crate engine question

LAMB · Post by **LAMB** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:53 am

just opened up a GM 602 crate engine and am curious if anyone knows where i can buy the fasteners to seal it back up before i go to have them made, also its problems were .0015 out of round and .0023 taper in 3 different cylinders the rest were closer than that but still wrong the valve job was something done by a highschool kid i think and the surface of these heads looked as if they were filed. the TDC mark on the balancer was 13 degrees off. so by the time we just blueprint this engine it should make a very noticable difference i just hope all the other new crate engines are this bad if anyone has info on fasteners i would appreciate it thanx

SupStk · Post by **SupStk** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:39 pm

Why do the fasteners have to be replaced? Are they torque to yeild?

Concerning the bore dimensions, did you check it with a torque plate installed? Seems like bunch to me anyway.

I'm not surprised about the quality of your engine. i worked as tech in Chevrolet dealership, during that time the target motors had a failure rate of 1 in 10 just trying to get them out the door. I would have thought by now things might have gotten better.

LAMB · Post by **LAMB** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:24 pm

yes i checked with plate and waited 3 hours for it to relax its very poor quality but i guess thats what you get when the only concern is production as far as the fasteners they are twist off bolts thats their way of sealing these

Mark Workman · Post by **Mark Workman** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:36 pm

A couple of weeks ago, Brezinski had a mention of break away bolts on this link, but when I checked before replying to this thread, it was no longer there. But I think if anybody had a line on bootleg bolts, it would be them. Might be worth a call. Good luck.

http://www.castheads.com/crate_heads.php

racin_takes_nuts · Post by **racin_takes_nuts** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 2:59 pm

By the time you blueprint this eng. it will not pass inspection for the crate model class . To start with do you think you can just go out and have replacement bolts made ? These bolts are lazer etched and bar coded . I guess you can do that also . These engs. are backed by a GM warranty . That is unless they have been tampered with as you have already done . , Nowhere have I read that these engs. were perfect . and I will bet that when you get through with it it still will not be perfect . How many laps were on this eng when you decided to open it up ? If you were not planning on modifying the eng. Dont worry about the valve job its under warranty . I think anything you do to the heads to remove metal would be considered decking. and that also is illegal , Regardless of how you think the finish should be . Im sure you can change the timing with the dist. if you want . You seem to know alot about the engs. surley you already have the replacement bolts before you dissambeled the eng.

machine shop tom · Post by **machine shop tom** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:27 pm

racin_takes_nuts wrote:By the time you blueprint this eng. it will not pass inspection for the crate model class . To start with do you think you can just go out and have replacement bolts made ? These bolts are lazer etched and bar coded . I guess you can do that also . These engs. are backed by a GM warranty . That is unless they have been tampered with as you have already done . , Nowhere have I read that these engs. were perfect . and I will bet that when you get through with it it still will not be perfect . How many laps were on this eng when you decided to open it up ? If you were not planning on modifying the eng. Dont worry about the valve job its under warranty . I think anything you do to the heads to remove metal would be considered decking. and that also is illegal , Regardless of how you think the finish should be . Im sure you can change the timing with the dist. if you want . You seem to know alot about the engs. surley you already have the replacement bolts before you dissambeled the eng.

Boy, that seems kinda harsh.

Why would somebody have to accept a crappy valve job just 'cause it's under warranty? You pay good money to get at least an acceptable valve job.

.0023" taper is poor in anybody's book. If somebody wanted a hack job, he certainly wouldn't pay for a crate motor.

I don't see where inspecting an engine should be construed as "tampering". Imagine the junk that would pass for a crate engine (as this on apparently is) if some builders knew that nobody was checking their product.

I inspected a set of Doug Herbert prepared BBC heads a few years back. The valve job was TERRIBLE. The buyer advised Herbert of the problem and was told to run them as is. So the customer did and the head of one vale popped off. (Concentricity was WAY off). I don't have to tell you that the bottom end wasn't covered under the head warranty.

I am guessing that this engine was inspected BEFORE it was installed by LAMB.

tom

LAMB · Post by **LAMB** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:59 pm

does seem kinda harsh but oh well this customer brought engine to me in the crate from GM because he had heard some crate stories and also wanted an edge on his competitors so we are righting the wrongs and putting it back together and i have located several sources on bolts just lookin for the closest match the tech guys in this customers area really dont pay much attention to much but i would still like the customer to not worry