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Need 454 Engine Help

M

matt2matt2

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Feb 27, 2007
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Hi, I seem to be in a bit of a bind and I need advise.
I have a 94 chevy 2500 suburban with a 454 engine. It spun a rod bearing. I already tried to replace it and drive it but that didn't work. I was told that it rounded out the block so now the block is junk. This is what I was told and it made sense. I have not measured it, but it did make sense to me that it won't hold a bearing. Now I was then told that they made changes in 94 and I can't use an older block. I don't know why not and I couldn't get a strait answer. I was then quoted $2500 for a 94+ engine. I don't have that kind of money and 94+ engines seem to be rare. I do know my way around engines and am not afraid to put one together, infact this engine is out of my truck and sitting on a pallet in my garage. So what I am asking is if what I was told is true or not? Could I use a block and crank from say the mid 80's and newer? Does it have to be a truck block?
Thanks in advance,
Matthew
 
I've rebuilt several engines with spun bearings and never had a problem. You've got to pull it anyway so get it out and measure it up properly. I'd be surprised if you need a new block.
 
If a rod bearing spun then why would you need a new block, that doesnt make sense at all.
 
i agree with everyone else. however depending on how bad the crank is you can get it reground and you wont have to spend the money to buy a new one. it is also possible to just replace the bearing. remove the two end caps in the journal that has the spun bearing. look at the journal to see if you can see a notable difference. i dont know at what point you have to get the crank reground but if you can see it real good then you need to. this time is also a good time to just rebuild it all while you got it out even if you dont have to get the crank reground. get some of that power back that you have lost over the years.
 
Agreed...spun rod bearing does not equal new block. Now maybe if it were a spun main bearing, if that even happens which i'm sure it has, then that's different but they can machine anything to work.
 
Ok, here it is from the resident engine builder here on CK5. What someone probably told you is that when the rod bearing spins it makes the big end of the connecting rod out of round and the connecting rod will need to be resized. The crankshaft also becomes out of round and will need to be reground and possibly welded depending on how bad it got before you stopped running it. GM went to the 1 piece rear main seal starting in 1992 IIRC so you cannot use an earlier crank without buying a special seal adapter plate that cost about $150.00. Also the external weight on the engine changed as well so you would have to balance the engine if you start swapping parts around.

The easiest thing to do is take the engine completely apart and have your local machine shop thouroghly clean all the parts and make a list of what new parts are needed and also what machine work is going to be needed then have it all done.
 
Thanks for the responce. I typed faster than my brain, I looked over my first post and then again at the crank, it was the main bearings that went not the rod bearings. The crank is trashed. I can take pictures if you like but it isn't pretty. When we pulled the oil pan we cleaned out chunks of bearings. There wasn't much left of them.
So my question still stands, if it spun MAIN BEARINGS, is the block trashed?
 
Spun main bearings just means that the block will need to be aligned honed.
 
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