Engine Head Problem 350 C/i ?????" Venting"

[Dandeluxe]

WELL,
PISS ME OFF AGAIN IM READY TO JUNK MY TRUCK BUT I HAVE TO MUCH TIME INTO THIS TRUCK AND IM ALMOST DONE. NOTE THIS ENGINE PROBABLY ONLY HAS 5000 MILES SINCE IT WAS REBUILT ALL NEW . ITS A 350 WITH ABOUT 400 HP WITH A 280 COMP CAM. AND 11-1 COMP. I WENT FOR A LONG DRIVE AND MY MOTOR CAME APART. I TOOK OFF THE VALVE COVER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE ROCKER CAME OFF AND SHEARED THE VALVE SPRING. NOTE THIS IS HYDRAULIC LIFTERS. A WHILE BACK THE SAME ONE THE PUSHROD WAS BENT SO I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. I'M THINKING ONE OF THE GUIDES HAD A BIND IN IT SINCE IT BENT A PUSHROD A FEW WEEKS A GO. MY BROS. IN LAW SAYS I DID'NT TIGHTEN THE PUSHROD ENOUGH. BUT I USED THE COLD METHOD AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE. NOW I HAVE TO PULL THE HEAD OFF AND AND GET IT REPAIRED AT A LOCAL MACHINE SHOP. ANYBODY GOT ANY PRO TIPS BEFORE I TEAR INTO THIS PROJECT. OR DECIDE TO JUNK THIS AND BUY A FORD . . THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN ID PUSH MY TRUCK BE4 I'D DRIVE A FORD. IT NEVER ENDS THOUGH IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING. ANY PROTIPS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I NEED ALL THE TIPS I CAN GET . THANKS IN ADVANCE, DAN

[hanssolo]

Just before you adjust down lash, rolling the pushrod, see if theres any resistance at all. I've had to grind out my guideplate slots cause of slight binding. That will do damage down the road. Check the lifter out if you can. Are they roller rockers?

[Dandeluxe]

hans, these ae just your normal hydraulic lifters not rollers. im guessing i just need to have it checked out at the mach. shop and let them check for any resistance or maybe A BURR OR A BIND ?????? im just mad as hell because i have to take it all a part to repair . im hoping it dont get too hot today we have been getting some nasty humid weather lately 100+ degrees nasty!!!!
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO SELL AND GET OUT OF THIS BUSINESS

[raggedjim]

Dandeluxe, you're not the only one who has had problems like this, sometimes I think these truck test you to see if you are worthy...
I had a '68 swb that did just about every thing it could to get me to quit, I had about $2,000 in a rebuilt engine (I know it's not much to some but it is to me) and it rounded off a lobe on the cam first thing. The machine shop that put the engine together blamed Edelbrock, who tested the hardness and said it was not their fault. So I bite it and buy another cam, install it MYSELF and it works fine.
When I got the front clip back on, the waterpump shaft breaks and throws the fan blade through the hood! Man, I had been running the engine with the whole clip off for months! I'm just glad I didn't put the fan through one of my friends chest...
After about 3months of driving it, it starts popping from the exhaust. Pull the head and find a valve has beat ALL the way through! I couldn't believe it! I had paid to have hardened valve seats installed and the machine shop screwed me (I BAD mouth those F**kers all the time now...)

Well, other things happened but time has smoothed the edges and to make this short, I gave up and sold it to a friend, who drives it every day with NO problems at all, go figure.

I did give up on that one but I didn't give up on these trucks, they are better than the new ones in my HMO.

Good luck, Roger

[Dandeluxe]

Roger ,
thanks for all your input.. the same thing happened to this same motor at the beginning this was where it all started . the original motor had a more radical cam a 292 duration.. the cam lobe got wiped out and sent a little metal into the block which was what made me start over. i had to buy a new crank a 10-10 and was talked into a new comp cam a 280 and i will say i love it.
i sent the block out and got it cleaned and checked over real good. and went ahead and replaced a lot of parts too many to mention. i've got at least 2 grand into this motor and it has run good until this crap with the heads. when i put this motor together i calmed it down a lot. it used to be set up to run 10 second 1/4 mile runs. i want it to be a turnkey so i can get in it and drive 500+ miles without any problems. but im starting to get sick of fixing this truck. im trying to finish this but i dont think it ever ends. i love this truck and get lots of compliments all the time. should i throw in the towel or just stay with it ??????
i'm hoping the piston is not damaged. if it is i'll probably junk it and move on

[Dandeluxe]

ttt

[Piston]

The ramp speed on a 280 is pretty agressive and can pull a press in stud out all at once or slowly.. Do you have screw in studs and guide plates or just a stock upper end?

[cableguy0]

yea i think piston hit the nail on the head if you still have the stock press in studs that is most likely where your problem lies. it happened twice on the same cylinder so that would tell me that stud might be flexing and screwing up the valve train geometry that or a rocker is sticking at higher rpms lost of things could cause what you describe but if you dont have screw in studs ya better yank the heads and have screw in studs installed at a machine shop.

[krue]

But don't sell your truck man!

[fast71]

look at the studs on the head see if there is a groove cut into the side of the stud towards the bottom if so theres your problem , Same thing happened to me on one of my Novas . I replaced the stud and didnt have any more problems

[Dandeluxe]

HANS PISTON AND RAGGED JIM,
THEY ARE STOCK HEADS
I'LL CHECK IT OUT AND THANKS FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS ILL CHECK THEM OUT.... DAN

[bigjimzlll]

Sometimes with an older block there is a thing call core shift...which can effect lifter geometry. This really would suck if its the case. Its cheaper and easier to find another block. If its is the smae lifter that bent a pushrod and killed a cam lobe....you might have the machine shop check that out...oh yea...you dont have 1.6 rockers do you?