# 455 valve lash...



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

used wallace racings instructions for setting hyd lash on valves ran through sequence twice to make sure, while hand cranking i can hear the SWOOSH of the compression out of the plug holes (permagrin) and everything seems smooth with no loose rockers, question i have is every second revolution of the crank i hear a noise in the front of the engine, is this the fuel pump actuator arm i am hearing, plan on taking water pump cover back off tommorrow to see if i can track it down.


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## dimitri (Feb 13, 2009)

Are you sure it's not a lifter bleeding down? Before you take the timing cover off, remove the fuel pump, bar the eng and see if it is still making the noise.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

don't believe so Dimitri, wash making sound before i adjusted the push rods snug and there is no slop on any of the rocker arms throughout the crank rotation, brushed out and lubed all the lifter bores and made sure every one dropped in the bore freely before sealing it up. off to pop the gas pump to see if i can track it down. then the water pump cover to put in bushing gaskets i forgot (DUUUUHHHHH!!!)....lol


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Good looking engine! Love the aircleaner.
Good luck on the noise, no idea. Guess when you get the front off you can still turn it over and see if the noise is still there, then just put a piece back on and turn it over again. Is it a click, crackle, pop or what?
I had the front on and off mine a few times before I got it right. The water pump thread has good info about the diverter plate and seals, don't forget the new seals.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

thats my plan Jet, troubleshooting 101, KISS (keep it simple stupid), small things first know my rotating assembly was operating smooth as silk before attaching pumps. Thanks for the compliment, the cleaner hooks up to dual Cold Air Intake which will run directly to radiator support right behind grilles (Poor mans Ram Air) and no need for the 400.00 GTO hood, am moving battery to trunk for clean look and symmetrical piping.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Most of the ram air 66/7 hoods arent' functional anyway, and too low in the airstream to actually get a ram air affect. I think the only one that actually worked was the Challenger TA hood as it was higher off the hood. In my travels I have found that holes in the hood means that when you wash the car, you have to dry and detail the engine.
It may be the fuel pump acentrik? on the front of the cam may be binding under load if you didn't lube it, just a thought.. It is a 2 piece design, you do have the inner and outer installed?:confused


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

nail on the head Jet....forgot to coat it with assembly lube and i was hearing the fuel arm drag across the eccentric...now for the water pump bushing gaskets, better now than when in the car...have a good one


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Just fire it up and be done with it!!! (GREAT looking engine, BTW)


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

well after close observation the noise was my high vulume gas pump sucking air through the inlet and whistling (heaven help my sunoco card). LOL Gee, first engine build so i guess i am a little paranoid, just want to make sure i did everything "by the book" so i am not troubleshooting when i go to fire it. and thanks, think i did pretty well for a budget build


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Awesome looking motor! I expect some video when you fire it up, now....

Bear


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

thanks bear, you got it, sent you a private message, wondering if you might throw the specs into your software and tell me what numbers i can expect.

455 +.030
forged TRW flat tops with re-conditioned stock rods and arp studs
6x-4 heads, three angle valve job, skirted valves, bronze seats with .062 titan copper gaskets
1:50 comp cams roller rockers, guide plates, hardened push rods, and hyd lifters
N crank .020/.020 polished and chamfered
stock windage tray
clevite 77 bearings
Lunati cam 307a2
# Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 276/286
# Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 221/230
# Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .454/.454
# LSA/ICL: 112/106
Mr. Gasket high volume fuel pump
Cloyes double roller timing chain
Melling high volume oil pump
edelbrock performer manifold w/ E -750 carb1 
1 7/8" primary headers into 2.5" dual exhaust down to 2.25 after axles
built TH 350 with stage two shift kit and 2700 RPM stall converter
plans are for 12 bolt posi with 3:23 - 3:55 gear

may not be fired up for another month as i have to finish some drivetrain details but i will get a vid for you as soon as i do.

thanks,
Brian


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Instg8ter said:


> thanks bear, you got it, sent you a private message, wondering if you might throw the specs into your software and tell me what numbers i can expect.
> 
> 455 +.030
> forged TRW flat tops with re-conditioned stock rods and arp studs
> ...


Hey Brian, I "ran" your engine. I had to make some assumptions about compression ratio and cylihnder head flow rates, so I just used a best guess. I used 9.3:1 for compression. Head flow is tougher to guess at, and that also has a big effect on the results so if I missed by a lot on that, then these results will be off by a lot also...

The general "shape" of the torque/power curve and also the idle vacuum ought to be pretty close though. This motor's going to be VERY fun to drive on the street and will also make enough vacuum for power brakes. It might benefit above 4400 rpm from a little from more than 750 cfm on carburetion, but with stock rods - even reconditioned ones - I'd definitely put a hard never-exceed redline on it of around 5400 rpm. From 3000 to 5000 this thing's definitely going to stretch your neck. At the track with 3800 lbs including driver, mid 12's are possible if you can get it to hook. It's not going to need a lot of gear to get there, either.

Anyway, here's how it came out:
View attachment Brian462.txt


Bear


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

thanks bear right in the range i was shooting for, put the thick gaskets on to give myself a little headroom on CR (no pun intended). the heads are not ported or milled, block is zero deck, don't plan on beating it up so 5400 redline is what i expected, was shooting for 430/500+ in a useable curve for the street appreciate this and all the other help you have given, directly and indirectly from other posts. more of them 69's i see the more i want one next....lol, can't wait to see that monster of yours in a black tuxedo, will be a head turner two blocks before you get there.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Instg8ter said:


> thanks bear right in the range i was shooting for, put the thick gaskets on to give myself a little headroom on CR (no pun intended). the heads are not ported or milled, block is zero deck, don't plan on beating it up so 5400 redline is what i expected, was shooting for 430/500+ in a useable curve for the street appreciate this and all the other help you have given, directly and indirectly from other posts. more of them 69's i see the more i want one next....lol, can't wait to see that monster of yours in a black tuxedo, will be a head turner two blocks before you get there.


Highly encourage you to cc those heads yourself to find out the actual volume, and also measure the valve reliefs in the pistons. You might be close with the gaskets you have. Generally, going to thicker gaskets is not a good idea because it kills quench area, and losing that quench-induced turbulence can lead to hot spots in the chamber actually making the motor more prone to detonate. Don't sacrifice quench unless you don't have any other options. Measure your deck height too. I just ran your motor through my CR spreasheet, and with 4.18"X4.21", 87cc chambers, 6 cc's in the pistons, .020 deck, and .062 gaskets it worked out t o 9.498:1. If there's enough meat on the piston tops to allow for cutting 12 cc's of D-shaped dish (including the valve reliefs) that'll put you at 9.335:1 with .045 gaskets, but you'll have MUCH better quench area, turbulence, and combustion efficiency. 87 cc's is the "nomnal" size for 6x-4's but they do vary - if yours happen to be bigger than that you might be "home" already. Better yet - if those TRW's you have are still new/unused, you might think about returning them for a refund and getting something like these. Run .045 compressed thickness head gaskets. You'll be at 9.114:1 if your deck height is the "usual" Pontiac .020, 9.44:1 if you "zero-deck" it, and will have excellent quench area. Of course it all depends on your budget and situation --- just food for thought.

Bear

Bear


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## Mwhit13 (Jul 7, 2021)

BearGFR said:


> Highly encourage you to cc those heads yourself to find out the actual volume, and also measure the valve reliefs in the pistons. You might be close with the gaskets you have. Generally, going to thicker gaskets is not a good idea because it kills quench area, and losing that quench-induced turbulence can lead to hot spots in the chamber actually making the motor more prone to detonate. Don't sacrifice quench unless you don't have any other options. Measure your deck height too. I just ran your motor through my CR spreasheet, and with 4.18"X4.21", 87cc chambers, 6 cc's in the pistons, .020 deck, and .062 gaskets it worked out t o 9.498:1. If there's enough meat on the piston tops to allow for cutting 12 cc's of D-shaped dish (including the valve reliefs) that'll put you at 9.335:1 with .045 gaskets, but you'll have MUCH better quench area, turbulence, and combustion efficiency. 87 cc's is the "nomnal" size for 6x-4's but they do vary - if yours happen to be bigger than that you might be "home" already. Better yet - if those TRW's you have are still new/unused, you might think about returning them for a refund and getting something like these. Run .045 compressed thickness head gaskets. You'll be at 9.114:1 if your deck height is the "usual" Pontiac .020, 9.44:1 if you "zero-deck" it, and will have excellent quench area. Of course it all depends on your budget and situation --- just food for thought.
> 
> Bear
> 
> Bear


Bear, i would like to pick your brain when i get all my numbers gathered up. If you dont mind..


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Sure, I'll be happy to share


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## Mwhit13 (Jul 7, 2021)

I appreciate you taking the time to help out. I recently came into a 65 GTO, and as the weather here in the midwest doesn't allow me to get it out I thought I would take the time to clean it up. I pulled the motor and striped everything down to repaint. I can never leave well enough alone so I decided to see what I had as far as parts and performance in the engine. I was given a pair of Edelbrock Performer heads that had been milled down quite a lot and was told they would really wake the 455 up. Just not sure if I have the right applications to do so. 
So I have a 71' 455 that's .030 over. 
Best measurements I could muster with tools I had
Bore Dia-4.185
Stroke -4.227
Piston dish- 45cc
Original head gasket measured around .035 in the crushed areas, .045 in the not. 
Deck height or quench..? I want to say its a zero deck height or just slightly under. From what I gathered I'm around 8:1
The aluminum heads are 60cc, by the way. 
I guess I'm trying to get the most out of the motor I can while still being able to use pump gas. 93oct is pretty readily available. The car was used for racing so I'm pretty confident it has good rods and pistons. 

Thank you for you time, I do appreciate it.


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## Mwhit13 (Jul 7, 2021)

Original heads were Pontiac #12 cast.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Mwhit13 said:


> Original heads were Pontiac #12 cast.


Just plug your numbers into the compression calculator and it should answer your question?



Compression Ratio Calculator - Wallace Racing


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## Mwhit13 (Jul 7, 2021)

Wow. Thanks a lot.


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