how many people here have rebuild a 455 from the block up. not a complete engine. i am wanting to buy a 71 455. it has the crank, pistons and the rods. i would like to know how ur rebuilds went. if it was any easier not haveing to rebuild an old complete engine.
I have not. I built the whole thing. In school, we never built a 'half' engine, because they don't like that in aviation- overhaul means check everything. I personally wouldn't recommend any half measures on your engine- it would not make sense to me to 'only' build the top end. My rationale would be: if it needs a top end, why not check the bottom end, too? You're halfway there. I do understand that this is done all the time, and has been done for years on many engines. I also know that the original 350 from my car that I gave to a buddy for his Skylark came aprt on the bottom end, after he only rebuilt the top end. Technically, of course, it is simpler: you're not turning the crank, putting in rings, re-sizing rods, etc. What that also means is those parts are now a big question mark. I'd never do it, personally. I enjoy mechanical stuff and I enjoyed the process of building my engine. The end result was an engine I am 100% confident in. Everyone is not me, however, and I can see how time and money considerations would be big factors to only building the top end. I'd have to say, though, that it was time and money well spent to rebuild the whole thing after it was brought back to spec- not to mention easier to assemble. My 455 ran quite smoothly and happily with two cracked pistons, many broken rings, and two scored cylinder walls. You can probably get away with not building the whole thing if the engine runs well to begin with and is merely old. I wouldn't say I'd do it, but I will say that it's been done many times without huge problems by many folks on many different engines. Buick 455s have relatively tight tolerances and have oiling issues that make a thorough inspection and rebuild a good idea in general, though. I'm sure one of the Jims could add a lot to this discussion that I couldn't even hope to discuss.
i would suggest checking the bearings anyways and upgrading the oiling system . did a set of heads on a friends 77 regal(overheated and cracked head) and now its knocking so he needs a engine . so check it so you dont have to waste your time and a second gasket set to find out your gonna yank it back out. ou:
I think if it ran good, didn't have any blowbye, and wasn't using oil you could probably rebuild the top to stock specs. and get away with it. In other words you better know the history of the engine well or you will likely regret doing just the top. If on the other hand you want to pump it up with a bigger cam and other go fast goodies you definetly better do the whole thing. Mike D.
1/2 I rebuilt my first engine that way when I was 16....top half style...was a ford 289 in a 1967 cougar....my dad told me that was a 1/2 as# job....he was right...300 miles later the crank bearings went.....didnt do nothing to it...engine laying on a tire for over 1 year in the garage...a so-called buddy wanted it...gave it 2 him for free....2 years later he rebuilt it and jammed it into a 68 mustang ..bragging he had a 289 h/p...I didnt know what a 289 h/p was...:af:
well yes. i would be replacing the crank anyways. it has already been bored .30 an i will probly go to .038. how about any body going from a babre block? how many poeple do that and how does that work?thnks. woah typos
