For a small background on this truck/engine, check out this post.

http://www.nloc.net/vbforum/showthread.php?t=127277

Here's the pics again that are in that thread of the carnage.









Definitely needs a new piston and head repair, that goes without saying. The cylinder wall is not scratched up, it only has what I would call some tiny micro-pits at various areas that you can't really feel, but you can see them. Honestly I don't even know if it needs honed out. I want to get a machinist to look at it and see what they say, but we think possibly just replacing the piston, fixing the head (new valve seats/valves, bowl repair, new head gaskets), and reassembly may be an option. Any opinions?

 

I forgot to add a few details about the engine. It's basically a VT shortblock (Oliver Billet Rods, Diamond pistons, standard bore), Patriot ported heads with VT turbo cams, MMR oil pump.

 

another bad thing about the damage is that it is in cylinder 8,,,,,any repair you do will have to be complete,,,if you try and smooth out the piston and head,,,you might be able to get away with it,,,,,but it looks like you are gonna try and get some serious power out of the mil,,,,,so do what you know is right,,,,rip it out tear it down and start over

 

with that said,,i know a guy who burned a hole threw the top of his piston,,,he droped the pan pulled a piston welded up the hole got out a nice grinding wheel,,,,,drove it 150 miles one way to the track threw a bunch of nos at it and busted of 5 mid to low 10 second passess and drove home

it was a 2003 corvette,,,,im not sure how long the motor will last,,,,,but what the hell if you are just gonna see how far that turbo can go might as well polish the head and piston and give her a whirl

 

Thanks. I'll definitely be replacing the piston (less than $100), and getting the head fixed properly, I'm kinda up in the air on what to do about the block. It looks really good to me, but I'm not a machinist either.

If I have to bore it to clean up the cylinder, that would mean 8 new pistons and a new balance job, OR I could get one piston, 8 sets of rings and a new block/bearings. If it only needs honed, that's one piston/ring set (balanced to the other pistons of course), and reassembly of the block. A bore job with 8 new pistons/rings and a balance would probably be a little cheaper than buying a new block though. It all boils down to what needs done to properly fix it. Since it's apart, it WILL get done right that's for sure.

 

What year block is it? I'd bore .010 just to be safe and replace the pistons with bigger bore size. At a minimum, you would want to rehone it out. Don't let anyone else tell not to. Of course, new head gaskets. The head looks salvagable. Probably going to cost around 500 to fix the head. Ronnie

 

As quoted from VT Engines web site, it is a

"Current production Windsor 5.4 iron block, as used in the Lightning truck. Incorporates the latest NVH changes which added 18 lbs of material to the block."

 

I dropped the head off today to get fixed, looks like at minimum the intake valve is bent, and possibly the guide. Either way it's probably going to get 2 new valves and seats along with the repair, and possibly guides too.

The machinist is going to come to the shop soon and take a look at the cylinder wall and see what will be required to fix that. I'm condisering a small overbore, and getting all new pistons to up the compression a tad.

 

Shocktherapy, this is what happened when a brand new Crower valve spring broke in my motor with only 150 miles. You guessed it, new block, pistons, billet crank, fixed head etc etc. Hang in there.

 

Now THAT is some carnage!

 

Breaking the snout off the crank will do more than that..........

Ended up being both heads, all valves, all pistons, block, cams, followers, lifters, basically the whole motor. All with about 5k miles on it since being built

I'd probably just look at honing it and a new piston. But, just a word of advise.......check the ring gaps on that short block. I'd be interested to know what you find. Also, look at the piston/skirt wear. It might have been like mine and setup a little tight so honing and a new piston might just do the trick. Just seeing who built the shortblock is all.....

 

I think that will be your best bet especially since you said it is a NVH block. I had mine done .020 over and you seen the power I made.