I think I killed it

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S

smythge

65 with a BIG BLOCK
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I was at the track tonight for test and tune, trying out my new cam, first run was great best time and speed, second and third run not to bad. Fourth run it was running like crap, puked of the line, got it back to the trailer and opened the hood, and it was ideling really bad and hit the throttle and I heard it knocking, couldn't hear it over the open headers. I shut it down right away pushed it on the trailer and brought it home. I pulled the valve covers off, everything looks fine with the valve train, but I can see small copper colored flakes of metal in the oil, I am thinking a spun bearing but not sure. I am going to have to perform an autopsy but looking for suggestions on what you think it might be.

Greg
 
You definately wrecked a bearing. Don't start it again. The more you run it, the larger the scoring marks will be where you have worn through the bearings. Tear it down.
Sorry to hear that, goodluck.
 
That's what I suspected, I'll tear it apart this weekend and decide what to do with it.
 
thats real sad... hope you will get the car to the track again soon and that there is no real bad damage done!
 
I got the motor out of the car tonight, I'll pull the oil pan and heads tomorrow and see what the damage is.
 
i think you killed it too, but i have my fingers crossed on the "hopefully not" side of things.

Cerwin
 
Yeah, I didn't build the lower 1/2 of the motor so I wasn't sure of the quality of work, I was going to pull the motor anyway. I now have an opportunity to build the lower end so I am looking for suggestions, but leaning towards the 440 source stroker kit.
 
Well heres the bearing # 1 rod

bearing.jpg
 
heck ya.. just brush them up a little and threw'em back in dude..

looks fine to me..

but in all honesty hows the rest? you all good still? or is this a bigger problem then you are showing us??

Cerwin
 
I haven't pulled the rest apart yet, but the cylinder walls look good, pistons look good I think the crank is shot. but I'll bring it to a machine shop and see
 
Judging by the color of that bearing, it got hot man! Possibly hot enough to ruin the temper or surface hardening of that specific rod journal. Have you found out why that journal spun and did they all spin? I'd say it was time for some detective work before re-assembly. Don't forget to open up your oil pump, I'm guessing it's full of munched bearing material and it might give you a clue as to what the heck happened. Most likely, you'll need to replace it. Clean out all of your oil passages with a brush and don't forget to blow compressed air through the passages and check for obstructions (silicone blobs, old gasket material, etc.). Check your oil pump pickup to oil pan clearance with some clay. Hmm, new cam? Did you break the cam in before going to the strip? Is the cam munched?
 
That was the only bad bearing, the cam was broken in for 1/2 hour at 2000+ rpms, and had about 100 miles of driving, no damage no wear marks on it, the cylinders look good, pistons look good except 1 broken ring on the same cylinder with the spun bearing. I am not rebuilding the motor now, I found another 440 and dropped in it today, runs great. I am thinking over the winter I might use the other block to build a stroker but I am not sure.
 
Good excuse to build a stroker! I would. Anyway, the broken ring indicates lots 'o' miles or detonation. Detonation will kill bearings. I used to race at Union Grove, WI back in the day, and I know you guys have really good air there. I used to have to bump up my jet size 6 numbers. How does the top of the piston look? Are the deposits white, brown or black? Are the deposits thick or thin? Thick deposits can contribute heavily to detonation on two fronts, 1. It increases compression 2. The carbon heats up and glows, pre-igniting the air-fuel charge. Anyway, if your'e going to build a stroker, Eagle makes a 4.15" stroke forged crank for about $795. Good place to start your build. Hughes Engines and Speed-O-Motive also make complete stroker rotating assemblies, balancing extra of course! Build your engine around your cam. Pick your displacement (498 ci, 520 ci, etc.), pick your cam, your cam choice will dictate the compression you will need to run as well as your peak rpm. Once you know the compression you need, choose your pistons and heads. Make sure your heads will flow up to the max lift your cam specs at (even though the valve stays at max lift for very short period of time! Some builders like to enhance head flow .100" below max lift for best performance.). OK, now you know what your max rpm is you can choose the parts that will live at that rpm level. CAT and Eagle cranks are Chinese. Eagle parts are better than CAT and even Mopar Performance are now using Eagle parts in their crate stroker small blocks (whenever they come out!). Callies are the best, and they are made in the USA, but they are not cheap. I believe that I read in Hot Rod mag a while ago that Callies cranks are made from Chinese blanks, not because Callies wants too, but because the high quality blanks needed are just not available anymore in the U.S. Apparently, the demand for these blanks just cannot support a foundry here in the U.S.A. Yeah, I know it sucks, but I have been using Eagle parts for 3 years now and have not experienced a failure, nor seen any quality control problems yet. Anyway, good luck on your stroker build (you are going to build it now, right?)! Let us know how it turns out.
 
The motor had less than 500 miles on it, and I think the ring was snapped either when I pulled it out or when they put it in. The piston tops were dark brown almost black with a couple having some white deposits. It was a very thin layer on them in fact I sprayed a little engine degreaser on them and it wiped right off and they look new now. a couple of the pistons were pitted on the top, but the motor did sit for 4 years before it was ever run so I think there may have been some moisture in there. Not sure when or if I am going to get to the motor, another member was kind enough to sell me a long block that I got in over the weekend, that runs great and has a mild build, perfect for the street. The other motor may be a winter project or I may bring the block to a machine shop get it inspected hot tanked and throughly cleaned and just sell all the parts, minus the crank of course.
 
I know you're taking another route now, but just kind of curious, got a picture of those pits in the pistons? Detonation will eat the tops of your pistons, but you would of heard it if it was that bad. You also would have seen aluminum specks on the center electrode insulator of your spark plugs as well.
 
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