72 TA : New Project

[njsteve]

So I'm starting the cleanup getting ready for reassembly of my 455 HO and I see this hole in the main web. It's the original engine with 115,000 miles on it so I guess it really didn't hurt anything. After looking at it all day and sticking assorted picks in it to see how deep it was (over 3/4 inch deep) I used a bright light and saw threads inside. So I pulled the #3 4-bolt main cap and see light through the hole. I guess an overzealous machinist cut the hole too deep originally. Has anyone ever run into anything like this before????

[njsteve]

Here's the bolt view from the bottom:

[Belair62]

Engine built on a Monday morning ??

[njsteve]

It was cast on J181, Sept 18, 1971. Anyone have a calendar cross reference???

[Mr70]

J 18 1-is October 18th 1971.
That was indeed a MONDAY.

[John Brown]

Lighter weight. She's a factory race part!!

[njsteve]

[ QUOTE ]
J 18 1-is October 18th 1971.
That was indeed a MONDAY.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually I think "J" is September as "I" is not used in the casting date sequences because it looks too much like a "1", so it goes, A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-J-K-L-M. How's the calender look now?

[Mr70]

If it's the letter "I",then it's a Saturday in 1971.
I know Tonawanda used the letter "I" in their engine casting dates.
Delco Remy did not use the letter "I" in their dating of electrical components,among others.
At least that is what I have found from back then.

[njsteve]

The casting date is definitely J181. I thought that GM and most other manufacturers did not use the letter "I" in their castings because it would be confused with the number "1". So if you take "I" out of the alphabet then the following is the result A=Jan, B=Feb, C=March, D=April, E=May, F=June, G=July, H=August, J=September, K=October, L=November and M=December

[njsteve]

So here I am with the 455 HO short block assembled and about to bolt on the heads. I pick them up to bolt on the engine and sand falls out. YES, SAND! The heads were brought to what I thought was a reputable engine shop in Union, NJ to be disassembled and inspected, cleaned and reassembled. Well it turns out the IDIOT I brought them to dissassembled them, found out the recent valve job on them was fine, installed a new set of seals, reassembled them and then PUT THEM IN THE SANDBLAST CABINET AND BLASTED THE PAINT OFF. He then took them out and shook them off and gave them back to me when I picked them up a week later (about a month ago).

As a result, I just spent the entire weekend disassembling these heads and pressure washing them til my hands pruned up, in order to get every last piece of carbide grit out of the heads, springs, guides, etc. I called the IDIOT this morning and asked him what why on Earth would he do that and he responded that he didn't want to give me the heads back with all the old paint on them. I'm flaberghasted on the phone that this guy has no clue what he has done is beyond insane. I tried to explain that just one grain of sand could wipe out an engine and he responds that he thought he got all the sand out because he ran the heads through the vibrator after he blasted them. I asked how he expected to get the sand out of the areas that still were oily and he said he didn't think that would have been a problem. I mentioned the whole episode to my mechanic buddy who recommended this guy and he was speechless. All we can think is that the guy maybe has had a stroke or is in the early stages of Alzheimers (I'm serious here). The speedshop guy has been in business for 40 years.