clean, a new piston and maybe a new head? I can't tell from the pic and not being the most mechanically knowledgable, would it be possible to just polish the damage away on the head and still use it?

[birdie2000]

I was thinking the same thing Brian. The heads are ported, so ideally it would be good to try and save the head otherwise you'd have to replace both. They have been lightly milled before though so I don't know if that would affect whether it could be saved, I know you can only take so much off. Otherwise I'd think that it could be saved by someone who knows what they're doing.

[c0ncEpT]

Unless there's a crack going into the water jacket that head can be repaired.

[alone_and_insane]

Like Jim said, replacing the head isn't exactly ideal, because I'd have to replace both of them. Any machine shops around Farmington/Novi/Livonia I could take it to? Otherwise I was thinking perhaps Livernois, since I know the guys there.

I assume the piston still needs to be replaced though, correct?

[dawdaw]

Lsm in waterford.

[birdie2000]

Never used either, but have heard good things about both Thomson Automotive in Wixom and Holbrook in Livonia.

[alone_and_insane]

I assume the piston still needs to be replaced though, correct?

Any input? I feel like it probably should be, but I guess I'm having a hard time thinking of why it needs to be. i.e. is it worth removing the engine again?

[c0ncEpT]

That piston 100% needs to be replaced. Not only is the integrity now destroyed all of those indentations will cause hot spots.

You can put 1 piston in the engine without taking it out of the car also. Just support the engine with a hoist and remove the kmember/oil pan.

[birdie2000]

FWIW, here's the replacement piston: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sl...6f20/overview/

cOncEpT, does the cylinder need to be honed for the new rings to seal properly?

[mcalus]

Shitty situation either way. If I was in your shoes I'd be pulling the motor and having the motor looked over. Better to be safe than sorry. It would suck to have another issue after it gets put together the second time. Get a bunch of people together and knock that thing out.

[c0ncEpT]

FWIW, here's the replacement piston: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sl...6f20/overview/

cOncEpT, does the cylinder need to be honed for the new rings to seal properly?

A ball hone would be sufficient.