Wes's Burb build/update/maintance

[tarussell]

Wes, those ( meaning all peanut-port heads - they first came on the scene in 1975 ) are somewhat thinner castings compared to older true oval-port castings but not as prone to cracking like smog era SBC heads are.

The small ports make for really strong ultra low end torque but that’s about all they bring to the table and they are certainly not worth investing a chunk of change in getting reworked - that money could be put towards a much much much better set of aftermarket heads that are thicker in casting and deck thickness.
Plus help in combustion chamber size and larger ports that give great bottom end torque plus allow good air movement for power if the need arises every now and then.

You may be right in suspecting a crack in the chamber area - those motorhome engines are tortured with extreme ambient heat plus pushed hard by drivers that have no idea they are hurting things much less take note of a temp gauge. And as we all know once the idiot light is invited to the party it’s usually too late by then
That type of scenario might explain the cooked oil around the rings and coolant damage - sometimes them idiots don’t even react to the warning lights made just for them.

 

[folkenheath]

Is it possible the moisture got in the cylinders and rusted it while sitting? How to the intake and exhaust ports look? Spark plug holes?

Its a strange one, because usually sitting water will have a water line in the cylinder. But usually if it leaks coolant or water while its running, it steam cleans everything. This thing has surface rust all over the cylinder, above where the piston was. Its like it rusted and never ran, just turned over by hand.

The only thing is those cylinders are a full crank rotation away in the firing order. When it was sitting did it have all the spark plugs in it? Exhaust manifolds on or off? carb? air cleaner?

Makes it seem like it got very moist while sitting, but not actual water, just natural surface rust, which I wouldn't guess in AZ. And #5 and #8 don't make sense. 360 firing order away, opposite banks. Unless they pulled the plugs one at least one of them and the other was exhaust or intake valve open.

Heads can crack, but both heads at the same time?

Plus all the busted pushrods.

This is a strange one.

How do all the rockers look? Any contact points on the pistons?

I am going to guess the pushrods got bent and the cylinder rust happened after that while sitting.

But it can certainly be fixed with a 4.25" crank, a hyd roller cam, and aluminum heads and intake.

A 489 with a mild cam and decent heads could make 500 HP and over 600 tq and still purr while doing it. Actually the last torque BBC I dyno'd made over 550 HP and over 600 TQ. But you could step it down a notch or two and still make all the torques you want.

 

[folkenheath]

My theory is they overheated that puppy very hot and the some valves seized up in the guides and that's what bent the pushrods. Then the cylinder rusted while sitting.

Exhaust would seize first, it's also possible the intake could do it too but the exhaust would happen first. I've seen seized valves in iron BBC heads before.

Are the valves seized? I suppose its possible the valves seized while hot and then cooled down but it would probably leave marks or something.

 

[Wes Harden]

So my current theory.
2 Cylinders got filled with coolant. Atempt to start bent broke push rods. The cylinders were drained, maybe after a period of time. Further attempts to get running more push rods were displaced by loose ones in valley.

Nothing is steam cleaned. Plugs are all black. Engine was completely assembled. There was liquid gas in some of heads intake runners. Old an oily. All the intake valves have various amounts of oilcarbon build up. Look like guides are shot.

 

[folkenheath]

Well if the guides are sloppy then it's unlikely they siezed.

If the cylinders filled with water I would think it would be close in the firing order.

 

[Blue85]

what could that 10 be ?

10:1!

 

[Wes Harden]

My theory is they overheated that puppy very hot and the some valves seized up in the guides and that's what bent the pushrods. Then the cylinder rusted while sitting.

Exhaust would seize first, it's also possible the intake could do it too but the exhaust would happen first. I've seen seized valves in iron BBC heads before.

Are the valves seized? I suppose its possible the valves seized while hot and then cooled down but it would probably leave marks or something.

Ding ding ding winner winner chicken dinner.
All the intake valves on driver head and 6 & 8 at least on pass. Exhaust all seem to pop nicely when struck with soft face hammer. Intakes aren't moving.

 

[folkenheath]

I was thinking the 7 was missing from the 710

 

[Wes Harden]

I am sure what ever water got into those 2 cylinders was remove after not to long. An attempt to make it run was made. Had new cap rotor and wires, all stuff peps would for a missfire

 

[folkenheath]

I am sure what ever water got into those 2 cylinders was remove after not to long. An attempt to make it run was made. Had new cap rotor and wires, all stuff peps would for a missfire

Cap and wires! They forgot new heads and pushrods...

 

[folkenheath]

I can't imagine how it sounded cranking it over with that many pushrods missing and some valves stuck, and they just put cap and wires on it.

 

[Wes Harden]

After theft err tax season, gotta pay. My SSI starts this spring.
I'll start collecting parts at least top end stuff. Not sure about this block. May be maybe not.

 

[Wes Harden]

I can't imagine how it sounded cranking it over with that many pushrods missing and some valves stuck, and they just put cap and wires on it.

Yeah dude fancy himself as a mechanic too. Thought the starter missing was a little strange. Probably thought it was bad too

 

[tarussell]

Very nice crime scene work on the cause of death of this motor fella’s !

Now it is time for a game plan to build this motor back better and stronger, we have the technology to transform this base engine that was barely breathing, even when it was new, into a thoroughbred.

Just like it was done for the 36,273,457.25 Million Dollar Man ( adjusted for inflation ) and Wes can call this motor build “Project Lee Majors”.

Maybe I gotta little carried away with this…
No matter what ya’ do Wes I hope you build this motor whether it’s a bone stock barely breath’n torque’r or a thoroughbred stout Clydesdale stroker - the Burb deserves a motor that’s built mild mannered yet strong !

 

[Blue85]

An attempt to make it run was made. Had new cap rotor and wires, all stuff peps would for a missfire

That's a severe misfire. Couldn't have been more than 2 holes firing.

 

[tarussell]

That's a severe misfire. Couldn't have been more than 2 holes firing.

I agree - whatever happened to that motor had to have initially been at a higher RPM.
Just turning over by starter motor alone should not be able to jack up those pushrods like that once the guides froze up.

 

[Wes Harden]

good news I gotta line on another engine, this is a roller cam block. Came out of a boat, fairly certain has peanut port heads too. probably a 1 piece rear main. Price might be right too. We'll how it shakes out.
Going to Utah for a couple days,to check on my dad and do some spring chores for him. Will have to wait till I get back in a few days.

 

[folkenheath]

I agree - whatever happened to that motor had to have initially been at a higher RPM.
Just turning over by starter motor alone should not be able to jack up those pushrods like that once the guides froze up.

If the valves are seized bad enough, something has to give, pushrods are often the weekest, or stock stamped rocker arms. However, seeing the lifters out in the valley, I agree, some RPM had to be involved too.

 

[Wes Harden]

Scoped out the new Big block lead, Looking like a Gen6 Mercruiser block, casting number 10237297. 4 bolt main one piece rear seal. Heads appear to be peanut port, small valve number 10114156, non adjustable rockers. For sure a roller cam engine, and all the push rods on the pass side at least are still in their place.

That's all I know atm.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Scoped out the new Big block lead, Looking like a Gen6 Mercruiser block, casting number 10237297. 4 bolt main one piece rear seal. Heads appear to be peanut port, small valve number 10114156, non adjustable rockers. For sure a roller cam engine, and all the push rods on the pass side at least are still in their place.

That's all I know atm.

I secretly want a gen 6 with a blower in my truck. I think they are under estimated. But the ls have is squeaky clean as hard as I am on it she works.