Well I feel kinda crappy right now. A simple water pump swap has just gone bad. I broke off 4 bolts in the timing cover on my wifes baby. It has 120,000 miles on it and I just know I need to replace the timing set if I get in there and ya know It is smoking a little bit at full throttle (oil) and It could use a ring job. I really hate to risk drilling out the broke bolts with it in place so I was thinking just pull the motor, overhaul it and do the timing cover the right way on the drill press. Anyone rebuilt a 73 buick 455 lately that could give me a heads up on places to get a overhaul kit. I have an account and get great prices with Advance and federated. I think they can get everything but just thought I would ask incase there are better deals out there. I already redid the heads a couple years ago and there was absolutely no lip on the top of the cylinders so maybe I will get lucky and can just do a simple ring and bearing job. The machinist owes me a few favores just in case though. I sure hope it doesn't cost a fortune. This a electra show quality car that is her daily driver and I am rebuilding engines for both of my trucks right now. Luckily I had a spare 305 for the chevy and it is drivable while I do the 350. We are just about tapped out for money though and the buick isn't gonna be able to be finnished for a month at least. She is gonna really be getting mad after having to drive the chevy 3/4 ton for a month. Well if anyone has any 455 rebuild advice please speak up. I have fixed about everything on one at different times and rebuilt hundreds of engines but never rebuilt a 455.
Firstly, I always recommend TA Performance. Getting a discount is nice, but I would rather pay and extra 200 bucks and know I have the right parts, myself. I would also strongly recommend using the least possible number of suppliers- another reason I use TA, they have everything. Drilling out those bolts is tough but not impossible with the engine in place. Make a drill block or get one made. It's just a length of mild steel with holes machined in it to accept drill guide bushings of various sizes. Press the guide bushings in, and use 4 or 5 drill sizes from a pilot hole to a size just shy of the bolt/thread size. Get a good heavy duty magnet that will hold over 50 lbs. Remove the sheetmatal from the front of the car, bumper, grille, core support, radiator, everything, you want to be able to get right in there. Removing the core support may entail removal of the fenders, I don't know much about the car the engine's in. In my Skylark, you must remove the fenders or risk some damage removing the support. Use a dremel to oh so carefully grind the broken bolts flush with the block if they aren't already. Fit the timing cover back on, and use a transfer punch to center punch the broken (and now flat and flush) broken bolts. Take the cover back off, put the drill block in place and hold it with the magnet. Use a varible speed electric drill to slowly drill out the bolt in small increments, going from smallest size to biggest. Use a cutting/cooling fluid, and stop often and cool the bolts and drill bits down. Don't go fast. You want to avoid breaking a drill bit! I had this same issue about 8 years ago and performed the steps above. At the end of six hours I was rewarded by a drill bit that had a spiral of bolt threads on it. No damage to the threads in the block. But I was very very patient. 6 hours of work vs. removing the engine and having a pro do it...it was worth it, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I just hope I never have to again.
m14dan; I dismantled 7 455s last winter. Ruined one perfect timing cover several exhaust bolts were stripped and snapped several water pump bolts (the small ones), all the small timing cover bolts snapped off just under the bolt head. When taking the water pump off I just heated the cover up with a propane torch (got a big torch last christmas) and they all came out. Use a vice-grip (made in Nebraska) to grip the stub, they'll come out. If this is your case, you have a small problem. Working on 30+ yr old engines has its agrivations. Some of the bolts will not come out without savaging them. ----and i'm the kind of guy that always watched others strip or snap bolts . PS: If this works, I wouldn't waste this opportunity to to be "THE MAN" while working on and fixing the wifes "baby"---just some more good advice.
Can anyone provide me with a picture or a sketch of which oil passage to block when using 430 big port heads? I just scored a set, and want to be sure I give the machine shop a diagram or sketch so they dont mess it up.
If the engine only smokes a full throttle, then there is a lot of carbon buildup. Just try flooring it getting on the highway a few times. Usually it'll blow all the crap out and it won't smoke anymore.
