What is the best engine for my Chevelle?

[L78fanatic]

I'm not saying I didn't like the motor I loved the sound of the solid lifters but I had a hard time keeping it together as did a few other guys in my area. I think the dealer had the car more than I did during the year I owned it. I even had one of the mechanics that ran a dealer sponsored 69 Camaro at the drags tell me if you were the only one blowing these motors you would have lost your warrantee long ago. He said people were blowing up these motors all over the country. The car started out being totally gone over body wise for flaws with a full paint job that was authorized by the factory Rep. As far as the motor went I think the short block was replaced 3 times with 2-1/2 sets of heads replaced too. The problem these motors were having is that the valves would shear the keepers and suck the valves into the cylinder. A friend of mine took me over to a guys house that had a 68 375hp car that he dragged also and we told him the problems I was having with the motors and he said go buy a set of titanium retainers and see if the dealer would put them in seeing the car was in having another motor replaced anyways. This guy knew what he was talking about because after changing the retainers it never blew a engine again. He said the problem was the valve train was too heavy which was helping the keepers to shear and then sucking the valves into the motor. After going thru that many motors and knowing others were doing the same it made me a little gun shy to want to own another BB.

I get that. The only weakness I was aware of on my '67 was the valve springs on the L78...they just couldn't handle the torque and revs of that engine! I broke at least two springs that I remember for certain. I carried a valve spring kit with me at all times....changed a couple on the side of the road! I was young but I absolutely could "hear" the spring go each time and immediately shut the engine down! Other than that my engine was extremely strong! The kid I sold it to likely destroyed it within the first week or so of ownership! I just hope he lived! A good friend of mine bought a '69 SS and he blew the engine, so Chevrolet replaced it under warranty....he got a call and the service manager said somethinjg like, "We are out of replacements, but we do have a new 427 here if you will accept that instead?".....Well, let me think about it, he said....uh sure go right ahead! LOL! And yes, there was nothing like the sound of the solid lifters on the L78 engine...only thing better was when Mickey Thompson Super Scavenger Headers were added!!!

 

[hkalin]

I get that. The only weakness I was aware of on my '67 was the valve springs on the L78...they just couldn't handle the torque and revs of that engine! I broke at least two springs that I remember for certain. I carried a valve spring kit with me at all times....changed a couple on the side of the road! I was young but I absolutely could "hear" the spring go each time and immediately shut the engine down! Other than that my engine was extremely strong! The kid I sold it to likely destroyed it within the first week or so of ownership! I just hope he lived! A good friend of mine bought a '69 SS and he blew the engine, so Chevrolet replaced it under warranty....he got a call and the service manager said somethinjg like, "We are out of replacements, but we do have a new 427 here if you will accept that instead?".....Well, let me think about it, he said....uh sure go right ahead! LOL! And yes, there was nothing like the sound of the solid lifters on the L78 engine...only thing better was when Mickey Thompson Super Scavenger Headers were added!!!

At one point my car was put in the corner of the garage at the dealer because it took a month to get a new motor for it. Also my friend that I was talking about that I went over to the guys house that told us about the titanium retainers both he and myself ended up getting drafted when they went to the lottery draft. We both were getting Deferments for being Toolmakers but when they went to the lottery style draft we both got low numbers and got drafted almost immediately. At that point I had my Nova and put it up on blocks in the garage but my friend had decided to sell his 68 Chevelle SS that was a very quick car back then. When the kid came to look at the car his father was there and told the kid I hope you can handle the car because I've been out in it and it's very quick. Two weeks later he hit a bridge abutment real hard on the front drivers side and got killed instantly. We went to see the car and it was mangelled. The only thing both my friend and me got out of being drafted, me for having high blood pressure which I had all my life and him because once you got drafted under the lottery draft they had so long to call you up and if they didn't do it in that time span you got out of it.

 

[L78fanatic]

At one point my car was put in the corner of the garage at the dealer because it took a month to get a new motor for it. Also my friend that I was talking about that I went over to the guys house that told us about the titanium retainers both he and myself ended up getting drafted when they went to the lottery draft. We both were getting Deferments for being Toolmakers but when they went to the lottery style draft we both got low numbers and got drafted almost immediately. At that point I had my Nova and put it up on blocks in the garage but my friend had decided to sell his 68 Chevelle SS that was a very quick car back then. When the kid came to look at the car his father was there and told the kid I hope you can handle the car because I've been out in it and it's very quick. Two weeks later he hit a bridge abutment real hard on the front drivers side and got killed instantly. We went to see the car and it was mangelled. The only thing both my friend and me got out of being drafted, me for having high blood pressure which I had all my life and him because once you got drafted under the lottery draft they had so long to call you up and if they didn't do it in that time span you got out of it.

Wow!!! I was #10 in the first draft lottery! I had a derferment but my whole world seemed upside down due to that & college. Sold my car and went into the Army Reserves, then finished my college while in the Reserves. I was engaged and my future wife was a farmers daughter....it really makes me mad that I didn’t just store my Chevelle in a barn while I was on active duty! Oh well, so it goes! I know I wasn’t the only one who went through that crap back then....I know you get it too! Glad you made it through!

 

[L78fanatic]

Checo,

Sorry to sort of hi-jack your thread...but, it's good to chat about the old days (therapy!)

John

 

[kmakar]

Checo,

Sorry to sort of hi-jack your thread...but, it's good to chat about the old days (therapy!)

John

Don't apologize John, that's why this site is here. All respectful dialog is welcome.

 

[Nashville Cat]

I'm not saying I didn't like the motor I loved the sound of the solid lifters but I had a hard time keeping it together as did a few other guys in my area. I think the dealer had the car more than I did during the year I owned it. I even had one of the mechanics that ran a dealer sponsored 69 Camaro at the drags tell me if you were the only one blowing these motors you would have lost your warrantee long ago. He said people were blowing up these motors all over the country. The car started out being totally gone over body wise for flaws with a full paint job that was authorized by the factory Rep. As far as the motor went I think the short block was replaced 3 times with 2-1/2 sets of heads replaced too. The problem these motors were having is that the valves would shear the keepers and suck the valves into the cylinder. A friend of mine took me over to a guys house that had a 68 375hp car that he dragged also and we told him the problems I was having with the motors and he said go buy a set of titanium retainers and see if the dealer would put them in seeing the car was in having another motor replaced anyways. This guy knew what he was talking about because after changing the retainers it never blew a engine again. He said the problem was the valve train was too heavy which was helping the keepers to shear and then sucking the valves into the motor. After going thru that many motors and knowing others were doing the same it made me a little gun shy to want to own another BB.

It's so easy to build a 489+ BBC that you don't have to rpm very high to go fast. 5800 rpm with a 489 = smiles.
That's also why I love the ZZ502 camshaft which is perfect to shift below 6000 rpm. I think that's what you have in your BBC right now ?

 

[hkalin]

Wow!!! I was #10 in the first draft lottery! I had a derferment but my whole world seemed upside down due to that & college. Sold my car and went into the Army Reserves, then finished my college while in the Reserves. I was engaged and my future wife was a farmers daughter....it really makes me mad that I didn’t just store my Chevelle in a barn while I was on active duty! Oh well, so it goes! I know I wasn’t the only one who went through that crap back then....I know you get it too! Glad you made it through!

I was 86 or 87 in the lottery. When I went for the physical as long as you passed it you left on the bus that day for boot camp. Because they detected the high blood pressure they sent me home and said they would call me back in about 2 weeks for a retest. The company I worked for said to stay out till they called me back to be retested. After waiting about a month I finally went back to work and then I got the notice to go back to be retested. Failed it again and was classified 4F. In that time period my friend got out to so we both ended up going back to work.

 

[cage2592]

I like the LS/LT 's but not for a classic. If I had a newer 80/90's (92 IROC or 86 Malibu Wagon, 86 Monte) id go the LS/LT Turbo route. As discussed, great engines but are lacking without a supercharger or turbo. I'll stick with my high HP/TQ SBC's or TQ monster 454's for the classics. I find a lot of people over look the advances in the Trans and gear department. Both of those go a long way in taming big engines. Things not considered 20 or 30 yrs ago like running high gears in high HP. Everyone wanted 3.73 minimum and 4.56's. Or now since the Supercharges and Turbos littering the car world is just as good for older SB/BB's.

Then there's these insane high HP/TQ engines everyone wants for the 'Street'. Apparently most these kids have never driven one and think they are going to get a 700hp to hook an the street. Some do, but its a lot more give (give up street manners) than take (Race car). I see more street losses from 600+ cars than anything. A nice driving 550-600hp SBC street engine with a little feather to hook, all day long ! Add in a nice HWY gear, you're good to 160-170mph.

 

[Von]

I'm not saying I didn't like the motor I loved the sound of the solid lifters but I had a hard time keeping it together as did a few other guys in my area. I think the dealer had the car more than I did during the year I owned it. I even had one of the mechanics that ran a dealer sponsored 69 Camaro at the drags tell me if you were the only one blowing these motors you would have lost your warrantee long ago. He said people were blowing up these motors all over the country. The car started out being totally gone over body wise for flaws with a full paint job that was authorized by the factory Rep. As far as the motor went I think the short block was replaced 3 times with 2-1/2 sets of heads replaced too. The problem these motors were having is that the valves would shear the keepers and suck the valves into the cylinder. A friend of mine took me over to a guys house that had a 68 375hp car that he dragged also and we told him the problems I was having with the motors and he said go buy a set of titanium retainers and see if the dealer would put them in seeing the car was in having another motor replaced anyways. This guy knew what he was talking about because after changing the retainers it never blew a engine again. He said the problem was the valve train was too heavy which was helping the keepers to shear and then sucking the valves into the motor. After going thru that many motors and knowing others were doing the same it made me a little gun shy to want to own another BB.

I remember the few local L78 '69's in my small home town back then also had the same problem you described. Dropped valves. It was sometimes caused in the manual trans cars by the horrible Muncie shifter. Hanging up between gears and resulting in over revving. I had an L78 '70 Nova automatic and the only problem it had was one broken valve spring but luckily no other damage.

 

[hkalin]

Yeah, my car had a rock crusher in it along with 4:10s from the factory. There was one time I just had the car in because of the ticking and they were able to replace the valve keepers before it sucked the valve. That same night it started ticking again but this time it did suck the valve and it was time for a new motor again. Even in my area there were others that were sucking valves too.

 

[KwikSS]

I get that. The only weakness I was aware of on my '67 was the valve springs on the L78...they just couldn't handle the torque and revs of that engine! I broke at least two springs that I remember for certain. I carried a valve spring kit with me at all times....changed a couple on the side of the road! I was young but I absolutely could "hear" the spring go each time and immediately shut the engine down! Other than that my engine was extremely strong! The kid I sold it to likely destroyed it within the first week or so of ownership! I just hope he lived! A good friend of mine bought a '69 SS and he blew the engine, so Chevrolet replaced it under warranty....he got a call and the service manager said somethinjg like, "We are out of replacements, but we do have a new 427 here if you will accept that instead?".....Well, let me think about it, he said....uh sure go right ahead! LOL! And yes, there was nothing like the sound of the solid lifters on the L78 engine...only thing better was when Mickey Thompson Super Scavenger Headers were added!!!

Valve springs were an issue on the big blocks in the early production days period. I had the roadside valve spring swap down to a science. It wasn't just the L78, it was the 360 horse piece and likely the 325 horse piece as well.

 

[KwikSS]

Alan, your car is your car so you could put anything you choose in there. What the "best" engine might be is always a matter of personal taste. All engines have theirown perks. You might even consider a 400 inch small block.