Finally started breaking it down!

[OTHCUSTOMS]

Hey guys long time no talk for me, just been trying to get things in order with everything i have going on. last thing i had posted was that my 406 had went to shit and in the same process my pinion gear broke. haha crazy right?
well it came down to a day me n dad took apart the top end and yanked just the bottom end out and we found that i detonated the # 7 piston. up until about 2 days ago we actually brought the bottom end to my dads friend shop where we would begin to break that down. by the way my dads friends decide to give me the nickname Russell Engines because ive been through so much engine shit..haha even on a new used car i just bought to attempt to save money and not lease anymore. i picked up a 2000 escalade that needed a lil tlc. came to find out this damn thing had a bent valve. i did research and found a place with brand new factory heads with valves and springs for 520. so i bought them got them in and now runs beautiful.
so after that mess me n dad are standing around looking at my poor 406 and he just decides to pull some lifters out. i have hydralic flat tappet cam with solid lifters. all are good until we get to that faithful #7 cylinder. wont come out. so we get a pair of pliers and yank it out. and to my surprise...hahaha solid lifter my butt, this thing was concaved and and atleast a 1/4 hole in the center. so now we know the cam wiped out. didnt go any further than that.
heres a big question though!!! would too much valve spring cause the came to wipe out? and that to happen to the lifter? because i did have new valves and springs put in the begining of the year. heres the pics of the piston and the solid lifter.

[badtoad]

Dam ! Ive seen cheep race gas do that to the pistions befor but on the lifter not shure. I think id have a close look at the valve and the guide. Also the plug and wire . If the plug wasnt firing could the compression cause exess pressure to push back on the valve just long enuf to hog out the lifter ?

[Scotty_S-15]

Good to hear you're tearing into it. I guess you know, you can always count on Dad more than anyone else to help you out.

Wiped cam. That happens, and yes, big spring pressure can help a cam wipe out. Usually the break in period is critical. You were running really good for a while, so gotta think the cam was OK after break-in?? Or, the seed may have been planted.

Lots of guys break in their cams with lighter valve springs, and after the cam is broken in, switch to the mondo springs. Best bet is roller cams, minimizes cam failures.

And yes, it isn't unusual for a lifter to get eaten up like that. That thing must have been clacking away! The lifters just case hardened, so once it's worn though..... it gets eaten up in a hurry. Gee, I wonder where all that metal went? So yeah, a good thing you're tearing it all down.
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[XTEN]

Hydraulic cam with solid lifters?Why?

[OTHCUSTOMS]

scotty i definetly did have lighter valve springs in for a decent time for break in. so teh cam should have definetly been broken in when i went to heavier springs. we had the same thought though, maybe i should go back to a roller cam like i had in my 355. i had a 600 roller in that thing.

[OTHCUSTOMS]

oh and we didnt drop the pan yet or take the filter off. al i did was obviously drain the oil. they wanna cut my filter open to see if anything is in it. plus they are thinking that the piston melted and didnt break. who really knows. all me n dad really thing is we got screwed from teh very start with this build. so now its gonan be a take my time and do it right build piece by piece. there are 2 cylinders that have scratch marks, but a good hone will most likely take it out. my real only huge issue is right now is...do i want to go thru with this and build a full out race/track motor, or do i wanna just build a mild street motor and pretty much kiss the fast times away. and if i do go with the street motor do i build the mild 406 or do i go back to 1 of my original motors which is a 355 that is already mild and just freshen it up.

[OTHCUSTOMS]

Originally Posted by XTEN

Hydraulic cam with solid lifters?Why?

in all honesty xten i have no idea. when the guy weas building my motor i wanted to re use the 600 roller i had in my 355 into the 406 the guy was like no way and said solid lifter it is. so i went along with it. i hated it after it was built toooooo much adjusting all the time. gonna go back to a roller reguardless of what build i do

[OTHCUSTOMS]

im just happy i have 2 sets of perfect roller lifters here in my house. 1 set is lunati, im not quite sure what the other is. but 1 set is def gonna be used again.

[XTEN]

Originally Posted by OTHCUSTOMS

im just happy i have 2 sets of perfect roller lifters here in my house. 1 set is lunati, im not quite sure what the other is. but 1 set is def gonna be used again.

Thats great,thats a big expense out of the way.How in the world would you know what to lash that hyd.cam at???If you run a solid flat tappet cam too loose,it'll eat lifters.

[OTHCUSTOMS]

i really think this motor just wasnt done right from the start. any time this motor was touched it was done by my dads friends and both of them have a few race cars. it was just pourly done from build by this other guy. it just sucks as i go along with all these different problems that im learning more about this stuff instead of just learning a better way.