Ok guys i need major help with my major problem
i have a 292 and lost compression on one whole side(the first cyl side), meaning im running only 4 cyl at this momment.. What is the best way to fix this? buy a new block? rebuild? also which ever way is best i need to be cheapest as i am only a 17 year old trying to get this problem fixed. I have a few older friends that have rebuild motors before and said it wouldnt be that bad just to do it and then take it and have the heads cleaned and bored and all... So with this info do you think you could tell me why i am having this problem? and what is the best way to fix this and the cheapest? Also is it best that when i go to rebuild it to just bore it out to something a little bigger as i read on another post theres a lot to play with on it?

Also anyone willing to sell a decent or rebuilt block for a pretty good price?

Thanks a bunch guys this site is amazing and ive used it many of times for resources.
Brent

 

Brent

The first thing to do is determine why you lost 1 whole bank, but only 1 bank, of cylinders & not all nor, only 1 or 2 cylinders on alternate or same sides. My 1st guess is you have Valve Train problems of some type, my 2nd would be somebody has played a really stupid joke on you. Since I don't know if your problem appeared slowly over time, or suddenly as you drove along, or you came out & what had been running fine, suddenly had the problem you describe above. I suggest you Remove that rocker cover to check & see if all your pushrods are in place & move when engine is bring cranked over. Make sure the rocker shaft is bolted down & operating correctly, & all rockers are adjusted close to correct setting.

There is no way mechanically or mathematically 1 side loses compression if a cam breaks, or a valve drops and so forth. Nor if one side wears out and the other doesn't, a timing chain fails and so on, etc etc. Cylinder operation isn't split lineally. It is alternately divided. IOW, firing Order is not 12345678, it is more like 14526738 or 15736248 or something. I am not saying these are your firing order (I don't commit firing orders to memory as they are easily referenced in repair manuals) I got other stuff to keep in my head. But I'm sure you get my point here. . . .

Mechanically the only thing that can fail and cost you compression on one bank of a V8 engine without other major problems is valve train related, and in a "Y" block that's rockers & pushrods 99.0% of the time. Compression fails because valves are not opening & closing allowing Comression to build (again Valve train). Also you don't mention Firing in your Crankcase, Crossfiring, or firing thru the Intake, as happens when things like pistons, valves, cam etc get broken or destroyed, so before you get stoked on a rebuild find out your root cause. It may be a fast & inexpensive repair and nothing more.

Personally (this is purely my opinion from life experience)I believe there are better engines than "Y" Blocks you can run. Many engines are not only cheaper to run, they perform better, and can be easily installed for less than what it would cost to rebuild a 292 "Y" Block. You realize this is an opinion and not an intent to hurt anybody's feelings or pride, or question their choices. . . But I would install a later, more efficient & better performing engine before I'll rebuild another "Y" Block, believe me I've built way too many already. . . .

FBp

 

wow thanks a whole lot. the only problem is with getting a new setup i have to find a motor, fab mounts, find a tranny or a new bell housing... so its just about as much work. so you think a valve kit would be best... after i check it of course. if i change one side its kinda stupid not to change the other right?

 

also whats the best way to fix this? buy new pushrods? a new set of valves? rocker arms? or just a whole new rocker assembly itself?

is there a certain kit that has these things? or a few of these things?

 

sounds like more trouble shooting is in order. put a compression gague on it and lets us see whats happening run one wet and one dry. I cant see loosing one side of the engine and having the other working sounds like firing order or a head/valve train

 

i had it at a shop and they did a compression test and said it had no compression, or very little and that it has some blue smoke... it wasnt like this b4 i changed the timing chain, and i ended up doing the timing chain 3 times so i believe in one of the attempts it happened to mess up the valve train... so thats most likely the case.


so say it is the valve train, whats the best way to fix it? what will i need to buy in order to fix it?

 

A entire new engine. Figgured you did some damage with the timing gears installed the way they were. Common mistake on the Y block

Pull the engine. Place on a stand and prepare for a rebuild.

There are things bent and untill you have it apart and visual inspect everything there can be no quick soloution.

Garbz

 

pull the rocker covers off and make sure everything goes up and down. hopefully you just bent a pushrod or two instead of any valves. If so just replace the pushrods you bent. If there is a valve that is bent you will have to pull the head and replace the valve. I would check both sides.

 

thanks soo much guys.. and garbz i woulda just bought a new engine if i could... just money comes to an issue expecially when your a 17 year old trying to get your vehicle running so you can get to and from work and school... not too much of a spending account here...

 

U may need to pull all the pushrods out and roll them on a flat surface to tell. If you have to pull the heads I would do both of them and have a valve job done instead of just having the valve replaced. It will save you trouble later. You might be able to pick up a couple of servicable heads from a wrecking yard. I have had the money problem a time or two. You might ask around in the Y block fourm they might have someother ideas

 

why might a need a couple serviceable heads? sorry im not the smartest as i am learning as i go and dropping money too lol. and what exactly is a valve job or what is done during one? and personally what do you think i should buy? first im going to pull out the pushrods and check them, but if its just them just new rods? or go ahead and do the valves too?

 

if the pushrods are bent then just replace them and see what you get. with a valve job they rebuild the heads replace valves if needed and you can have hardened seats put in. You could have bent pushrods and bent valves too. for the pushrods to be bent the piston hit the valve when this occoured it could have bent a valve or two you may be able to see this when you pull the pushrods out as one spring or another might stay in the down posistion and not be level with the rest. if this is the case you will need to pull the heads and have them fixed or replace them with another set. depending on which you can afford to do. I mentioned hardened seats because when your engine was built there was lead in the gas and it worked as a cussion and lubricant between the valve and the head. unleaded engines had a hardened seat to save on wear. worst case with your enging could be a whole in the top of the piston from impact with the valve. just keep narrowing it down. start with the pushrods and go from there

 

ok thank you soooo much... you make this sound so much easier than i planned it to be as you could tell i was looking to go arms deep and rebuild the whole thing. thank you for most likely saving me a lot of time and money in the long run.

ill post updates and most likely ask more questions later as you guys are amazing

 

You may still have to rebuild but this might get you back on and road untill you can afford to do it right. If it were mine and not the only ride I had It would be on the engine stand and being rebuilt. If you get it up and running this way. consider finding another engine rebuilding it at you can afford it then it is a simple swap when the time comes and you are only down for a weekend while you trade engines out.

 

well heres an update... tell me what you guys might think... seeing how it was the holidays and i had a week off of school last week i didnt start or drive her all week. Well this morning i get up, go to warm the truck up(its texas and has been cold all week) and well it took a few min for it to finaly crank and when it did it sounded like it was still running on 4 cyl and still kind of bogged down, well it was warming up for about 20 min as i was finishing stuff up inside. i got out there and get in and it seems as it is idling high so i try to kick it down by stepping on the pedal.. well it just wouldnt go down so i wasnt sure what was going on. i begin to drive and i have either all 8 or atleast 6-7 cyl all the sudden... what do you think may have caused this to fix itself? also noticed a lot of oil, but my dad thinks its just from the valve cover gasket at a quick glance.

any ideas? or newer things to try before buying stuff? maybe putting oil in the cyl then starting it up? something?