The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 132,000 454

I just bought a 1974 454 with 132,000 miles on it. Actually I bought the whole truck as a donor for installation of the engine in my 1972 4wd 3/4 ton pickup. Both trucks have auto transmissions. The engine runs but has not been used for last 3 years. Oil on the dipstick had brownish specks about the size of a pencil point. How do I tell the difference between sludge and metal specks? Most of the mileage on this truck has been around town hauling gravel and granite. What would be prudent improvements to consider for this engine? I will haul horses on the highway at about 2800 to 3100 rpm and crawl up to trail heads. Probably put 2500 miles a year on. Thanks from Coupe in Montana.

Coupe,

If the little flecks stick to a magnet their probably metal.

You might drain some oil and strain it through a cloth to get a better look. If they are metal from your bearing inserts, they may not pick up with a magnet.

If it were mine and the engine did not knock and had good oil pressure I would put on a new timing chain, re-set the timing, change the oil and install the engine.

Even for a Chevy, 132K is a lot of miles. Did you run a compression check or leakdown test? I'd be inclined to pull the heads and do a valve job at least. Then you can check the bores and decide if it needs rings, too.
Performance? There's a ton of stuff out there. Given it's a 1974, you probably have low-compression heads (for smog) so either different heads or different pistons are an option. And get a cam designed for towing, etc.
Just my two cents' worth....

George
'53 3600

The brown spects turned out to be rust. We tore the block apart , on acount of some unpleasent noises, and found two cylinders with light scoring. We will bore it out 20 thousands. Both exhaust manifolds are cracked and I'm wondering about using sanderson cast headers . Wouldn't like to buy factory and have them crack. Any opinions out there? I'm also wondering what compression ratio to seek since I have to buy new pistons. The cam will be chosen for low end power. Ant suggestions? Many thanks for the help.

The brown spects turned out to be rust. We tore the block apart , on acount of some unpleasent noises, and found two cylinders with light scoring. We will bore it out 20 thousands. Both exhaust manifolds are cracked and I'm wondering about using sanderson cast headers . Wouldn't like to buy factory and have them crack. Any opinions out there? I'm also wondering what compression ratio to seek since I have to buy new pistons. The cam will be chosen for low end power. Ant suggestions? Many thanks for the help.

I'd go with 9:1, unless decent gas is a problem in your area. "How to Hotrod Big Block Chevys" from HP books is a good place to start.

A 1974-vintage motor was built as a 'smog' motor; i.e. very low compression and not much cam. It'll have big combustion chambers, so you'll need at least flat-top pistons and maybe even a slight bump on them. I'd run factory cast-iron headers, if it was me. They're quiet, durable, and you should be able to find a set cheap at a swap meet.

As for a cam, get some name-brand one that's designed for pulling/RV use in non-emissions motors. It should be enough cam to make HP, but not so much as to kill low-end power.

Good luck!
George