From listening to the video I heard it right away, but I too thought it was piston slap. I've always wondered what would the engine sound like if the pistons were put in backwards, now I know! Keep the good content flowing.
The funniest part is he saying the time it took to do something that in camera was a couple seconds :D I loved it! I wish more youtubers would do the same, watching it is pretty easy...
Wow, good sleuth work. I've done that, too. 62.5 piston pin offset and backwards rod side to side clearances on the chamfer. Nice you avoided rod bearing failure in those two cylinders. Love your work, 209. Only the Good Guys Learn from a mistake and Keep Winning!
You are an awesome Man, it is Men like you that help others. Many that I have encountered in my life would have blamed someone else for this simple mistake.
I'm glad you found the issue.... We all make mistakes no matter how good you are... !!!!! Can't wait to see that VROOM VROOM on the road doing a burn out....!!!!
I appreciate you for showing the opps along with the win. Some channels always show the win. In real life that doesn't happen. There is the hair pulling mistakes. And there are the wins.
Great video! This helps to understand what the mis-installed piston / rod assemblies sound like... I like the fact that you switched the rings back to their mated positions... Good diagnosis & repair...
@@Shop209 You are welcome!!! I noticed that You are timing your work... Nice $ saving ethic, but it tends to over-emphasise speedy repairs and puts careful assembly in a place of lower priority... This can be very expensive for any shop... Try to put the priority of Quality first, then you'll probably notice fewer problems... There was a time, when I timed myself at what I was doing, and the problems from mistakes soon started to develop... I know what several production supervisors want and often do, which often causes several problems and even dangerous situations from many types of business's... Even the larger companies have had serious quality issues when their people are forced to cut corners , pinching pennies , trying to save minutes... An example is one of the largest companies in the U.S. that is now having several troubles with quality issues with several of their products, and they are currently under severe scrutiny from the FAA. They make large planes, and their name begins with a 'B' and ends with a 'G'... Try not to make the same mistakes that they have.... If you pay attention to this, You'll be thanking me later.... Quality and Safety are closely associated with each other... It is those two factors that really help to make mediocre products , into the products that people wait in line to buy.... They will gladly pay a little extra, to get a lot more confidence , in what they are buying.... Be on the receiving end of the accolades from satisfied customers...
@@michaelmartinez1345 I normally don’t time myself. Although I have a few times. Just figured on getting the engine out I would see how long it would take. Most of these videos take me multiple days. If you look close you can see some clips are when it’s dark and others are daylight. My shirts also change. Lol.
A good mechanic isn't worried about sharing their mistakes. "Yould better learn from the mistakes of others... You'll never live long enough to make them all yourself.."😮😅😊
Loved the detective sleuthing aspect of this video. I was guessing wrist pin problem about the noise, glad it was something simple. You got that engine yanked so fast!
Don't feel too bad brother, we all make dumb mistakes sometimes! 🤣 Get that ratty Nova running & bring it to the No Name Nationals 2024! We'd love to have you! 😊
Enjoy watching your videos. Glad you found it hope it runs well once you get it going again. You seem like you could do this in your sleep having done it many times. Im the same way some times we just need to slow down a bit. 👍
Hey bud I've made a lot of mistakes ,,,but I learned and never forgot them that's how we all learn ,,as I say if I ever get up in the morning and don't learn somthing that day then it's over for me ,,,I'm 65 yrs old (never stop learning ) and always admit your mistakes to others so they learn too great job
Good on you for sorting it out. Much better to find a fixable issue than messed up parts. The positive is, now you will probably never make that mistake again!
Back in 1976 I bought a 1970 Nova SS 396/375 HP. I blew the engine up a week later. I replaced the short block, found a set of rectangular port heads and proceeded to assemble my first ever engine. Upon startup it ran like a scalded dog. I did find that there were two problems. A lack of top end power and the sound of what I thought was a ticking valve or lifter. After weeks of research it all came down to the wrong mechanical fuel pump pushrod. It turns out there are two different lengths of pushrod for the big block fuel pump and I had installed the shorter one. This was the source of the ticking sound and the loss of power was due to the fact that the fuel pump was only operating at about 80% capacity, causing the engine to starve for fuel above 5000 RPM. It was a 10-minute fix, but a real pain in the ass to discover .
This is my first Shop 209 video, great content and nicely presented! I had a '65 Nova that I really miss. On a side note, sometimes they plant trees too damned close to the road....
That's to bad John, glad it was nothing serious. Things happen to good people. The fact that you shared this, says alot to your character and integrity. Much respect Sir. Maybe this will help other people that have a problem. Happy New Year to you and your family. Take care, Ed.
That's interesting. I'm glad you found it and fixed it. There is a guy on TH-cam' Uncle Tonys garage" and he swears every engine he builds he puts the pistons in backwards because they make more power. The guys at Roadkill garage and him had a big kerfuffle over it. I think the engineers who design them know best personally. All the best in the New Year!
See that's how we get better at it... that's something you will never overlook again on a engine assembly... I respect you for calling yourself out on that... shit happens
Pretty sure that was covered in chapter 13… being a good human being, fathering children & engine building…. It’s that same guide book we all got 🙄😎. You found it. You’ll fix it. Take care dude !
This is exactly why guys who do this sort of fun, home shop work needs a ENGINE RUN STAND OF SOME SORT ! SAVES YOU A WHOLE LOTTA WORK. AND YES THIS IS THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE TALKING.
That's what I was thinking but not really that cheap. The last time I priced that out a few years ago it was around $240 for a set of 8, who knows how much they went up in this economy? It is an excellent option to reuse your high end pistons if the cylinders get washed out and they re-hone out of spec. though.😎👍
Well, we're all human, so messing up is bound to happen. At least you aren't one of those "mechanics" who think their work is fault free, and it was the other person's fault. Mistakes do happen, and at least it was caught NOW rather than after the guy took possession of the car and had a piston go through the pan or something else like that. Being willing to double check everything is something I'm glad to see, because that's the sign of a good mechanic. I wish more mechanics did that, so we would have less of these "mechanical nightmares" and "just rolled in" videos.
Like a few here I too guessed wrist pin having just gone through that with a Datsun Roadster U20... fractured wrist pin in #3. No sound below 1800rpm, then tap tap Tap! Thanks to forged pistons it didn't blow up. Oversized pin and some machine work and we were good to go.
Thank you for all of the great Nova info. I enjoy watching you videos. One tip for possible video: Quarter glass runners, etc. Are there any cheaper option for fixing quarter glass that does not fit in the rails? Mine worksonly down, but not up. Gets stuck. The window tilts forward and jams in the front runner. The car is shown on my channel, all mint, except the quarter glass problems (both sides). Thanks for posting and hope you have time to do a window video ;) . Sincerely KB
I miss working on those old school 350's! I still have a couple of them sitting around my shop. Sadly, they're too old for my 96 Cheyenne. For what it's worth, you should consider a Felpro reusable one piece oil pan gasket.
I thought when you were hand cranking that motor over with no plugs in it, it looked too "tight". Did the crank spin freely, before you added the recpirocating parts?
Yes. The short block took 22ft lbs to rotate when I put it together. That’s about normal for a stock 5/64 ring piston. Keep in mind I was using a 3/8 ratchet to turn it.
I am really suprised that it coused you piston slap like it did? For the sake of not writing you a book im leaving many details out, but i put together a old ford 390 for my truck. I had a block that was given to me with pistons for the bores. It was bored .060 over. It had been put together & run but disassembled with not even 100 miles on it. I decided to try a build on it. Keep in mind i have stock pyled many parts so i already had parts. I did have the block shaved, the crank reground, and rods resized with arp bolts. But total i have less than a $1000 in the entire build including machine work. So there were areas i closed my eyes & crossed my fingers if your following. Not exactly recommended. But i checked piston to wall clearance. These are cast pistons, i had .006 to .007 piston to wall clearance! Again, fingers crossed! But they are good straight bores & like new pistons. I put it together. Pistons not backwards though. But it runs fantastic! It moves my 71 f100 4x4 shortbox with a granny 4spd to a 0-60 time in 7.6 seconds & with a easy lounch as to not break a output shaft a 1/4 mile in 15.3 sec at 95 mph! It has 4.11 gears so when i cross the finish she is wound up at 95mph!!! I dont get any piston slap. I have about 7k miles on it now. Oh ya, its a 4700 lbs 4x4!!
Longer rod would would lessen side loading on piston for sure. I guess it depends on how much offset the pin has and also the wall clearance. I have ran cast pistons with .006-.007 clearance to and never had slap. It’s quiet now though. Thanks for watching!
Sorry that went down like that. I wish i was doing engine work though. Cut the tail panel out of my 69 today in preperation for the trunk floor replacement.
Hang a second tarp or an old quilt or moving blanket over that plastic door opening to create an air pocket or just more insulation. Worth a try. Also maybe a milkhouse heater running all night to keep it over 45 at night.
i picked up a 73 ss nova with no engine in it with gauges on floor rust free good clean body for 50 bucks then got a 68 pu with a 396 in it for 85 bucks . my new thing is i picked up another 68 pu very clean body full chrome trim with a fresh 327 / 400 turbo for 1000 bucks then got a 6000 mile 450 hp 454 for free with a 02xx 400r turbo dropped it in and put a 850 with high rise it came alive when i did that right now i have 2000 in the truck but it is getting sweat has heated full electric leather seats full gauges with tach all factory all i have left to do is finish the interior and final paint i do have the dash looking better then new have rally wheels and a set of inkees for it wood floor in box oak wood i feel i did really good for only having 2000 in it. plus still have a perfect cab doors and long box with 3/4 ton frame with running gear for extra parts and the 327/400 turbo sitting which i can get my money back plus more if i need too then i ended up getting 3 more 454's with the 02xx trans. my friends call me the budget man because i put rigs together for next to nothing if not free. next project is a 79 z28 rs t top have 2 extra z28's for parts got everything to build it but paint all for free
I went back and looked. At 6:51 you can clearly see third cap has 3, second cap has two and you can see one punch mark on front cap. Lot of people don’t mark 4th cap since if other three are marked it doesn’t matter. I’ve seen guys that only mark center three since the front and rear cap don’t interchange.
I did a lot of that before I decided to pull the engine. Readjusted valves, ran with belt off, disconnected torque converter to make sure it wasn’t transmission etc. I guess I could have mentioned that in the video. Lol
Been watching your videos for a while now. Purchased a 71’ Nova with a 307 powerglide. After going through the car found that all of the numbers match. Also came across the broadcast sheet tucked way up into the dash. Thought that was pretty cool. I have been able to decode most of the sheet but there are a few options I am having a hard time finding the meaning. Do you have any suggestions where one could find that information? Thanks and keep making great videos!
Anybody building multiple engines should build themselves a nice engine test stand. Way easier to diagnose and repair with the engine up at a comfortable height .
I'm an older guy and built many engines myself and just did same thing /similar on a teryx sxs engine. Reused a clip in trans part and it bit me in the ass and had to redo it a few days after finishing it. All good life is life but I won't learn from it
@@Shop209 I lied. On my first engine, I buttoned up the oil pan thinking I'd drop in the oil pump drive shaft from the top side..... I didn't think about the coupler sleeve not fitting through the hole. 🫣 I realized that immediately and removed the pan before the sealer set up, then continued the next day. That's how we learn best.
The kit comes with pistons all pressed on rods. It’s already balanced so the rods aren’t numbered, at least that I could find. You just have to pay attention to rod chamfer and pin offset. If the dot/mark is pointing forward pin offset is correct. So they weren’t installed backwards on rod. I just put them in wrong holes.
When I assemble an engine, I'll take a few pics at various stages. That way if there is an issue I can go back and look at the pics for anything out of the ordinary.
Yeah you pretty much need to start the coffee, go to the shop and get the heater going while you eat some breakfast, then peel off the layers of shirts as the shop and you warm up these days. I don't know how yankees stand 4-5 months of cold icy snowy weather.
Yes. I am. I cut a ton of corners on this car. It’s a budget car and real world. I’ve also built plenty of expensive engines and cars that didn’t get any corners cut.
I’ve had those plugs on side of block break off a few times so I never try anymore. I have a drain pan but it was full so I just dumped it and cleaned up.
I have a gmc my o2 sensor is out sounds like something is lose or piston slap but it my o2 sensor 😂😂😂 very nice motor u have an it don't sound like a bad problem it almost sounds like something is lose
Hey new guy to the nova community, was wondering what would be the best option for doors i cant find ones close to me. If i buy shells online i still need the guts to a door but then again i cant even find donor doors. What should i do?
Ok, I played the sound over and over and now paused the video to make a guess at the noise. It’s nothing I recognize as obvious or distinct like a rod knock. It sounds solid, not tin like that something hitting a cover would sound like. I’ve never heard of this before but right or wrong, I’m guessing a broken wrist pin. It’s an inconsistent sound. Alright, I’m going to watch now. Ok, close enough!
on a 289 once it was knocking and I rebuilt the motor and it still was knocking and ended up being the fuel pump , the motor needed to be rebuilt anyway
I always try to have mufflers on at initial fire up. Don't always, but usually. Glad it was simple. I've NEVER made a mistake (🤣🤣🐂🐂) but I understand that it happens! Lol
True professionals are honest. And thats why they don't make the same mistake twice. Nice job !
true professionals drain the block and use drip pans. what a hack!
From listening to the video I heard it right away, but I too thought it was piston slap. I've always wondered what would the engine sound like if the pistons were put in backwards, now I know! Keep the good content flowing.
Maybe if I had the piston to wall clearance on the tight side of spec it wouldn’t slap as much or at all but it was pretty noisy.
The funniest part is he saying the time it took to do something that in camera was a couple seconds :D I loved it! I wish more youtubers would do the same, watching it is pretty easy...
Thanks!
The biggest blessing ...Chevy engine access and lack of Chevy II style spring towers. Gotta love these cars!
Sounds like rod knock from a gradually spun bearing. I've done that...
Wow, good sleuth work. I've done that, too. 62.5 piston pin offset and backwards rod side to side clearances on the chamfer. Nice you avoided rod bearing failure in those two cylinders. Love your work, 209. Only the Good Guys Learn from a mistake and Keep Winning!
Great content! Novas will always have a soft spot in all our hearts
Yep I had a 66 SS, 327 300hp
I enjoy learning from other peoples mistakes. Much better than the way I usually do things. Thanks for the well done video
Thanks for watching!
You are an awesome Man, it is Men like you that help others. Many that I have encountered in my life would have blamed someone else for this simple mistake.
I'm glad you found the issue....
We all make mistakes no matter how good you are... !!!!!
Can't wait to see that VROOM VROOM on the road doing a burn out....!!!!
STUFF LIKE THIS WAKES ME UP TO PAY ATTENTION WHAT I'M DOING, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME BACK IN LINE !!! AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY.
I appreciate you for showing the opps along with the win. Some channels always show the win. In real life that doesn't happen. There is the hair pulling mistakes. And there are the wins.
Great video! This helps to understand what the mis-installed piston / rod assemblies sound like... I like the fact that you switched the rings back to their mated positions... Good diagnosis & repair...
Thanks!
@@Shop209 You are welcome!!! I noticed that You are timing your work... Nice $ saving ethic, but it tends to over-emphasise speedy repairs and puts careful assembly in a place of lower priority... This can be very expensive for any shop... Try to put the priority of Quality first, then you'll probably notice fewer problems... There was a time, when I timed myself at what I was doing, and the problems from mistakes soon started to develop... I know what several production supervisors want and often do, which often causes several problems and even dangerous situations from many types of business's... Even the larger companies have had serious quality issues when their people are forced to cut corners , pinching pennies , trying to save minutes... An example is one of the largest companies in the U.S. that is now having several troubles with quality issues with several of their products, and they are currently under severe scrutiny from the FAA.
They make large planes, and their name begins with a 'B' and ends with a 'G'...
Try not to make the same mistakes that they have.... If you pay attention to this, You'll be thanking me later.... Quality and Safety are closely associated with each other... It is those two factors that really help to make mediocre products , into the products that people wait in line to buy.... They will gladly pay a little extra, to get a lot more confidence , in what they are buying.... Be on the receiving end of the accolades from satisfied customers...
@@michaelmartinez1345 I normally don’t time myself. Although I have a few times. Just figured on getting the engine out I would see how long it would take. Most of these videos take me multiple days. If you look close you can see some clips are when it’s dark and others are daylight. My shirts also change. Lol.
Great video- appreciate your honesty! Everybody makes mistakes- but not everyone admits it! Look forward to all your videos!
Thank you!
Budget he can’t even afford garage doors.😂
A good mechanic isn't worried about sharing their mistakes.
"Yould better learn from the mistakes of others...
You'll never live long enough to make them all yourself.."😮😅😊
Dude that's awesome not to many guys say that they made a mistake so , can't wait to hear this little monster , cool video 😎
Thank you!!
Loved the detective sleuthing aspect of this video. I was guessing wrist pin problem about the noise, glad it was something simple. You got that engine yanked so fast!
Yeah. I’ve done a few engine pulls in these cars lol.
yeah, I thought the same about how fast you got the motor out. Would have taken me forever🤪
Don't feel too bad brother, we all make dumb mistakes sometimes! 🤣 Get that ratty Nova running & bring it to the No Name Nationals 2024! We'd love to have you! 😊
I’ll be there depending on if the Raceweek dates don’t overlap. I REALLY want to be there.
Can't wait to see what it sounds like back on the road.
Enjoy watching your videos. Glad you found it hope it runs well once you get it going again. You seem like you could do this in your sleep having done it many times. Im the same way some times we just need to slow down a bit. 👍
Yep. I’m hoping to have it running tomorrow.
Hey bud I've made a lot of mistakes ,,,but I learned and never forgot them that's how we all learn ,,as I say if I ever get up in the morning and don't learn somthing that day then it's over for me ,,,I'm 65 yrs old (never stop learning ) and always admit your mistakes to others so they learn too great job
Good on you for sorting it out. Much better to find a fixable issue than messed up parts. The positive is, now you will probably never make that mistake again!
Back in 1976 I bought a 1970 Nova SS 396/375 HP. I blew the engine up a week later. I replaced the short block, found a set of rectangular port heads and proceeded to assemble my first ever engine. Upon startup it ran like a scalded dog. I did find that there were two problems. A lack of top end power and the sound of what I thought was a ticking valve or lifter. After weeks of research it all came down to the wrong mechanical fuel pump pushrod. It turns out there are two different lengths of pushrod for the big block fuel pump and I had installed the shorter one. This was the source of the ticking sound and the loss of power was due to the fact that the fuel pump was only operating at about 80% capacity, causing the engine to starve for fuel above 5000 RPM. It was a 10-minute fix, but a real pain in the ass to discover .
Yeah. That was actually one of the things I checked on this engine.
This is my first Shop 209 video, great content and nicely presented! I had a '65 Nova that I really miss. On a side note, sometimes they plant trees too damned close to the road....
Lol. I had a light post in the road one time. Still have the car
glad you found problem and honest enough to share helping others not to repeat. I one does this long enough we will make mistakes good job rectifying.
That's to bad John, glad it was nothing serious.
Things happen to good people.
The fact that you shared this, says alot to your character and integrity.
Much respect Sir.
Maybe this will help other people that have a problem.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Take care, Ed.
Thanks Ed! I’m just glad it was something I could fix. Was keeping rings with cylinders a good thing?
@@Shop209 I think that was a great idea.
Hopefully they will take a seat where they were running.
You're a Pro! 👍👍
Thanks!
Glad you figured it out.
And have a very Happy New Year.😎👍
Sorry you had a problem, sure glad u found it, good luck bud!
I say the only ones that don't make boo boos are the ones not tackling these rebuilds! Nice save!
Can’t screw up if you’re not working.
That's interesting. I'm glad you found it and fixed it. There is a guy on TH-cam' Uncle Tonys garage" and he swears every engine he builds he puts the pistons in backwards because they make more power. The guys at Roadkill garage and him had a big kerfuffle over it. I think the engineers who design them know best personally. All the best in the New Year!
Yeah. I saw all that when it was happening. It would be such an insignificant amount of power gain for so much work.
This was a great lesson on doing it right, thank god I didn't see "WILL IT RUN AND DRIVE". Good job!!!
Lol. Yeah I’ll probably do one of those videos because I’m trying to build my channel and they’re hot but it won’t be the typical video. Thanks!
Wow… and wow… glad you had the savoir faire to find and fix the issue✊🏾
You sir , are just off the chain I love it thanks for makin my day
See that's how we get better at it... that's something you will never overlook again on a engine assembly... I respect you for calling yourself out on that... shit happens
Pretty sure that was covered in chapter 13… being a good human being, fathering children & engine building…. It’s that same guide book we all got 🙄😎. You found it. You’ll fix it. Take care dude !
This is exactly why guys who do this sort of fun, home shop work needs a ENGINE RUN STAND OF SOME SORT ! SAVES YOU A WHOLE LOTTA WORK.
AND YES THIS IS THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE TALKING.
I have one. Hard to hear piston slap with open headers on a test stand.
Good save John! You can swap pistons all around on a Mopar but not a SBC! 😅
If the noise persists, recommend having Line2Line coating skirts (cheap) to tighten clearance.
That's what I was thinking but not really that cheap. The last time I priced that out a few years ago it was around $240 for a set of 8, who knows how much they went up in this economy? It is an excellent option to reuse your high end pistons if the cylinders get washed out and they re-hone out of spec. though.😎👍
I never knew of this. Thanks, this could come in handy in the future.
Dude!!! First motor 327chevy aftermarket cam!!! timing chain was off!!! Valve was hitting the piston!!! Happy New year!!!✌️
Glad you found your problem. Something tells me you wouldn’t put it back together til you did. 😮
Great recovery. Glad it was not too serious. Happy New year.
Happy New Year!
Way to be an honest man and show you “mess ups”. Rare these days.
Glad you found the problem and it wasn't serious. Makes you nauseous 😁
Yes it does
Wow sorry for ya troubles. You found the issue tho👍🏽😎🏁🏁🏁 Thats a win.
Honest mistake. Good man to own it. Thanks for bringing us along
Knock knocking on your back door John! Haha 😅
I'm jealous of your power steering!
Well, we're all human, so messing up is bound to happen. At least you aren't one of those "mechanics" who think their work is fault free, and it was the other person's fault. Mistakes do happen, and at least it was caught NOW rather than after the guy took possession of the car and had a piston go through the pan or something else like that. Being willing to double check everything is something I'm glad to see, because that's the sign of a good mechanic. I wish more mechanics did that, so we would have less of these "mechanical nightmares" and "just rolled in" videos.
Like a few here I too guessed wrist pin having just gone through that with a Datsun Roadster U20... fractured wrist pin in #3. No sound below 1800rpm, then tap tap Tap! Thanks to forged pistons it didn't blow up. Oversized pin and some machine work and we were good to go.
Cool. I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious even though I’m embarrassed to admit I screwed up. Lol
@@Shop209 Humility is an under-appreciated Strength! More people (especially politicians these days!) should demonstrate It! Be well, sunny side up!
your video is very informative.
I have a 383 stroker that is currently dinging the oil pan.
I am resigned to leave it as is for now.
If it’s severe it can push rod bearing into crank when it hits.
@@Shop209 roger that
Glad you found it!
Me and you both!
Thank you for all of the great Nova info. I enjoy watching you videos. One tip for possible video: Quarter glass runners, etc. Are there any cheaper option for fixing quarter glass that does not fit in the rails? Mine worksonly down, but not up. Gets stuck. The window tilts forward and jams in the front runner. The car is shown on my channel, all mint, except the quarter glass problems (both sides). Thanks for posting and hope you have time to do a window video ;) . Sincerely KB
I miss working on those old school 350's! I still have a couple of them sitting around my shop. Sadly, they're too old for my 96 Cheyenne. For what it's worth, you should consider a Felpro reusable one piece oil pan gasket.
That’s actually what I went back with. I used a stock style gasket that came with cheap kit the first time.
@@Shop209 Waste not, want not!
kudos to sir, good job to follow up
Just a FYI on a reverse rotation marine engine the pistons DO go in backwards if the pins have an off set.
I thought when you were hand cranking that motor over with no plugs in it, it looked too "tight". Did the crank spin freely, before you added the recpirocating parts?
Yes. The short block took 22ft lbs to rotate when I put it together. That’s about normal for a stock 5/64 ring piston. Keep in mind I was using a 3/8 ratchet to turn it.
Good job! pls keep at it!
I use a cheap kiddie pool from dollar store under engine on stand. Also works great for slipping under car for radiator work
I gave you a thumbs up just because you look at the camera lens and not the screen
Lol. That is so dang hard to do. I have a bunch of takes I have to do over because of that. Thanks for watching
I am really suprised that it coused you piston slap like it did? For the sake of not writing you a book im leaving many details out, but i put together a old ford 390 for my truck. I had a block that was given to me with pistons for the bores. It was bored .060 over. It had been put together & run but disassembled with not even 100 miles on it. I decided to try a build on it. Keep in mind i have stock pyled many parts so i already had parts. I did have the block shaved, the crank reground, and rods resized with arp bolts. But total i have less than a $1000 in the entire build including machine work. So there were areas i closed my eyes & crossed my fingers if your following. Not exactly recommended. But i checked piston to wall clearance. These are cast pistons, i had .006 to .007 piston to wall clearance! Again, fingers crossed! But they are good straight bores & like new pistons. I put it together. Pistons not backwards though. But it runs fantastic! It moves my 71 f100 4x4 shortbox with a granny 4spd to a 0-60 time in 7.6 seconds & with a easy lounch as to not break a output shaft a 1/4 mile in 15.3 sec at 95 mph! It has 4.11 gears so when i cross the finish she is wound up at 95mph!!! I dont get any piston slap. I have about 7k miles on it now.
Oh ya, its a 4700 lbs 4x4!!
I wonder if the fact that the FE engine has a longer rod than the sbc makes a difference?
Longer rod would would lessen side loading on piston for sure. I guess it depends on how much offset the pin has and also the wall clearance. I have ran cast pistons with .006-.007 clearance to and never had slap. It’s quiet now though. Thanks for watching!
It's called brain fart good thing you found before it went really bad ! Good job !
Sorry that went down like that. I wish i was doing engine work though. Cut the tail panel out of my 69 today in preperation for the trunk floor replacement.
Cool! Hope it goes well
Hang a second tarp or an old quilt or moving blanket over that plastic door opening to create an air pocket or just more insulation. Worth a try. Also maybe a milkhouse heater running all night to keep it over 45 at night.
I have heat. It actually stays pretty warm
i picked up a 73 ss nova with no engine in it with gauges on floor rust free good clean body for 50 bucks then got a 68 pu with a 396 in it for 85 bucks . my new thing is i picked up another 68 pu very clean body full chrome trim with a fresh 327 / 400 turbo for 1000 bucks then got a 6000 mile 450 hp 454 for free with a 02xx 400r turbo dropped it in and put a 850 with high rise it came alive when i did that right now i have 2000 in the truck but it is getting sweat has heated full electric leather seats full gauges with tach all factory all i have left to do is finish the interior and final paint i do have the dash looking better then new have rally wheels and a set of inkees for it wood floor in box oak wood i feel i did really good for only having 2000 in it. plus still have a perfect cab doors and long box with 3/4 ton frame with running gear for extra parts and the 327/400 turbo sitting which i can get my money back plus more if i need too then i ended up getting 3 more 454's with the 02xx trans. my friends call me the budget man because i put rigs together for next to nothing if not free. next project is a 79 z28 rs t top have 2 extra z28's for parts got everything to build it but paint all for free
@ 6:49 it looks like your bearing caps are not in order. The first is unmarked the center one has three punch marks the third has two marks.
I went back and looked. At 6:51 you can clearly see third cap has 3, second cap has two and you can see one punch mark on front cap. Lot of people don’t mark 4th cap since if other three are marked it doesn’t matter. I’ve seen guys that only mark center three since the front and rear cap don’t interchange.
Another interesting video - thanks man!
Nice video! Thanks for sharing!
I would have pulled the valve cover first and made sure that the valves were going up and down , then just took off the heads if the valves were OK
I did a lot of that before I decided to pull the engine. Readjusted valves, ran with belt off, disconnected torque converter to make sure it wasn’t transmission etc. I guess I could have mentioned that in the video. Lol
Been watching your videos for a while now. Purchased a 71’ Nova with a 307 powerglide. After going through the car found that all of the numbers match. Also came across the broadcast sheet tucked way up into the dash. Thought that was pretty cool. I have been able to decode most of the sheet but there are a few options I am having a hard time finding the meaning. Do you have any suggestions where one could find that information? Thanks and keep making great videos!
Cool! Try novaresource.org. Ton of info.
Thanks!
Anybody building multiple engines should build themselves a nice engine test stand. Way easier to diagnose and repair with the engine up at a comfortable height .
I have one. And a Dyno. I just broke this one in with open headers and couldn’t hear slap.
@@Shop209 I had mufflers.
I'm an older guy and built many engines myself and just did same thing /similar on a teryx sxs engine. Reused a clip in trans part and it bit me in the ass and had to redo it a few days after finishing it. All good life is life but I won't learn from it
Lol. I know the feeling.
Ive only built two sbc 350's in my life. I made zero mistakes.
This was many years ago before TH-cam or digital cameras.
What more proof fo you need?
Lol. This was actually the first mistake I e ever made.
@@Shop209 I lied. On my first engine, I buttoned up the oil pan thinking I'd drop in the oil pump drive shaft from the top side..... I didn't think about the coupler sleeve not fitting through the hole. 🫣
I realized that immediately and removed the pan before the sealer set up, then continued the next day.
That's how we learn best.
Nice! So if I understand correctly, the rear two pistons were installed backwards on their rods (rod chamfer was correct).
The kit comes with pistons all pressed on rods. It’s already balanced so the rods aren’t numbered, at least that I could find. You just have to pay attention to rod chamfer and pin offset. If the dot/mark is pointing forward pin offset is correct. So they weren’t installed backwards on rod. I just put them in wrong holes.
When I assemble an engine, I'll take a few pics at various stages. That way if there is an issue I can go back and look at the pics for anything out of the ordinary.
Man it's too cold around here for all that. I've been freezing in the mornings in Warner Robins at work on these cars.
Yeah. It’s been pretty miserable until about noon every day
Yeah you pretty much need to start the coffee, go to the shop and get the heater going while you eat some breakfast, then peel off the layers of shirts as the shop and you warm up these days. I don't know how yankees stand 4-5 months of cold icy snowy weather.
Why no garage doors ? Enjoy your show. Had a 1971 Chev Nova SS . White with black vinyl top and black interior.
Long story on doors. Lol. If I could stop buying cars maybe I’d have some by now.
great videos ! thx for sharing
From what you have said, it sounds like a piston or piston wrist pon hotting the cylinder wall.
Just piston slap from pin offset on wrong side.
@@Shop209 good job!
You're ok with nearly twice the piston to wall clearance recommendation? What other corners have you cut believing (oh, it shouldn't be too bad)?
Yes. I am. I cut a ton of corners on this car. It’s a budget car and real world. I’ve also built plenty of expensive engines and cars that didn’t get any corners cut.
At least you found it and it certainly could have been much worse.
I did the same on a 4 cylinder VW engine. Number 4 cylinder.
i had a motor in and out three time in one day running when i was 25 , im 2x25 now
Great video
Thanks!
I use a mechanics stethoscope to pin point engine noises. They work good, get one.
why didn't you drain the block ????
I’ve had those plugs on side of block break off a few times so I never try anymore. I have a drain pan but it was full so I just dumped it and cleaned up.
Engine sounds great! What cam package are you using?
It’s a Summit cam. Like 440 lift or something.
I have a gmc my o2 sensor is out sounds like something is lose or piston slap but it my o2 sensor 😂😂😂 very nice motor u have an it don't sound like a bad problem it almost sounds like something is lose
So were the bearing champhers in the correct orientation to the crank radius?
Yes. Apparently that’s what I was focused on when I was installing
I enjoy your videos. I'm reaching out. I have a 83 stock 350 small block. I want to put a rv cam in stage 2 lift 443-465 can heads remain stock
Thanks. I typically wouldn’t go over 450 lift with stock springs. If you have a way of checking the coil bind and pressure they might be ok though.
I remember doing that once. When I work for a engine shop But I did catch it before I put it all together. Oh well stuff happens.
What does groovy mean?🤔
Hey new guy to the nova community, was wondering what would be the best option for doors i cant find ones close to me. If i buy shells online i still need the guts to a door but then again i cant even find donor doors. What should i do?
I’m assuming it’s a 68-72? Try joining the nova Facebook groups to find someone that either has doors or guts near you or will ship.
if I said I know that feeling....EXACTLY that feeling when you see that dot on the back side........yeah....
Lol
is the bottom of a 2 door quarter panel behind the rear fender the same as a 4 door?
From the wheel back is same
Ok, I played the sound over and over and now paused the video to make a guess at the noise. It’s nothing I recognize as obvious or distinct like a rod knock. It sounds solid, not tin like that something hitting a cover would sound like. I’ve never heard of this before but right or wrong, I’m guessing a broken wrist pin. It’s an inconsistent sound. Alright, I’m going to watch now.
Ok, close enough!
Lol. I’m glad it wasn’t anything big.
According to that crackpot Uncle Tony, if you put the rods in backward it will give you more torque.
Yeah. It’s just like adding a 1.2hp shot of nitrous.
What would happen if you installed them all upside down? Noise go away?
I doubt it.
Mistakes happened man
on a 289 once it was knocking and I rebuilt the motor and it still was knocking and ended up being the fuel pump , the motor needed to be rebuilt anyway
One of the first things I checked was fuel pump. Lol
I always try to have mufflers on at initial fire up. Don't always, but usually. Glad it was simple. I've NEVER made a mistake (🤣🤣🐂🐂) but I understand that it happens! Lol
Lol this was my first mistake ever.
Must of been kinda late when installing those pistons.Or too many bruskies.😊
I thought for sure it was going to be a counterweight hitting the dipstick! 😊
I’ve had that happen before. Especially if the lower dipstick tube isn’t in block Usually not as loud as this was.
Is there a risk that running it like that may have caused some kind of damage? Love the channel, Happy New Year.🤓👍
Nope. I mic’d the pistons and they were good. Only damage is to my ego. Lol
Uncle Tony claims you gain power by flipping the pistons!🤔 His engine didn't sound like that though.😯 Good decision to correct it.😎👍
Yeah. If I ever need an extra 1.3 hp maybe I’d try it. Lol.
@@Shop209
Good one.🤣😂😁👍
Flywheel?????