pulled timing cover and manifold off today chain really bad,what should i be looking for on cam bearings to know if they are still good? Does pulling out lifters damage lifter bores? What should i be lookig for when i disassemble oil pump? It had 50 to 60 psi when cold then drop to 5 to 10 at idle warm.Should i plastigage all bearings or just certain ones? sorry about all the questions just want to know if im wasting my time with this motor. Anybody near chicago that can look at my timing cover/rebuild it for me?Love to get new TAperf.cover but $395 out of budget right now thanks all im sure i have more questions tomorrow
If it were me, I wouldn't plastigage any bearings...I'd ask a machinist with experience on the Buick 455 for his opinion instead. But if you're gauging the specs yourself, I would recommend finding the numbers for every bearing, not just certain ones. 10 psi per 1,000 rpm is a 'rule of thumb' and many "factory new" 455s lived with your pressure for a long time, I'm sure. I think I saw 12 psi at 800 rpm the last time I had a gauge hooked up to mine (on rebuild). If the TA cover is out of the question, consider their pump cover, which gives a new bearing surface to the oil pump. that should help the pressure. What kind of gauge are you using? Electrical or mechanical? I am just an amateur builder and I do it because I don't have a lot of free cash, plus it's a fun thing to do. At 5 psi, the oil warning light should come on (I beleive it actually comes on at 7 psi), so that right there should be an indicator of some type of trouble. Maybe somebody who makes a living out of this can shed more light on it (I'm sure they can), but I'm curious as to just when the engine would make only 5 psi oil pressure. Is this at idle? At what rpm? What's the coolant temp when this pressure comes up? Is it really warmed up, or is it under temp, or overheating?
73455 chris The temp neverrose above 210 the whole time i drove it which was about 4 months I did rebuild pump with thrust plate when i did it. Was using cheap gauge though now i wonder how much of a difference it made in pressure. im gonna stay with the plan and check mains at least throw in cam and hope for the best thanks for your answers any input helps.:grin:
