I think you put the hex on yourself with this thread title bud.
Growing up doesn't have to suck
- Thread starter iamdub
- Start date
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randeez
Full Access Member
not me, time to grow up dub
what you thinkin? B15? LSX? Dart?!?!
OP
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iamdub
Full Access Member
Aww! Thanks, Pawpaw. I'm not hurting so much. Just more aggravated at the timing than anything. But, I'm glad it happened now than while I was en route to Tampa!
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iamdub
Full Access Member
I considered changing the title. But acquiring the Tahoe was only to get out of an S10 to haul around kids. So...
I still might change the title cuz the kids are essentially grown and I mostly just haul myself and, ever so often, a friend.
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iamdub
Full Access Member
I'm house and time poor! I'm at punched-out stock block level, at best. Still gotta address the trans and rest of the driveline. You saw I'm still rocking original U-joints?! Unless someone had a new OEM driveshaft installed within the first 146K miles.
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iamdub
Full Access Member
Took it apart.
First look as soon as I removed the head:
The complete ring where just the carbon is knocked off shows that the valve was riding the piston for a little while. This must've been during that time when I was cruising, had just noticed it and was trying to determine if the odd vibes I was feeling were from the driveline or a loose wheel. It was the steady rhythmic pulse of a dead cylinder. Had I known, I would've shut it down that instant and all I would've needed was a new valve spring which would've been a 3 hour fix on the side of the road to get me back home with no damage at all. But, at some point, the valve and piston had a disagreement and while the piston was trying to buck the valve off it's head, it bítch slapped it sideways, leading to the hoof marks in the piston:
Pulled a valve from a junk 706 head for comparison:
The head looks fine. It looks like it did little more than just knocking the carbon off. I don't know how it survived, but the guide looks and feels fine, too:
I buffed the carbon off the piston and smoothed the hoof marks to eliminate sharp edges that would lead to hot spots. The light reflecting makes them look more severe than they really are:
I pulled the lifters from that cylinder and they look fine. Plan of action is to clean up and install that salvaged valve, replace all 16 springs, reassemble and send it.
First look as soon as I removed the head:
The complete ring where just the carbon is knocked off shows that the valve was riding the piston for a little while. This must've been during that time when I was cruising, had just noticed it and was trying to determine if the odd vibes I was feeling were from the driveline or a loose wheel. It was the steady rhythmic pulse of a dead cylinder. Had I known, I would've shut it down that instant and all I would've needed was a new valve spring which would've been a 3 hour fix on the side of the road to get me back home with no damage at all. But, at some point, the valve and piston had a disagreement and while the piston was trying to buck the valve off it's head, it bítch slapped it sideways, leading to the hoof marks in the piston:
Pulled a valve from a junk 706 head for comparison:
The head looks fine. It looks like it did little more than just knocking the carbon off. I don't know how it survived, but the guide looks and feels fine, too:
I buffed the carbon off the piston and smoothed the hoof marks to eliminate sharp edges that would lead to hot spots. The light reflecting makes them look more severe than they really are:
I pulled the lifters from that cylinder and they look fine. Plan of action is to clean up and install that salvaged valve, replace all 16 springs, reassemble and send it.
No matter how much I enlarge the pics, I cannot see any major problem with the piston face and dont even see a hint of the start of a crack. Good luck
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iamdub
Full Access Member
Agreed! I have a really bright 110V LED panel light and observed the piston with the light from multiple angles. I'm at ease with it. Ordering springs tonight.
I tried to get good pics, but I fought my phone's camera the whole time. It didn't wanna focus on anything unless I held it far from the subject. I'm sure there's a macro function. I've just never messed with the camera much beyond the default features.
