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454 oil consumption (Cherry truck LOOK)

Calling all motorheads:saweet:

I'm bringing this one back to life...been a busy winter and I kinda just let the truck out of my head. I'm back in the mode and ready to get this thing tuned up. After all the tests everything points to the valve guides so I'm ready to pull the heads and take em in to the shop for either new guides ect or just go with an aftermarket head and use up any of the parts I can from the original heads. So with that being said any advice or warnings before I tackle yanking these things off would be appreciated. I'm pretty mechanically savvy but I've never pulled the top end of a motor off, done plenty of transmissions and general repairs but nothing to this extent. My biggest fear is when I go to put everything back on and not F ing any thing up...lot's of gaskets to deal with and one little leak and it's all a waste. I'd love to have a shop do it but I'm sure it would be well in the thousands just to do the tear down and re install.

If anybody's got a link to some detailed instructions....I've dealt with the manuals before on stuff and they seem super vague and not all that helpfull sometimes. To do or not to do...???
 
Taking it apart is easy. Going back together is too, it just has to be a lot cleaner! A couple tips...

- make sure every gasket surface is scraped clean. I even wipe off the mating surfaces with laquer thinner or alcohol right before I assemble so the gasket has a clean oil free surface to stick too.

- make sure you torque the heads from the center out and in at least 3 increments up to the final value.

- if you do take the lifters out make SURE you put them back in the same place (not as important with roller lifters). Essential with flat tappet lifters.

Take your time, it's easy.
 
take a few photos as you dis-assemble, it may help you putting it back together.
 
I like it...GM performance hyd roller rockers on mine so I should be fine with that....a few months ago I did a tranny swap on a 91 toyota camry auto and that required pretty much an entire disassemble of the car...I'd like to think I can do some heads...Thanks for the tips...I'll document my progress when I get started
 
When I am doing something like this, I will get a small box and punch 16 holes in it and mark it for Front. Once I do that, I remove each pushrod and place into the holes in order. Then during reassembly it is easy to just drop them back into place.

Second, make sure you check each pushrod to ensure they are still straight. I see a lot of pushrods with slight bends due to over-torqueing the rockers.

Third, roller rockers are not what is being referred to. Roller lifters are completely different, but you shouldn't need to do anything with the lifters for a top end job. If they are roller lifters you will be able to tell by the spider retainer that will be in the lifter valley.

Fourth, use a good amount of black silicone to seal the front and rear of the intake. You should have a 3/8" bead all the way across, and a little extra bead at the intake gasket.

Make sure you have a manual with torque order and specs. 454's use a three step torque process and the last step is a real pain.

And don't make the mistake my buddy and I made putting the heads on his 454. When we set the drivers head on we caught a wire and pinched it under the head. It was at the back of the engine so we didn't notice until I had gone through and torqued the head and put the intake on.:doah: Have help, and watch for any stray wires, tie them out of the way! Those heads are not light, and the torque spec is 110 lb ft or close to it on the final torque.

They really are easy to do, just take your time and use pictures and of course CK5 if you run into any trouble.
 
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