SS is down, update
09-14-2006, 09:39 PM
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SS is down, update Some of you may already know the motor in the SS had some problems. Here’s the short, but long story. A few weeks ago I headed out to E-town with Mike (Bandit) for the US vs. Import crap war thingy. The car felt a little sluggish at first, but not really too bad. It was sort of misty raining throughout the day, so with the worn DR’s on, I took it pretty easy and the car seemed to run pretty well just cruising. Turns out the event got rained out and I took it easy on the way home also.
The next time I drove it was on the way down to Atco for a test and tune night once again with Bandit. On the way down I noticed what sounded a little like an exhaust leak, it was like a popping, tapping noise that seemed to come and go a bit. I sort of wrote it off as a leak and took it easy cruising down. Once I got there it sort of stopped and sounded pretty normal, with the exception of a little rougher then normal idle. I was thinking, what the hell, this doesn’t sound like any major mechanical thing, so I’ll make a pass down the track and see if it’s down on power. I pull up, do a burnout, then it stalls. Start back up, pull up to the line, launch at about 3500 and it bogs big time. Once the rpm’s got up to about 5k or so it started pulling pretty good, but I could tell something definitely wasn’t right. It still ran a 13.6@106, which is pretty far off it’s normal. I pull into the pits and start looking at stuff, not really finding anything, but I did notice my voltage was down a little bit from normal. Sure enough I see some major corrosion on the positive battery terminal, so I check to see if the speed shop had an Optima for sale. They did, it was reasonable, so I buy one (this was the original battery, 5 yrs, so I didn’t feel bad about replacing it), put it in (after some fun trying to get the corroded terminal off), and tried it out. Started up much stronger, but the same problem seemed to still exist. I watched Mike make a few more runs and call it a night, just cruising easy on the way home.
A few days later I figured I have to start taking things apart to find this problem, so I start with the spark plugs. After getting #8, then 6 out (man it’s sure nice to have a pit in your garage!) from beneath, I get back up top and take the rest out. I got them all out and back in except #1. I figured by this time it wasn’t the plugs, so I started thinking maybe a bad O2 sensor or something electronic maybe. I took a break, had a beer and relaxed a bit. Finally I go back out and decide to pull #1, what the hell, it’s the easiest one anyway. Sure enough, it’s soaked with fuel. Now I thinking, ok I’m getting somewhere, maybe I broke a valve spring or something. I pull the valve cover and start looking at all the springs, hmmmm, then look pretty good, but I guess you really can’t tell by looking, so I start fiddling around and notice the #1 Intake rocker is loose, really loose, there is like ¼ of play between the rocker tip and the valve stem. I check, the rocker is tight, so I pull the pushrod to see if it broke. Nope, these are trick flow hardened ones, so they held up well. So now, I have to think a lifter is the problem. I figured it had to collapse, that the spring inside had to break. Since the head had to come off, and taking a look at the available room to do it (damn f-cars) , I decide I’m better off taking the car to someone to take a look. So I pull out the AAA card and call a flatbed to take me to Mikey’s at Rapid. A few days later, he calls me up and asks if I can take another ride down to check out the damage. The lifter was twisted in the bore and he had a hell of a time getting it out, and when it came out, you could see the damage it did. One of two things had to happen, 1) the lifter twisted in the plastic holding tray, which caused the ball tip to turn sideways, or some form of it, or 2) the ball and bottom part broke, causing it to twist in the bore.
I like WTF? This really sucks… So after thinking about what to do, and after seeing all of the metal that got shaved off of the cam, not to mention the missing lifter parts, I decide to tear it apart and get the block and stuff checked out. The block and crank can be re-used, after some machining and polishing, so I figure I might as well do a build up, it’s the right time for it. Some specs for the new build are below, and carnage pics after that.
347 CI
Forged pistons
Re-sized stock rods
ARP – rod bolts, main studs, head studs
Trick flow 215cc heads milled for 11:4 compression
Cam – about the same as I was running, 230/230/112 0r 113/.59x
Textrilia Clutch with 18 pound billet flywheel
This should yield a very reliable 450-460rwhp setup. I should have it back late next week (hopefully) and maybe be ready for Cecil on the 23rd. Ok, I’m tired of typing…..
Pics - http://www.campione.org/ssouch/ssouch.htm
The next time I drove it was on the way down to Atco for a test and tune night once again with Bandit. On the way down I noticed what sounded a little like an exhaust leak, it was like a popping, tapping noise that seemed to come and go a bit. I sort of wrote it off as a leak and took it easy cruising down. Once I got there it sort of stopped and sounded pretty normal, with the exception of a little rougher then normal idle. I was thinking, what the hell, this doesn’t sound like any major mechanical thing, so I’ll make a pass down the track and see if it’s down on power. I pull up, do a burnout, then it stalls. Start back up, pull up to the line, launch at about 3500 and it bogs big time. Once the rpm’s got up to about 5k or so it started pulling pretty good, but I could tell something definitely wasn’t right. It still ran a 13.6@106, which is pretty far off it’s normal. I pull into the pits and start looking at stuff, not really finding anything, but I did notice my voltage was down a little bit from normal. Sure enough I see some major corrosion on the positive battery terminal, so I check to see if the speed shop had an Optima for sale. They did, it was reasonable, so I buy one (this was the original battery, 5 yrs, so I didn’t feel bad about replacing it), put it in (after some fun trying to get the corroded terminal off), and tried it out. Started up much stronger, but the same problem seemed to still exist. I watched Mike make a few more runs and call it a night, just cruising easy on the way home.
A few days later I figured I have to start taking things apart to find this problem, so I start with the spark plugs. After getting #8, then 6 out (man it’s sure nice to have a pit in your garage!) from beneath, I get back up top and take the rest out. I got them all out and back in except #1. I figured by this time it wasn’t the plugs, so I started thinking maybe a bad O2 sensor or something electronic maybe. I took a break, had a beer and relaxed a bit. Finally I go back out and decide to pull #1, what the hell, it’s the easiest one anyway. Sure enough, it’s soaked with fuel. Now I thinking, ok I’m getting somewhere, maybe I broke a valve spring or something. I pull the valve cover and start looking at all the springs, hmmmm, then look pretty good, but I guess you really can’t tell by looking, so I start fiddling around and notice the #1 Intake rocker is loose, really loose, there is like ¼ of play between the rocker tip and the valve stem. I check, the rocker is tight, so I pull the pushrod to see if it broke. Nope, these are trick flow hardened ones, so they held up well. So now, I have to think a lifter is the problem. I figured it had to collapse, that the spring inside had to break. Since the head had to come off, and taking a look at the available room to do it (damn f-cars) , I decide I’m better off taking the car to someone to take a look. So I pull out the AAA card and call a flatbed to take me to Mikey’s at Rapid. A few days later, he calls me up and asks if I can take another ride down to check out the damage. The lifter was twisted in the bore and he had a hell of a time getting it out, and when it came out, you could see the damage it did. One of two things had to happen, 1) the lifter twisted in the plastic holding tray, which caused the ball tip to turn sideways, or some form of it, or 2) the ball and bottom part broke, causing it to twist in the bore.
I like WTF? This really sucks… So after thinking about what to do, and after seeing all of the metal that got shaved off of the cam, not to mention the missing lifter parts, I decide to tear it apart and get the block and stuff checked out. The block and crank can be re-used, after some machining and polishing, so I figure I might as well do a build up, it’s the right time for it. Some specs for the new build are below, and carnage pics after that.
347 CI
Forged pistons
Re-sized stock rods
ARP – rod bolts, main studs, head studs
Trick flow 215cc heads milled for 11:4 compression
Cam – about the same as I was running, 230/230/112 0r 113/.59x
Textrilia Clutch with 18 pound billet flywheel
This should yield a very reliable 450-460rwhp setup. I should have it back late next week (hopefully) and maybe be ready for Cecil on the 23rd. Ok, I’m tired of typing…..
Pics - http://www.campione.org/ssouch/ssouch.htm
09-15-2006, 09:04 AM
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im curious....did the engine knock or anything? i ask cause my SS went down to, but my symptoms were a slight loss in oil pressure and a knock around 2000-3500 rpms under load. hmmm maybe i should check my plugs. were they stock lifters?
09-15-2006, 12:35 PM
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Looks like I was having the same issues. I wish I was back in Pa were there are some good shops. There is nothing good down here in New Orleans. Thunder Racing almost takes a act of god to get in.
09-15-2006, 08:05 PM
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im curious....did the engine knock or anything? i ask cause my SS went down to, but my symptoms were a slight loss in oil pressure and a knock around 2000-3500 rpms under load. hmmm maybe i should check my plugs. were they stock lifters?
If anyone changes heads, seriously consider changing the lifters. After seeing the comp's and Morel's compared side by side with the stockers, there is a huge dfference in quality, don't take a chance.