[bigchevydaddy]

Could you give a few more details on why the service manager won't let you buy the original engine back? My local chevy dealer sells warranty take-outs all the time, although most of them are truck engines. You can buy a take-out gen VI 454 4-bolt complete for about $500. Many have a minor problem like a spun bearing that a crank change and freshening would cure, but it's a lot faster to just drop in a new motor. The dealer is required to keep a warranty take-out for a certain amount of time, and if the zone mgr doesn't pick it up for diagnois, then they sell it cheap. Since piston slap is a well-known problem, they probably won't find anything new in your motor. Then it becomes a rebuilder core. If you're willing to wait a few months, you may be able to get your original engine back.

Good luck, BCD