The GM52 Funco Hustler clone conversion

What doesn't kill ya makes you stronger - I guess ... - It still sucks, but a Grease Monkey knows as well as anyone that if its mechanical it will break.  Just sometimes timing blows -sorry man...

 
We're guessing it's a head gasket. Won't know more until we can get together. Our schedules are busy that's for sure.

 
Once upon a time I got a motor back from a fresh rebuild.  We had upped the compression and a few other things, and it made great power.  But, within a day I got a ticking/knocking and back to the builder it went.  Cracked sleeve.  I can't really blame the builder, because I had brought them that block (sleeved LS2 block out at like 4.185") which had already been through hell.  That said, the cylinder walls were supposedly sonic checked for thickness and of course also checked for cracking.  It's hard to even remember all the rebuilds, but I believe it was directly after that when I sprung for that builder's new fancy block (rebranded RHS) and had them rebuild it once again that it started huffing white smoke within one trip.  Back it went, and supposedly everything checked out... no blown head gaskets, cylinder walls all good, I thought maybe it was a crack in a head since the head castings themselves had lived through a good half a dozen iterations of that motor.  But in the end, I was told one of the decks wasn't square.  Still not sure how much I believe that, since a) it was a brand new block, wouldn't it have gone out for machine work including ensuring the decks were square b) if that was the cause, why did they say there were no signs of a blown head gasket or coolant making it from water jack to combustion chamber?  Of course, I have no better theory, other than maybe somebody forgot to make the last pass torqueing one of the heads or something.  

Anyway, been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.  I'm sure John will get it worked out, but total bummer when it ruins a trip you've been waiting for so long.

-TJ
 

 
tjZ06 said:
Once upon a time I got a motor back from a fresh rebuild.  We had upped the compression and a few other things, and it made great power.  But, within a day I got a ticking/knocking and back to the builder it went.  Cracked sleeve.  I can't really blame the builder, because I had brought them that block (sleeved LS2 block out at like 4.185") which had already been through hell.  That said, the cylinder walls were supposedly sonic checked for thickness and of course also checked for cracking.  It's hard to even remember all the rebuilds, but I believe it was directly after that when I sprung for that builder's new fancy block (rebranded RHS) and had them rebuild it once again that it started huffing white smoke within one trip.  Back it went, and supposedly everything checked out... no blown head gaskets, cylinder walls all good, I thought maybe it was a crack in a head since the head castings themselves had lived through a good half a dozen iterations of that motor.  But in the end, I was told one of the decks wasn't square.  Still not sure how much I believe that, since a) it was a brand new block, wouldn't it have gone out for machine work including ensuring the decks were square b) if that was the cause, why did they say there were no signs of a blown head gasket or coolant making it from water jack to combustion chamber?  Of course, I have no better theory, other than maybe somebody forgot to make the last pass torqueing one of the heads or something.  

Anyway, been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.  I'm sure John will get it worked out, but total bummer when it ruins a trip you've been waiting for so long.

-TJ
 
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yep  i hear you.  this motor had no internal work done to it from us.  it was all cosmetic and prepping for a new ecu, etc

a single cam was replaced because our ecu requires factory sensors and this was a motor and ecu from another builder and they made their own sensor and trigger on the factory cam.  oil pan was removed for inspection inside and the timing cover and that's it. heads, head studs and all of the lower end are from the motor build in 2019.  it got here and we are working on it

 
John@Outfront said:
yep  i hear you.  this motor had no internal work done to it from us.  it was all cosmetic and prepping for a new ecu, etc

a single cam was replaced because our ecu requires factory sensors and this was a motor and ecu from another builder and they made their own sensor and trigger on the factory cam.  oil pan was removed for inspection inside and the timing cover and that's it. heads, head studs and all of the lower end are from the motor build in 2019.  it got here and we are working on it
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To be clear, I wasn't trying to put it on you.  I was just saying I can relate to GM's situation, not that my situation was identical (in my case, internal work *was* done before I got the motor back both times). 

-TJ

 
Ok, John figured out what side to start on. Compression test showed the center cylinder at 130 psi against all the others at 180psi.  This was good news to me this morning. Lower compression not lost compression can be a good thing with the symptoms it had. 

John got the head off this afternoon and there it was. Blown head gasket.  The block and copper fire deck ring appear to be fine. 

Now we pull the drivers side head and give it a look. 

Going to upgrade the head studs one more level from what they are. This will allow them to torque the heads down a tad more.  Nothing wrong with more clamping force. 

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Kraut_n_Rice said:
Deck the heads and fresh gaskets?  Or was the block damaged too?
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Block has been o ringed. Copper wire inlay  into the block at the top of each cylinder. Block look good. Heads appear good and will be checked.  Hoping for just head gaskets.

 
Grease Monkey said:
Block has been o ringed. Copper wire inlay  into the block at the top of each cylinder. Block look good. Heads appear good and will be checked.  Hoping for just head gaskets.
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Well, at least that's pretty good news.  

-TJ

 
Grease Monkey said:
Block has been o ringed. Copper wire inlay  into the block at the top of each cylinder. Block look good. Heads appear good and will be checked.  Hoping for just head gaskets.
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If everything is "square" that will be good news  - fast fix - I hope you are using new copper wire - been down the path on Blown Big Blocks, I wish they had a few more head bolts... Always ran either and MLS gasket or dead soft copper head gasket with o rings  (and lots of water sealer - the down side of copper gaskets) but its worth it to "push" the boost - I hope its done soon 

 
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