Assumed all was good on an engine I bought - it bit me in the @$$!

[Outlaw525]

I recently purchased a stalled racecar project that hadn't been touched in about 8 years. Price was right and included lots of good parts. The 440 was supposed have been broken in but that was it for run time.

I changed all the fluids, squirted oil in the cylinders and turned it over by hand, cleaned the carb and flushed the fuel system. Hooked up a battery and cranked it over until oil pressure came up. So far so good, primed the carb and it fired right up and sounded really good with open headers. I checked and adjusted the timing, 60 lbs oil pressure, 165 degrees, still all good. It ran for about 5 minutes and than stalled out. It had lost compression so I dug into it and found the cam wasn't turning, here's what all I found inside:

The cam bolt wasn't tight and the cam gear had spun.

Which in turn caused the valves to hit the pistons, bending a bunch valves and pushrods:

The cam is pretty mild and this probably wouldn't have happened if the pistons weren't installed upside down!

I also found a lot of loose bolts during disassembly. The whole engine is coming apart and I am going to measure and check everything before reassembling it.

Like my Dad always told me: Never assume................

 

[rbkt65]

just because a guy has a tool box and a race car, does not mean he knows jack **** about anything, including engine building. a machine shop here in the area did that to a friend of mine and refused to do anything about it. until i called my wife's aunt that worked for a high powered lawyer. 1 call and poof, money in the bank for him. sorry for you loss.

 

[RemCharger]

As a Dad I would say, why are morons allowed to build engines lol.

Cripes

 

[autoxcuda]

Thanks for posting. And thank for your honesty.

Lessons learned here for others.

Sometimes the reason people sell off projects because they lack skills, make poor choices, and/or unknowingly have poor work done for them.

A fresh built motor that was not run or not driven can be a bigger risk that an old clapped out non running junker. That junker was running and driving until something happened. The fresh built motor was never "proven".

Edit: Price Accordingly!!

 

[1967coronet]

Damn.
Sorry to see that.

 

[R413]

sorry you got this problem

Next time be safe

Take it apart before you run it.

 

[Richard Cranium]

 

[PRHeads]

It wouldn’t surprise me if there was v/p contact the whole time........ which could have caused the cam bolt to come loose.

That’s a tough deal either way.
Hopefully the price ends up still being a decent deal.

I always loctite the cam bolts.

 

[Outlaw525]

Thanks everyone. I hope that my bad decision will help others avoid the same situation. Yeah, the price was good enough that I will come out fine on the deal. I normally assemble my own engines and loctite, micrometers and a good torque wrench are part of the process. It definitely could have been worse.

 

[joe smith]

until i called my wife's aunt that worked for a high powered lawyer. 1 call and poof, money in the bank for him. sorry for you loss.

Funny how that works.... My dads brother ( my uncle) was a circuit court judge with a very good reputation for being just....
When I was young, a couple of times pulled over for hot rodding, the cop asked me if I was related to Judge so and so... When I said yep, Uncle Bill..... They let me go....
My dads friend was being held up by a lawyer who was supposed to be settling the estate, but was helping himself to the money... One call from " uncle bill" and it was done the next day.....

 

[Red63440]

Your Dad was right, it’s a hard way to learn.

 

[Gus chiggins]

I recently purchased a stalled racecar project that hadn't been touched in about 8 years. Price was right and included lots of good parts. The 440 was supposed have been broken in but that was it for run time.

View attachment 1271624

I changed all the fluids, squirted oil in the cylinders and turned it over by hand, cleaned the carb and flushed the fuel system. Hooked up a battery and cranked it over until oil pressure came up. So far so good, primed the carb and it fired right up and sounded really good with open headers. I checked and adjusted the timing, 60 lbs oil pressure, 165 degrees, still all good. It ran for about 5 minutes and than stalled out. It had lost compression so I dug into it and found the cam wasn't turning, here's what all I found inside:

The cam bolt wasn't tight and the cam gear had spun.

View attachment 1271623

Which in turn caused the valves to hit the pistons, bending a bunch valves and pushrods:

View attachment 1271626 View attachment 1271627 View attachment 1271628

The cam is pretty mild and this probably wouldn't have happened if the pistons weren't installed upside down!

View attachment 1271630 View attachment 1271631

I also found a lot of loose bolts during disassembly. The whole engine is coming apart and I am going to measure and check everything before reassembling it.

Like my Dad always told me: Never assume................

Probably better to disassemble the motor no matter what. Just to be safe.

 

[zyzzyx]

Unfortunately it's a single bolt cam, and I absolutely HATE the slot they put in the
top gear instead of a hole for the dowel pin! Blue or red Loctite and I believe 35Lb/Ft?
Pistons in upside down? Better check everything including the balance. Sorry to hear.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

I guess when they said it was “broken” in they really meant it !
Man that sucks and sorry to hear that happened to you.
Thanks for posting this and letting everyone know to check someone else’s work for yourself

 

[Runcharger]

Too bad: Yes, any engine that is bought is just a core unfortunately.

 

[BDF6]

Sorry to hear/read this!
What county are you in if you don't mind me asking.
PM me if you want, we got a place 'up there' & I'm getting to know some people here & there.

 

[Outlaw525]

Crook County, Prineville to be exact, draw and an X from corner to corner on the Oregon map. Where the lines cross in the middle is us.

 

[kiwigtx]

Like my Dad always told me: Never assume................

Lesson learned ....sorry to hear you got ripped by this engine.....hopefully there is enough to rebuild and have a stronger part when you're done.

 

[autoxcuda]

Lesson learned ....sorry to hear you got ripped by this engine.....hopefully there is enough to rebuild and have a stronger part when you're done.

I don’t consider it like he got totally ripped off.

Most all sellers have no guarantees.

Be careful. Don’t be an over eager buyer and make sure to pay accordingly. Its easy to say. We all get excited about a new purchases.

 

[Outlaw525]

Thanks for all the support. I wouldn't say I got ripped off, I bought a non running racecar project for a good price and there were no guarantees given. I just should never have trusted that someone that I was not familiar with had put the engine together correctly, especially since I didn't hear it run.

I will actually be further ahead after I re-assemble it correctly with better parts. I will be taking apart and inspecting the trans and Dana 60 before they are run!