Cylinder Walls good or bad? Pic heavy

[Tad Farmer]

So I was having valve train issues and decided to pull the rockers off, That led to me finding this...wtf.




Now since I was this deep it was only another hour of work to remove the top end to inspect the cylinder walls. This is what I see. not really scoring per say but slight scuffing? I ran my finger nail over all of them an it did not catch so they are not deep. I measured the bore and it is 4.030in. Bored 30 over if i researched correctly.
















These are the head that i pulled off. 333882 castings, not very good from what i have read on them. I have a set of vortecs that I need to take in and get cleaned up and machined.



From peaking through the lifter ports and seeing what I could of the cam the lobes look good and not worn.

Does anyone see anything I am missing? This is the first time I have torn down a motor this far. Are the cylinder walls ok? Sorry for all the pictures, just wanted to document stuff.

Thanks

 

[bob64]

Details, milage ? Putting vortec's on ? Plans ?
Honestly if your that far it should be cross honed, new rings and main bearings. If your going to add the Vortec heads you'll need a roller cam as vortec are design for full roller.

 

[Tad Farmer]

Hello bob64. Mileage is unknown and yes, I have a set of vortec head that I have and need to get them cleaned up and machined. I will be doing a full roller set up. The motor has a bigger cam just unsure of the specs. It will be mainly street with rare strip use.

 

[Wageslave]

You can use a flat tappet cam and non-roller lifters with vortec heads if you choose to, however you have to use self-aligning rocker arms.

You might want to get your valve guides machined down while the heads are at the machine shop, otherwise you are limited to about .480 lift.

That is the one regret that I have from building by engine, as I am as big as I can go on my cam and really want more.

 

[bob64]

Hello bob64. Mileage is unknown and yes, I have a set of vortec head that I have and need to get them cleaned up and machined. I will be doing a full roller set up. The motor has a bigger cam just unsure of the specs. It will be mainly street with rare strip use.

If you want it to last , pull it apart check crank and measure, if OK throw new bearings in it, buy a hone and possibly a Ridge Reimer(if the ridge needs it) if hone doesn't remove Ridge, throw new rings in it and then you got a bottom end. It's cheap insurance.

When you get your Vortec heads re-done they normally cut the valve guides, but check with them to make sure. And a full roller is a good way to stay with, camshafts are expensive but you get what you pay for. The camshaft that was in my Vortec was a 4.14 lift l believe and when l rebuilt it l went to a 4.80 which is about Max(some went more)you can go without coil bine on the factory valve springs even after cutting my valve guides. Summit has there own in-house brand intake for the vortec if your going carb an it's a reasonable price.

You will easy double plus the HP of the engine you have now.

 

[Tad Farmer]

I was going to do the extra machining on the vortec heads, Valve spring seats and push rod guide hole and set up for a bigger cam as the current cam is bigger then stock and I do not know the specs of it. What is the purpose of cutting the valve guides? Called one of the only machine shops in town, quoted me about 450 to surface the heads, machine valve spring seats and push rod guide hole and 3 angle valve job for the set.

 

[bob64]

The purpose of cutting the valve guides is so you can get a bigger lift from your valve/Cam. Without cutting them max lift cam recommended(GM)is 4.80, but some have went to 4.90 but that's pushing your luck.
I'm Canadian an my shop did my heads for $500, surfaced taking them down 20 thou, ground valves, cut valve guides, ofcourse checked the rest.

 

[Wageslave]

The purpose of cutting the valve guides is so you can get a bigger lift from your valve/Cam. Without cutting them max lift cam recommended(GM)is 4.80, but some have went to 4.90 but that's pushing your luck.
I'm Canadian an my shop did my heads for $500, surfaced taking them down 20 thou, ground valves, cut valve guides, ofcourse checked the rest.

It will also give you more options for valve springs, as the stockers are light and will have coil bind issues with a big cam.

You might also want to have your press in rocker studs pinned to keep them from pulling out.

 

[Texas82GP]

You can run beehive springs and the Comp retainers with the Vortec heads and you don't need to machine them. If you can't feel a ridge at the top of the cylinders with your finger nails and if it had good oil pressure before you took it apart, I say put it back together with the Vortecs and run it.

 

[Kennybill]

Okay, I'll play Devils advocate. Being 67, I remember the days of non-detergent oil. One can't believe or even imagine the crude in those engines of pre-detergent oils. That's probably where the "de-glazing" the cylinder walls came from. If I re-ringed a standard bore engine I always would have it machine honed, even that usually did not clean up the bores completely. At 0.006" clearance you may hear piston "rattle" during cold startup. I've read a few articles, including in Hot Rod that de-glazing a cylinder wall in BS. Look for articles about it. Seeing as your this far, I'd pull the engine, new main & rod bearings, put a new set of iron rings. Check out the cam bearings, a little wear is to be expected. Freshen it and may any changes, cam lifters, oil pump?, timing chain, and your good, to go. Jmo