We took the motor out of the car today, found out my problem: broke rod. It broke it right at the base of the rod, just above where it goes on the crank. To explain it, it looked like two rod caps were put on the crank, lol. The rest of the rod was still on the Piston.
Of course it also spun that bearing (#6 cylinder BTW, and thats the 3rd one back on the passenger side of a small block chevy). And that of course did scar the crank a little, but it can be turned I think.
It was also a totally freak thing that caused it to break as well. One of the rod bolts actually came loose! That caused it to spin the bearing, and that's why the car started slowing down (engine was tightening up). It probably did it the last time I was in the finals, and then it really did it when I ran my time trial on Saturday night. We think it finally beat the bearing on out (it was bad too) and this freed the engien back up (remember, it felt like it had its power back when it threw the rod), and that of course let the rod rock back and forth on the crank, and that's why it broke.
Soo, all of this has happened becuase a stupid rod bolt came loose! You think of that now! Evidentally, the shop that built the engine either didn't torque that bolt properly, or just missed it. Oh well. That's part of it I suppose.
I also had a piston get into the #6 intake valve. It bent it. I'm just glad it didnt break it and shove it through the heads. I'm going to take that head tomorrow and get a new valve put in.
I will be ready to race Saturday however. I bought a 355 engine today from one of our friends that also race. I gave him $700 for it. It's got forged flat top pistons and is pretty much brand new. He said he only ran it a few times, and it was set up for nitrous. It's a 4-bolt main block and had a new Crane .568 lift flat tappet cam and lifters, with GM heads with 2.05/1.60 valves and they are ported. However, we put my roller cam from the 406 in the 355 (mine is somewhere around a .650 lift) and my roller lifters, and we're putting my heads (Pro 1, 2.08 or 2.10 intake/1.60 exhaust, and fully ported), which are 10x better then what was on the 355.
The 355 is in the car right now, it just likes one head, the intake (from the old engine as well, ported Victor Jr with 750 cfm ProForm carb), distributor, and the wiring.
So basically, this 355 will be set-up identical to the 406. The only difference in power will be the extra 51 cubic inches. The 355 has the exact cam, lifters, rockers, heads, and intake from the 406.
It will no doubt be slower, but I couldn't tell ya by how much. My 406's best run was 4.403 in the 330, and you could about garuntee it to run 4.45. In fact, the last time I raced, it ran 4.45 three times in a row. I'm figuring that this 355 should run 4.65 at worst. I dont think the hp will be that much difference, but the torque will probably be significantly lower.
Either way, I'll be able to race Saturday night now. This time last night, I wasn't going to be able to race, lol. And I will eventually get my 406 fixed, and when I do, its more then likely getting big dome pistons, and that will take me from running 4.40s in the 330, to 4.30s, and soemtimes 4.20s.
Cliff Notes:
-Rod bolt came loose
-Spun a bearing
-Broke a rod
-Scarred the crank
-Bent a Valve
-Don't think it hurt my 406s block
-Have a flat-top 355 back in the car
-Probably will loose a tenth or two, but will be able to race.