I'm a big block guy so here are some tips: losen the head bolts with the rockers still tight. (You do have to remove 2 rockers to get access to 2 of the bolt). Work your way from the outside in. The spring pressure will help lift the head. The factory used steel gaskets and they can really stick. If you are trying to maintain some performance, use steel shim gaskets when you put them back on. Regular gaskets are about .020 thicker which reduces compression and quench. It was hard to tell, but i think I read "781" for the casting number. if so, those are about the best flowing oval port heads they made. That pancake intake will out perform aftermarket intakes below 4000 rpm. Those aftermarket rockers are a good move because they are a true 1.72 ratio and a lot of the factory stamped ones fall short of that.
Super easy to get the heads off where you're at. Loosen your lifters, pull your pushrods, and unbolt your head. Done easy. Just mark and label parts to each cylinder. Cardboard box and make holes draw out your engine and place it all in holes per cylinder. You can do it yourself, and that way you have time to look before getting help putting it back together. Keep your head up. You got this.
Thanks for the video. I need to rebuild a 454 mercruiser Magnum and your approach gives me confidence to get started. I rebuilt an Audi many years ago but for some reason this boat motor has been such a drag.
Mice derailing the engine build…. What? Nooo way. You got this. Pull the heads and assess. We’ll help you through it. You can google and RU-vid your way through it. Just mark everything so you can put it back.
I feel for you bud. Mice got into my 3/4 drive SK wrench and socket set. This was my dad’s set from the early 70’s. The mouse pee was so acidic I couldn’t read the size markings on the wrenches? If my dad was alive to see what happened to his wrenches under my care? I’d be in the hospital being treated for a broken ass!
I never pulled heads and reinstalled heads and it's pretty easy and I did that before RU-vid. Used the Hanes repair manual for Chevrolet V8. Put used heads on my truck and drove away and I did it in an apartment parking lot.
You were going to replace the heads anyways right? 😂 once they get into the cylinders, that’s the kiss of death to an engine. If you can get a Gen 6 454 they have roller cams and better heads, an L21 454 out of a medium duty truck is roller cam and all forged lower end, could be a blessing in disguise, keep up the good work!
Wish I was there to help you. When I was young my dad would always have me teardown any motor he was about to rebuild. So I would tear them down and clean all the parts, lay them all out on sheets of cardboard and lable anything that needed so.
I know the feeling . I had a 74 Chevy c30 that had a running 454 I was going to put in my pro street 70 Elcamino . Truck ran and drove , parked it and by the time I pulled it out a few years later it was seized . Ended up with some water in a cylinder that rusted that cylinder . Cars still sitting in my shop . Been almost 24 years and still haven’t drove it lol
Yikes, I was on pins and needles waiting for critters to leap out as you pulled parts off! When a hurricane flooded the lower parts of our property, rats moved upland and into my GMC Sierra and overnight chewed up the wiring. Hang in, you'll find a way - improvise, adapt and overcome!
Sucks that mice got into that engine. Go grab robs runner bring it in pull the intake check the heads build one badass big block from the two and the parts you ordered. Big ole cam, a good intake and good ignition and that chevelle would be scooting in no time. Had an 80s 454 with 396 heads, .600” lift cam, torker intake, 750 carb and accel super hei made 500hp 550ftlb in my mud bogger
Keep the 454 as a paper weight... Just go ls or lm7 turbo'd or blown less weight way more power.. lets see if we can get the front wheels off the floor off the line LoL 😂.. keep safe amd keep the vids coming.. huge respect from the UK England...
I found the cotton seat cushion material in my ford truck packed underneath the intake manifold. Someone removed the crankcase breather, that's how they got in.
I'm using the Rogue Fab and pretty happy with it- fwiw, if that might help with decisions. Opps, i guess you said you "have one on the way", not:, "need to get one on the way". sorry dude.
