396 bbc

I have a 1969 bbc that i got for free from a freind all I had to do was his landscaping. The motor is majorly board out I pulled the heads pistons and rods and there was a craked piston can you anyone tell me how this happend. I have been told it could be from to much compresion. It has some huggge dome pistons. Can some one help me should I just throw new piston in it and fire it up or completly rebuild the puppy.

 

Rebuild it right and paint it the correct color.

 

rebuild or suffer!

 

Too much compression and running regular gas could have caused detonation and that will crack a piston. I has a supercharged 306 that had a computer problem and even though I couldn't hear pinging, there were signs in the bearings of frequent detonation and eventually, the piston gave way.

You might be safer doing a rebuild with stronger flat-top pistons.

 

Let's see the domes !! >>>>.

 

396 & the replacement 402 both had domes and that is all you can buy without going to a custom piston. The 402's had lower compression because they had a early design open chamber head. Just change to a open chamber head and no more detonation, or run real good gas.
Van

 

Show us some pics of the cracked piston? Is it cracked in the skirt or the top? Cracked skirts are kinda common in the bbc. If the top of the piston or ringlands are cracked, it is probably due to detonation issues. Either way, you should tear the whole thing down to inspect it all, then do a proper rebuild so you know what you got. Basically all you have left is pulling the crank and cam/lifters, so you really have no reason not to put in new bearings, rings, etc. BY ALL MEANS...PAINT IT ORANGE.

 

come to think of it, the piston probably broke because the engine wasn't orange anymore.....

 

Haha ya when I got it was free and I was like wtf why would you paint a bbc ford blue do they want to get shot???

 

If funds allow,consider a full rebuild using a stroker kit.When I priced my 454 rebuild it was only about 300 bucks more than cleaning up the old stuff.WELL WORTH IT let me tell you.Just an idea.

 

I have to let you no that the economy is sh*t so I cant hold a good job were I actually get paid overrr minumum wage. One problem with getting it rebuilt like getting it magged and tanked those two things alone cost like almost $800 were I live dose that sound right??

 

Not all Chev motors are orange. Some of the Burbs I've scrapped out over the years for the BB's had blue/green motors. You say it's really bored out. How far is that? I used to have a 396 and it was .090 over. That's the same as a 402 being .060 over so pistons are not a big problem

 

orange, red, blue, green, gray, black and yellow all chevy colors....

 

Ya but still it should be chebby orange. At least I think. Im gona try and take it done and have it hot tanked to day I just pulled the heads. I pulled the timeing cover and it had a jegs dual chain that looks perfect. Now I just need to buy a cam puller.

 

Another idea is to use the crank, rods and the right pistons an' install that combo in a 454 block to build a 427. 427's and 454's have the same bore size. 396 and 427 crankshafts use the same stroke.

 

Oka makes sence. I have anouther question the rods in this motor have been balenced twice is it oka to use them again I have been told that there pretty much toast.??

 

I wasn't there when the piston got busted. If it is busted in the ringlands I would have to say it turned too many Rs. At least that is how I broke my father-in-laws 396 when I was a kid.

I would probably go through it. Mic everything and fix whatever needed it.

 

Ill post some pictures of the pistons and the cylinder walls.

 

sounds like you are tight on funds,
and have no car to put it in anyway

you will find that the big block Chevy is not cheap to build or run
and they're damn heavy brutes too

I'd consider selling the motor for whatever I could get
and start working toward getting a car

 

I do have a car I have a 1933 chevy 5 window coupe go to my threads and check it out. Its my first build ever im 17 so its all a learning experience to me I could rebuild a 350 easy but I dont want to just rebuild this motor and have it blow again. Cause they are very expensive to buy anouther lol.

 

It is a HP motor but I have been thinking about going and putting on a set of dart aluminum heads that a freind will sell to me realllly cheap is it worth it?

 

cool, I looked at your profile

glad to see young guys getting into this old car thing

I'm right around the corner in Puyallup

 

i hope the friend that has the heads is not like the friend that had the engine. free my foot!!! you did landscape work and now you'll sink 3 grand in that thing..free..nope!!

 

pm sent

 

Your right on the not free part Hotrod-Linkin.
Paul my whole family is from the hotroding area including my dad which had a awsome 1948 ford f1 pickup with a crazzzzy 8ba flatty. ubfortunatly he had to sell it.:/

 

Hey nocar, you said you are 17, you joined up in 2006...you were only 14!!! Dude what is the scoop? Does your parents know what you are doing when you are supposed to be in school!!!? Hey, just giving ya some s... um I mean grief. Do not waste your time with aluminum heads. If you are on a budget, BE REALISTIC. Do what it takes to just rebuild what you have. There is a really great word/system in the world that is worth living by, it is called the KISS system...Keep It Simple Stupid
Live by this...when you get rich enough that money is no object, then you can disregaurd the KISS system and spend money foolishly. With just a mild cam, decent intake and carb, headers, that 396 will make the 33 coupe you have run like a scolded cat. KISS. Good luck.

 

Yes my parents no all about me being on hear I go to privit school wich allows me to be on hear. Ya im just thinking that im just going to do a basic rebuild with a cam. Or buy the 454 built of off Paul when I get the money.

 

Glad to see another young guy getting involved with this hobby we call Hot Rodding!

But tell your folks they should get some money back from that private school, they haven't taught you spelling or how to construct a proper sentence that would make reading your posts a lot easier for the rest of us. (at least learn to use the spell check button)

 

Hey nocar, glad to hear your folks know you are on here, but like hotroddon said, they really should check into the private school you attend as you are having difficulties with your grammar....and maybe math too. Not sure how it works, but if you are 17, and you have been working on cars since 1992...that would mean your mom swallowed some hot wheels or something so you could be working on them in the womb. 2010-1992= 18 in public school math.

 

Wow dont be an ass I dont really care about spelling perfect im just trying to learn. And 333 half evil you must be and idiot. 2010-1992=18 but I turn 18 in july dumbas$.

Thats why Im in advanced classes.