Bent up stuff

-
VonCramp said:
That would probably be best. However, aside from two broken springs and 13 bent pushrods everything else seems to be okay. I am replacing all valve springs and stronger pushrods. If things still are not right, then I will pull motor and start over. There is always the option to pull motor. In fact, I just installed it a month ago. It isn't a show car. Just an old hot rod that happens to be a 1 of 130 1969 'Cuda 4 speed 383 car.
Click to expand...

Better to check everything now. If there's a problem with the rollers or cam it will eat itself in short order.
 
Looks to me like I saw metal filings in the cylinder head in one picture. You don't tear it down if you want......but I am afraid you will regret it. I mean geez man, you're talking about gaskets here and that's probably it. You already are buying top end gaskets. WTF are you thinking?
 
Wow I just read this whole thread. Your buddy needs a good beat down and to pay for everything in your motor. Also he needs to be 300 feet away from any paying customers engine at whatever hack job machine shop he works for. Since for whatever reason you seem like the type of person to just sweep your friends grotesque mistakes under the carpet do yourself a favor and PULL THE ENTIRE MOTOR DOWN AND INSPECT IT. Do you really want to window the block. AT THE VERY LEAST YOU NEED TO PULL A FEW MAIN CAPS AND ROD CAPS OFF AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BEARINGS ALSO CUT OPEN THE OIL FILTER AND LOOK FOR METAL. This whole deal makes me sick for you and embarrassed for your seriously handicap friend who has a few extra chromosomes . If you don't feel confident pulling the motor down yourself you really need to find a different machine shop or engine builder that can at the bare minimum pull some caps and look for metal in places it's not supposed to be. Take the people's here advice man your already in a deep hole you really not to stop digging. Good luck with all of this disaster.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Looks to me like I saw metal filings in the cylinder head in one picture. You don't tear it down if you want......but I am afraid you will regret it. I mean geez man, you're talking about gaskets here and that's probably it. You already are buying top end gaskets. WTF are you thinking?
Click to expand...
It was just the oil and light reflecting on the casting
 
AbodyJohn88 said:
Wow I just read this whole thread. Your buddy needs a good beat down and to pay for everything in your motor. Also he needs to be 300 feet away from any paying customers engine at whatever hack job machine shop he works for. Since for whatever reason you seem like the type of person to just sweep your friends grotesque mistakes under the carpet do yourself a favor and PULL THE ENTIRE MOTOR DOWN AND INSPECT IT. Do you really want to window the block. AT THE VERY LEAST YOU NEED TO PULL A FEW MAIN CAPS AND ROD CAPS OFF AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BEARINGS ALSO CUT OPEN THE OIL FILTER AND LOOK FOR METAL. This whole deal makes me sick for you and embarrassed for your seriously handicap friend who has a few extra chromosomes . If you don't feel confident pulling the motor down yourself you really need to find a different machine shop or engine builder that can at the bare minimum pull some caps and look for metal in places it's not supposed to be. Take the people's here advice man your already in a deep hole you really not to stop digging. Good luck with all of this disaster.
Click to expand...
I recently had it out and tore down to short block.
 
Update: Some of the rockers were not centered over the valve stems due to incorrect spacing. Pretty sure the pushrods were too long because the cups were digging into the rocker at adjusters. I have since purchased an adjustable pushrod length checker. I also think the lash was off because he used the 90* method, but since my harmonic balancer is blank, it was purely guesswork. I have now added timing tape. What has me confused it that he still states that pushrod length is not an issue because of adjusters. I am no machinist or mathematician, but doesn't length affect rocker arm travel? I know a few thousandths doesn't matter probably, but the longer the pushrods, the more the rocker pivots, right?
 
VonCramp said:
Update: Some of the rockers were not centered over the valve stems due to incorrect spacing. Pretty sure the pushrods were too long because the cups were digging into the rocker at adjusters. I have since purchased an adjustable pushrod length checker. I also think the lash was off because he used the 90* method, but since my harmonic balancer is blank, it was purely guesswork. I have now added timing tape. What has me confused it that he still states that pushrod length is not an issue because of adjusters. I am no machinist or mathematician, but doesn't length affect rocker arm travel? I know a few thousandths doesn't matter probably, but the longer the pushrods, the more the rocker pivots, right?
Click to expand...

Tell him it's not a chevy, and that shaft mounted rocker arms don't float. Ideally you should have 2 threads +/- adjuster showing and no contact on the cup. The pushrods are only going to move the cam lift no matter the length. Need to understand everything in the valve train has been over stressed, and needs careful inspection/replacement. Flat spot on cam or roller will self destruct. Flat spot on the fulcrum needle bearing and it might spit the needles. I wouldn't trust any of it. Slapping a new set of springs and heavier duty pushrods on is not going to fix this.

AND STOP LISTENING TO THE MACHINIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His ignorance is what trashed your engine.
 
Last edited:
Lobe lift X rocker ratio=total. If you put 1.5 rockers you probably would have been golden.
 
I don't think it's been established yet that your pushrods were definitely too long. Speculation is that they may have been. What is known is that things bound up and parts broke.

Some speculated that your valves had hit the pistons. That's not known unless you see indication they did hit. If it did happen, that could have been due to the increase in valve opening travel with the 1.6 rockers or incorrect cam to crank timing.

Some had guessed that the springs were being over compressed and were the point where stuff bound up. That could happen if incorrect springs were used or valve lash was wrong.

If your pushrods were too long it's likely that you'd have excessive preload and the motor would seem to spin over easier because the valves were barely allowed to close completely. It might run but it would likely run worse the higher the RPM and possibly be on the verge of everything hitting.
 
Last edited:
Well I certainly wish you the best of luck. I know dang well I would not want to do this again and spend even more money, which is why I adamantly recommended the complete tear down. I hope it all turns out good for you. I know what the result would be if "I" tried to cut corners.
 
Okay this is my take on this, which is just my opinion. Push rods, I always make them as long as possible with out contacting the bottom of rocker through full sweep.(I found that different makes of adjusters have different lengths from bottom of ball to first thread) Your heads are a copy of the edelbrocks, which are set up for flat tappet cams with up to .575 lift with single springs, so if the heads where not cut for higher lift and dual springs your 1.6 rockers are probably the culprit. You said you did a leak down test and heard no air coming out the intake or exhaust. If you did the leak down properly this to me would rule out valve to piston contact. Two broken springs on same cylinder and bent push rods on both intake and exhaust on most of the cylinders screams valve spring clearance problems to me and if that's the case check your rockers real close because they took the hit from both ends, and if used again will be your next failure point. Pull heads and send them out to a component machine shop and gone through and checked for all clearance problems, make sure you give them the valve lift for the 1.6 rockers and not the 1.5s. New push rods and springs and have shop thoroughly check your rockers and replace if necessary. Just my 2 cents.
 
Ive read the whole post here and I feel for you. When I did my 408 I bought a cam kit from Comp cams. I had all kinds of issues from the lifters, cam center circle and the springs. The engine builder had to be on the phone with them 3 times until we had something that worked. They ended up regrinding the cam for a smaller center circle, the lifters I couldnt use and the springs had to be changed to get the correct ones so I didnt have binding springs. Now maybe all my terms are not correct since I didnt do that work myself but there was only one person at comp that understood all the issues we ran into. Yes my was a .575 .575 solid roller which sounds very close to what you have. In the end I give Dave @ comp cams credit for all his help.
One question I have about your engine is you state in the first post that your motor was running perfect earlier in the day. How long had this motor been in and running? Was it just at initial startup or had you driven it for a while? Not that it mattered but was just curious.
Best of luck with your rework, As many have said I would pull it totally down and recheck everything again myself.
Rod
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top