Blowthrough build repeat.

WarWagon

Caustic Cacophony
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Pending the lost data return..
In Sept 2020 this machine made a couple 10 sec passes on that 109 block. Later in 2020 I found a crack in cylinder #1 and started collecting parts again. I built a different .030 over 109 block in early 2021 to keep on testing. Then in late May I broke my ankle and wrist, while healing/dealing with my broken body I missed a slipping TV cable bracket on the Buick and now the 2004r trans needs rebuilt. I think it has been in the car for 8 years now, it wasn't quite ready to be pulled yet but that slip sped things up.
It is pulled and ready to go back to Extreme Automatics next week, I'm going to just drive there and drop it off this time.
 
Ready to be installed! I made a trip to Extreme Automatics on the 25th picked up the refreshed trans. I want to upgrade the breathers, I bought two 12an baffled vacuum fittings/hose to install in the TA valve covers. Pictures of those parts when they arrive.
 
Spent this weekend getting this machine back together and running. Weather is bad for testing this week but in the meantime I'll get these small upgrades on still waiting on two fittings.
 
I did a quick fit up and test of this vent system, it's going to work good after I smooth the inside casting roughness to fix a small oil leak. These came with a flat washer for the o ring to seal on but I needed the clearance and left it out on this try. I might do this same thing to the right bank valve cover but the clearance is worse as my charge pipe is directly over that port, I got a 90* 12AN for that and still might not work. I don't really have a place to add engine oil right now got to solve that. Also these 12AN push/twist on hoses/fittings are hard for me to build I can only get the hose to 2nd rib.
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I have only installed one vent adapter at this time, testing hasn't happened with rain. After much work and same results with the 12AN hose being hard to work with I have it's coming off and I'll use standard 3/4" ID reinforced hose for the connections.
Asia manufacturer but the quality and price of this baffled catch can is unbeatable. 3L capacity, twin 12AN inlets, twin 10AN stainless doubled o ring baffled breather elements. I did a quick fab of a bracket to hold it in space.
 

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I'll be tearing down this great running engine soon unfortunately, this New engine got hurt in 2021 a about a week before I hurt the trans too. I was trying to just run it as is this year since I missed all 2021 but the engine is blowing too much oil and crankcase pressure to be safe.
I know exactly what did it: street hit high boost 93/alky and alky did not spray. I had upgraded my boost gauge to see what it actually is now and it was too late when I noticed no alky light on.
It took that hit with just 93 fuel, I'll have e my guess that it's a cracked or burned piston or piston rings that is the current culprit. Repeat and do it again, this engine is running really good even hurt and it sucks haha.
 
Sorry about the break.
This project has been going awhile, cool stuff along the way.
If you get board a detailed summary timeline would be cool to review the history.
 
Never tested anything with my tools and the engine still in the car, tore it apart there so this is an on going visual inspection. Everything mostly looks new or as used as it was when I built this block. The one thing that stood out was cylinder 1 piston was really clean versus the other pistons. Started right there and it's very subtle but the piston is not melted but has distortion, the top ring tight on gap but spins free in groove while the 2nd ring is pinched in it's groove but still wider than top ring, oil rings seem ok.
I only have the one piston out inspecting right now and it definitely is a problem, I'll get the rest out and check. Replace one or six? Find out soon LOL
 

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The top ring is only moving cuz the piston is distorted slightly. It has the lowest miles ever but still the first time I haven't seen the moly just blown out of the top ring on the big 5/64th rings.
 
Teardown finished and I glad I bought the new slugs.
Started on cylinder 2 and it's back! Pic1 The moly missing on the top ring that was really the only one like that.
Cylinder 3 was good.
Cylinder 4 was really bad and main problem now pic2. Melted in/under under the top ring through the 2nd ring land and cracked it too.
Cylinder 5 was second worst pic3&4 cracked piston clear to the pin and the top ring is spinning and has no gap like welded together.
Cylinder 6 was good.
 

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New pistons and rings in my possession I need to get the rods swapped this weekend. I definitely will be double checking what the ring gap is on the new rings. I might of had it too tight the first time but I also know it got very hot in there so an extra 2 or 3 thousands might happen.
All this from my fuel choice and not paying attention before I made a hit.
 
I hung the rods on the new pistons and I'll check or redo two of them tonight I'm not happy with pin fitment.
I checked the top ring gap out of the box @ .020 and barely a .021 gauge goes in the gap if I push it. That's what gap I left them at last year when I put this together, now I think I should bump it up to .023
I plan on running a lot of boost on 93/alky again.
 
Much learned this week and too bad I didn't learn it in 2021. Searching here and the web I found the info, I have been definitely using the wrong ring gaps for what I'm doing. I have to run a larger gap on the 2nd ring vs the top .0024-.0025 for the top and .0026-.0027 for the 2nd.
Houseofspeed posted this similar info in a different thread & I thank this site and a Speedpro instruction manual I read for getting smarter.
 
Thanks, all is going well but slow the last two weeks but I'm back on it. I need to flip the rod on #2 again lol I put it on backwards when I had it apart last week. I meant to have this built and running by end of June, let's push that back 1 week.
 
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